As a medium of emotional intensity, film has in a sense become the opera of our time. After all, aficionados of silent movies know that their exaggerated acting style inherited a good deal from the traditions of the opera stage, while the soundtracks to films of our own time often incorporate music from the great operas for moments of special impact. This budget Naxos disc offers a highly enjoyable way for film buffs of all stripes to dip into the transporting world of opera. The booklet notes give the context for each of the familiar films in which these 17 selections occur (oddly, there is no listing of the performers anywhere on the album). As you recall your favorite scenes, the genius by which Mozart, Puccini, Wagner, Verdi--who admittedly gets short shrift with just the "Anvil Chorus" from Il Trovatore--and the other composers represented here create a mood may inspire you to take a closer look at their complete operas. A good place for the romantically inclined to start is La Boheme, which is sure to leave you even more moonstruck than the film. --Thomas May