莫里斯·桑达克因其**的儿童书而闻名，但他也是一位狂热的歌剧爱好者，为歌剧和芭蕾舞剧设计了许多剧集，例如莫扎特的《魔笛》,杨纳杰克狡猾的小刁妇,普罗科菲耶夫的爱三个橙子,柴可夫斯基的《胡桃夹子》,及奥利弗·克努森根据野兽国所作的歌剧。这本书汇集了摩根图书馆和博物馆收藏的900多件作品中的一百二十五件，包括初步草图，最终水彩画和纸板模型。 书中的论文讨论了音乐对Sendak作品的重要性，他对漫画，电影，机械玩具和弹出书的迷恋，以及激发他的舞台设计的艺术作品。 这本书展示了森达克为歌剧和芭蕾所作的视觉作品的全貌，突出了他敏锐的幽默感，他对艺术史的热爱，以及他通过艺术讲述引人注目的故事的能力。

Maurice Sendak is well-known for his acclaimed children's books, but he was also an avid opera lover and designed a number of sets for opera and ballet productions, among them Mozart's The Magic Flute, Janácek's The Cunning Little Vixen, Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges, Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, and an opera by Oliver Knussen based on Where the Wild Things Are. This book brings together over one hundred and twenty five pieces from among the more than nine hundred in the Morgan Library & Museum s collection, including preliminary sketches, final watercolors, and cardboard models. Essays in the book discuss the importance of music to Sendak's work, his fascination with comic strips, movies, mechanical toys, and pop-up books, and the artworks that inspired his stage designs. The book reveals the full breadth of Sendak's visual work for opera and ballet and highlights his keen sense of humor, his love of art history, and his ability to tell striking stories through his art.