| Abstract |
This book is an essential reference for opera lovers and an ideal companion to The Grove Book of Operas. Covering over 1500 singers from the origins of opera to the present day, this is the most comprehensive guide to opera singers in the English language. Articles from the The New Grove Dictionary of Opera and Grove Music Online have been fully revised and updated and new entries have been commissioned on contemporary singers such as Angelika Kirchschlager and Sanford Sylvan. Each entry is written by an expert in the field and special attention has been paid to identifying first performances of important roles. The text is enlivened by black and white illustrations and colour plates, including portraits, caricatures, and photographs of contemporary performances. The index of roles identifies the creator of over 2000 roles from the operatic repertory, from Monteverdi's Orfeo to Previn's Blanche Dubois. The book is thus an important source of information about the singers for whom the great operatic roles were first composed. |
