Opera and Drama in Eighteenth-Century London: The King's Theatre, Garrick and the Business of Performance (Cambridge Studies in Opera) [Hardcover]

Ian Woodfield (Author)

Book Description

Series: Cambridge Studies in Opera | Publication Date: May 21, 2001

This book explores the cultural and commercial life of Italian opera in late eighteenth-century London. Through primary sources, many analyzed for the first time, Ian Woodfield examines such issues as finances, recruitment policy, handling of singers and composers, links with Paris and Italy, and the role of women in opera management. These key topics are also placed within the context of a dispute between two of the most important managers of the day, Frances Brooke and David Garrick, and the major venues of the time: the King's Theatre and its rivals Drury Lane and Covent Garden.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'... well organised, superbly written and scrupulously documented. Woodfield's riveting study demonstrates the importance of appreciating the varied forces that shaped opera in London during the eighteenth century.' Eighteenth-Century Music

'The author is successful in reconstructing what is in total a fascinating picture of the ins and outs of opera management ... an important piece of the historical jigsaw of London theatrical life.' Opera Magazine

'In his hands the period springs vibrantly to life ... Scholarship with a human face - wonderful stuff!' International Record Review

Book Description

Explores the cultural life of Italian opera in late eighteenth-century London. Through primary sources, many analysed for the first time, Ian Woodfield examines such issues as finances, recruitment policy, handling of singers and composers, links with Paris and Italy, and the role of women in opera management. These key topics are also placed within the context of two of the most important managers of the day, Frances Brooke and David Garrick, and the major venues of the time: the King's Theatre and its rivals Drury Lane and Covent Garden.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 354 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (May 21, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521800129
• ISBN-13: 978-0521800129
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,041,231 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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