what is an Opera Libretto? Is there music information in it and if is sheet music?

Answer 1

The libretto is the story of the opera, oratorio, etc. Often, a composer worked with a librettist, and some were quite famous in their day. The libretto doesn't contain music, that's in the score, so it is not sheet music

Wikipedia actually has a good and understandable explanation:

A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, sacred or secular oratorio and cantata, musical, and ballet. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass and requiem.

Libretto (pl. libretti) is an Italian word which translates literally as "little book." It is distinct from a synopsis or scenario of the plot.

The relationship of the librettist (that is, the writer of a libretto) to the composer in the creation of a musical work has varied over the centuries, as have the sources and the writing techniques employed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libretto

Answer 2

A libretto can be likened to a play or film script. It contains the words of all the recitatives, arias and choruses in the opera plus basic stage directions, entrances and exits of the characters.

Ballets also have librettos, although, in the most part, there are no sung or spoken words. A ballet libretto will give a narrative of the ballet as the basis of the production. It will not contain the choreography, however.

Answer 3

It is as the other users have stated so far: a term which in modern usage is defined as the words for an opera.

"Libretto" is Italian for "little book". When Italian operas were first being composed and performed in the early 17th century, libretti would be printed and made available for sale at each performance, so the folks in attendance would be able to better follow along with the story.

During the early days of opera, the words were considered the most important part of an opera. That is why it was so important to have the words in hand to read. Operas performed to day will usually have super-titles above the stage in the local language, in lieu of libretti.

Answer 4

The libretto is the script of the opera containing the vocal arias and recicatives the singers perfom.. Librettos may contain the musical script and may not.