London Opera Observed 1711 1844

The thrust of these five volumes is contained in their title, London Opera Observ’d. It takes its cue from the numerous texts and volumes which — during the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries — used the concept of ‘spying’ or ‘observing’ by a narrator, or rambler, as a means of establishing a discourse on aspects of London life. The material in this five-volume reset edition examines opera not simply as a genre of performance, but as a wider topic of comment and debate. The stories that surrounded the Italian opera singers illuminate contemporary British attitudes towards performance, sexuality and national identity. The collection includes only complete, published material organised chronologically so as to accurately retain the contexts in which the original readers encountered them — placing an emphasis on rare texts that have not been reproduced in modern editions. The aim of this collection is not to provide a history of opera in England but to facilitate the writing of them or to assist those wishing to study topics within the field. Headnotes and footnotes establish the publication information and provide an introduction to the piece, its author, and the events surrounding it or which caused its publication. The notes concentrate on attempting to identify those figures mentioned within the texts. The approach is one of presentation, not interpretation, ensuring that the collection occupies a position that is neutral rather than polemical.

Handel’s Rinaldo, first performed in 1711, helped to establish the popularity of the all-sung, Italian opera amongst eighteenth-century London audiences. This did not meet with universal approval; the strong tradition of spoken drama, coupled with a distrust of a ‘foreign’ form and language made opera a controversial topic, not least in the newly-expanding press. The rare material in this five-volume reset edition examines opera not simply as a genre of performance, but as a wider topic of comment and debate. The stories that surrounded the Italian opera singers illuminate contemporary British attitudes towards performance, sexuality and national identity. The collection will be of interest to all scholars of the long eighteenth century as well as historians of theatre and performance. It includes a wide range of documents such as biographical material on performers, commentary by London audiences, proposals for aesthetic and managerial reforms, controversial reviews by high-profile critics and introductions to the opera texts themselves.The edition includes substantial editorial commentary, setting the documents in the wider context of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century London cultural life. An extensive general introduction is followed by headnotes to each text and explanatory notes throughout. A large bibliography and consolidated index appear in the final volume.

The material in this five-volume reset edition examines opera not simply as a genre of performance, but as a wider topic of comment and debate. The collection includes only complete, published material organised chronologically so as to accurately retain the contexts in which the original readers encountered them -- placing an emphasis on rare texts that have not been reproduced in modern editions. Headnotes and footnotes establish the publication information and provide an introduction to the piece, its author, and the events surrounding it or which caused its publication. The approach is one of presentation, not interpretation, occupying a position that is neutral rather than polemical.

The material in this five-volume reset edition examines opera not simply as a genre of performance, but as a wider topic of comment and debate. The collection includes only complete, published material organised chronologically so as to accurately retain the contexts in which the original readers encountered them -- placing an emphasis on rare texts that have not been reproduced in modern editions. Headnotes and footnotes establish the publication information and provide an introduction to the piece, its author, and the events surrounding it or which caused its publication. The approach is one of presentation, not interpretation, occupying a position that is neutral rather than polemical.

The material in this five-volume reset edition examines opera not simply as a genre of performance, but as a wider topic of comment and debate. The collection includes only complete, published material organised chronologically so as to accurately retain the contexts in which the original readers encountered them -- placing an emphasis on rare texts that have not been reproduced in modern editions. Headnotes and footnotes establish the publication information and provide an introduction to the piece, its author, and the events surrounding it or which caused its publication. The approach is one of presentation, not interpretation, occupying a position that is neutral rather than polemical.

The material in this five-volume reset edition examines opera not simply as a genre of performance, but as a wider topic of comment and debate. The collection includes only complete, published material organised chronologically so as to accurately retain the contexts in which the original readers encountered them -- placing an emphasis on rare texts that have not been reproduced in modern editions. Headnotes and footnotes establish the publication information and provide an introduction to the piece, its author, and the events surrounding it or which caused its publication. The approach is one of presentation, not interpretation, occupying a position that is neutral rather than polemical.