Item Detail
-
Pitou, Spire
-
The Paris Opéra : an encyclopedia of operas, ballets, composers, and performers
-
Book
-
4 vols.
-
Westport, Conn.
-
c1983-<1990>
-
Greenwood Press
-
v.<1-3; in 4 >; 25 cm.
-
English
-
0313262187 (set); 0313214204 (lib. bdg. : v. 1)
-
Opera--France--Paris--Encyclopedias.
-
Operas; Opera; Ballet; Ballets; Composers; Performers; Paris; France
-
ML 1727.8 .P2 P5 1983
-
Pitou, Spire. The Paris Opéra: An Encyclopedia of Operas, Ballets, Composers, and Performers. New York; Westport, Connecticut; London: Greenwood Press, 1983.
-
An exhaustively detailed encyclopedia of French opera and ballet from 1671 to the present, remedying the hyper-selectivity of typical opera histories. Intended for readers or researchers requiring deeper treatment of the French Opera.
-
Between 1671 and 1982, all extant works of ballet or opera produced at the Paris Opéra, or the later Opéra-Comique, are included. In the process, important individuals associated with ever facet of these productions are addressed.
-
The encyclopedia is distributed across four separate volumes. Volume 1 addresses 1671 to 1 September 1715. It commences with an introduction summarizing French opera from 1671 to 1982 (131 pages). Volume 2 addresses 2 September 1715 to 1815. Volume 3 addresses 1815 to 1914, entries A through L. Volume 4 addresses 1815-1914, entries M through Z. Each volume's portion of the encyclopedia is alphabetically integrated with entries devoted to operas, ballets, performers, composers, choreographers, librettists, genres, and scenarists. Opera or ballet entries note composer, librettist, choreographer, costumer, set designer, important performers, and include a scene-by-scene/act-by-act analysis. Some entries are cross-referenced and conclude with a select bibliography featuring complete citations. Each volume also includes an appendix that chronologically lists extant repertory for that period, and concludes with an alphabetically integrated index. Appendix entries note the composer, librettist, choreographer, title, genre, and date and location of premier. There are four remaining appendixes, located in volume one. They cover 671 to 1982, listing entries chronologically by debut. Appendix II comprises leading female singers; Appendix III, leading male singers; Appendix IV, leading female dancers; and Appendix V, leading male dancers.
-
Exhaustive, in depth coverage. The introduction is easy to navigate and is informative and helpful for anyone requiring orientation of French operatic tradition. Entries are incredibly detailed. Each volume begins with a concise historical overview for its assigned time period.
-
Martin, George. The Opera Quarterly 2 (Winter 1984): 152.
Norman, Buford. The French Review 58 (February 1985): 483.http://www.jstor.org/stable/393287
Schulman, Laurie. Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association 41 (June 1985): 730.http://www.jstor.org/stable/940873
Schmidt, Carl B. Journal of the American Musicological Society 38 (Summer 1985): 385.http://www.jstor.org/stable/831572
Schmidt, Carl B. Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association 48 (June 1992): 1273.http://www.jstor.org/stable/942132
Mayer, George Louis. American Reference Books Annual 16 (1985): 1202. -
BYU Mus Ref
-
4049