The Essence of Opera

The process of operatic creation revealed in original writings by librettists and composers from 1600 to the present. The contents of this anthology offer a broad historical introduction to the esthetics of opera, reflecting all the major periods and national styles. Ranging from the Florentine Camerata to the twentieth century, the documents give a first-hand view of the basic issues throughout opera’s history and the controversies they have aroused. The selections are drawn from letters, ...