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Opera for the People is an in-depth examination of a forgotten chapter in American social and cultural history: the love affair that middle-class Americans had with continental opera (translated into English) in the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s and the women who managed, sang in, and bankrolled these companies.
List of contents
- Acknowledgements
- List of Illustrations
- List of Tables and Appendices
- Introduction.
- Chapter One. English-Language Opera in Post-War America
- Chapter Two. The Renaissance of English Opera in America: Caroline Richings and
- Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa
- Chapter Three. Foreign-Language Opera is Exclusive; Vernacular is 'For the People'
- Chapter Four. Effie Over and the Boston Ideal Opera Company, 1879-1885.
- Chapter Five. Emma Abbot, the 'People's Prima Donna'
- Chapter Six. The American Opera Company: Good Intentions, Managerial Disaster
- Chapter Seven. English-Language Opera at the End of the Century
- Endnotes
- Bibliography
- Index
About the author
Katherine Preston, the David N. and Margaret C. Bottoms Professor at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, has long been interested in the musical culture of nineteenth-century America, and has conducted research and published extensively on that topic. Some of her books include Music for Hire: Professional Musicians in Washington, D. C. 1877-1900; Opera on the Road: Traveling Opera Troupes in the United States, 1825-1860; a co-edited facsimile edition of a binder's volume of sheet music, Emily's Songbook: Music in 1850s Albany and a scholarly edition of George Bristow's Symphony No. 2, 'The Jullien' as part of the MUSA series. Past-President of the Society for American Music, Preston has been the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Humanities Center, and the Fulbright Foundation.
Summary
Opera for the People is an in-depth examination of a forgotten chapter in American social and cultural history: the love affair that middle-class Americans had with continental opera (translated into English) in the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s and the women who managed, sang in, and bankrolled these companies.
Additional text
Preston (College of William and Mary) has divided her detailed and comprehensive study of English-language opera into seven chapters: three are overviews of particular periods and four consider important opera companies, offering case studies intended to show the different performance and reception issues during the late-19th century. In covering the tours of more than a hundred opera companies, Preston identifies companies' finances, the crowds they drew, and the probable causes for their success or demise. Contrary to general opinion, opera was not unknown in the US during this period ... The author examined an enormous number of sources--newspaper reviews, scores, librettos, playbills, and periodicals. This study is both scholarly and well written.
