A rich and powerful dilettante finances a galactic tour of an earthling opera troupe performing Beethoven, Mozart and Rossini to stunned audiences of aliens and hardened criminals on kaleidoscopically diverse planets. "Space Opera" is one of Jack Vance's funniest novels, making the reader not only laugh, but also think about the observations of the famous writer, who astutely notices the absurdities of human error, love and opera librettos.