Italian Opera in Late Eighteenth-century London: The Pantheon Opera and its aftermath, 1789-1795'a fascinating read, constantly throwing up vivid insights into London life of the time, often with a dry wit... What has given this book the edge over others on the subject is the discovery by the authors of what they term a massive cache of opera manuscripts in the Bedford Estates Office (London) in 1985.' -Della Couling, Opera NowFollowing on from the volume on The King's Theatre, Haymarket, 1778-1791 (published by OUP in 1995), this interdisciplinary study of opera and ballet now turns to London's Pantheon Opera during the period 1789-95. The Pantheon Opera, founded in 1790, aimed to give London a kind of court opera that would feature opera seria and ballet d'action. It tried to hire Mozart to compete with Haydn, but its high aspirations led only to a quick bankruptcy. A recent major archival discovery has permitted startlingly full analysis of the company's repertoire, costumes, staging practices, and finances. |
References to this book
Salomon and the Burneys: Private Patronage and a Public Career Ian Woodfield No preview available - 2003 |