Harewood

This is, from what I've read, the definitive book on opera. As the flyleaf says, "Kobbe is to opera what Bartlett is to quotations." At least in whatever is the latest edition--I admit this one is somewhat dated, having been published in 1987. It covers the standard repertoire as well as some rarities from the first opera, Claudio Monteverdi's La Favola d'Orfeo in 1600 to that of composers still living at the time of publication: Birtwistle, Einem, Ginastera, Glass, Henze, Knussen, Ligeti, Penderecki, Reimann, Thomson, Menotti, Sallinen, Tippett, Wingrave. What I like so much about this book is not just that each opera has a discussion of the music and a synopsis of the story, but landmark productions are noted, so you'd know that up to 1987 at least, that famous singers in the title role of La Traviata include Patti, Melba, Tetrazzini, Ponselle, Schwarzkopf, Callas, Freni, etc.… (more)