The Oxford Illustrated History of Opera

This lavishly illustrated volume explores the history and social context of music's most lavish spectacle opera. It surveys the history of opera from its beginnings to the present day, and deals also with staging, opera singers, and opera as a social event. As well as providing a historical narrative, the contributors (all experts in their field) discuss the complex development of opera and its relationship with other arts and cultures generally. The many
illustrations underline the richly visual nature of opera and the vivid extravagances of its staging and costume; they also provide a parallel visual histoy, supplementing and enriching the verbal narrative.