Dictionnaire chronologique de l’opéra de 1597 à nos jours

Dictionnaire chronologique de l’opéra de 1597 à nos jours. Translated by Sophie Gherardi. Paris: Ramsay, 1979. Revised and augmented by Louis Jambou. Paris: Le Livre de Poche, 1994

 

The Dictionnaire Chronologique de l’opéra de 1597 à nos jours was translated from Italian into French by Sophie Gherardi.  Aimed at a general audience of opera enthusiasts, this dictionary  provides a guide to operas in the standard Western repertory dating from 1579 through 1994.  It begins with a short preface by the Swiss composer and music administrator, Rolf Liebermann.  Following that, users can find basic information on each of the included operas, such as the title, the date of the first performance, the author of the libretto, the genre, the number of acts, and the premier information.  Additionally, entries also describe the main characters and their vocal parts, and provide a brief plot of the performance, the composer’s life, musical aspects of the work.  The simplicity of the layout and information makes it a perfect resource on hand for anyone interested in operas.

Clara Compare
Research Assistant