The makers of the magnificent "The Art of Conducting" have done for opera what they previously did for symphonic music. "The Art of Singing" is an incredible collection of opera arias sung by virtually all of the opera greats of the twentieth century. Pavarotti and  Domingo,however,are notably absent. Yes,Caruso is also included--an excerpt from a silent film in which he is seen (but not heard) singing his great "Pagliacci" aria "Vesti La Giubba" has been rather awkwardly synchronized with his early recording of that piece. The rest of  the footage featured in this documentary is amazing. The home video viewer is allowed to see and hear greats that one never even hoped to see before the age of videocassette--Benjamino Gigli, Jussi Bjoerling,Renata Tebaldi, Tita Ruffo, Feodor Chaliapin, Rosa Ponselle, Ezio Pinza, Giuseppe di Stefano, Giovanni Martinelli,etc. as well as Renata Tebaldi, Maria Callas, and Leontyne Price, all singing the music that made them famous. They are seen in screen tests, rare film shorts that have not seen the light of day in more than fifty years,early television appearances,and even excerpts from full-length films like the 1933 Chaliapin "Don Quixote". Nothing is allowed to distract from  the performances,although the quaintness of some of those early shorts,as well as the early makeup on some of the male singers, may make you laugh. The early television excerpts are presented on simple,uncluttered sets,and there are no attempts to "gimmick up" the presentations. Noted opera singers and music experts also put in appearances to comment on the art of such greats as Maria Callas (shown singing excerpts from  "Tosca" and "La Traviata",her greatest roles). Actors  Charles Laughton and Jose Ferrer turn up in rare TV appearances to  introduce segments featuring Jussi Bjoerling and Boris  Christoff,respectively. And a fascinating silent segment featuring singers obviously lip-synching to an old recording of the sextet from "Lucia  de Lammermoor" is amazingly,through the use of digital  synchronization, perfectly matched up to the sound of that old  recording.