Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Chapter 1 Tonality as Drama: An Introduction -- Merging Tonal and Dramatic Analysis -- The Permanent Interruption and the Multi-Movement Ursatz -- Strategic Tonality in Four Post-Wagnerian Operas -- Chapter 2 Dramatic Closure: the Stanislavsky System and the Attainment of Character Objectives -- Scoring a Role -- Sample Analyses: Griboyedov and Shakespeare -- Stanislavsky and Schenker in the United States -- Applying the System to the Analysis of Opera -- Chapter 3 Tonal Closure: A Schenkerian Approach to Tonal Drama -- Incorporating Dramatic Analysis -- Chapter 4 The Completed Background Line with Open-Ended Coda: Scott Joplin's "Grand Opera" Treemonisha (1911) -- Synopsis -- Scoring and Analyzing the Roles of Zodzetrick and Treemonisha -- Summary -- Chapter 5 The Multi-Movement Anstieg or Initial Ascent: George Gershwin's "Folk Opera" Porgy and Bess (1935) -- Synopsis -- Scoring and Analyzing the Roles of Porgy and Bess -- Summary -- Chapter 6 The Multi-Movement Initial Arpeggiation: Kurt Weill's "Broadway Opera" Street Scene (1947) -- Synopsis -- Scoring and Analyzing the Roles of Sam and Rose -- Summary -- Chapter 7 The Prolonged Permanent Interruption: Aaron Copland's "Operatic Tone Poem" The Tender Land (1954) -- Synopsis -- Scoring and Analyzing the Roles of Martin and Laurie -- Summary -- Bibliography -- Index.