- Bignami, Luigi. Cronologia di tutti gli spettacoli rappresentati nel Gran Teatro
Comunale di Bologna. Bologna: Agenzia Commerciale, 1880. 248p. ML1733.8
.B7 B4.
A chronology of operas and ballets given in the Teatro Comunale from 1763
to 1880, with reprints of advertising and names of casts. Indexes of titles, com-
panies, composers, artists (including orchestral players), and staff. No general
index. - Giacomelli, Renzo. Il Teatro Comunale di Bologna: Storia aneddotica e
cronache di due secoli, 1763–1963.Bologna: Tamari, 1965. 216p. ML1733.8
B7 G5.
Letters, documents, and anecdotes, including some chronologies and cast
information. List of ballets in title order, 1763–1879; lists of dramatic perfor-
mances and operas. Composer list but no index. - Ricci, Corrado. I teatri di Bologna nei secoli XVII e XVIII: Storia aneddotica.
Bologna: Monti, 1888. xxi, 736p. PN2686 .B6 R5.
A footnoted, narrative history of each theater, with chronologies 1600–1799.
Index of titles, theaters, names, and topics. - Hill, Laura Callegari. La librettistica bolognese nei secoli XVII e XVIII: Cata-
logo ed indici.Rome: Torre d’Orfeo, 1989. xliii, 350p. ISBN 88-85147-21-6.
ML1733 .C24 L4.
A list in date order of libretti published for some 1,327 operas, oratorios, dra-
matic cantatas, and serenades; with useful commentaries. Indexed by title,
genre, place of performance, composers, librettist, singers, choreographers,
dancers, and dedicatees.
An older work describes the earliest performances of opera, which began in 1600:
Alessandro Machiavelli, Serie cronologica de’ drammi recitati su de’ pubblici teatri di
Bologna dall’anno 1600 sino al corrente 1727 (Bologna: Soci Filopatri, 1737; 94p.;
ML1733.8 .B7). Splendid color photos of the Comunale with scenes from 20th-cen-
tury productions are in Il teatro per la città (Bologna: Teatro Comunale, 1998; 183p.;
ML1733.8 .B442 T437). An extensive renovation of the theater was completed in
1981.
Catania
- Danzuso, Domenico, and Giovanni Idonea. Musica, musicisti e teatri a Cata-
nia.Palermo: Publisicula, 1985. 513p. ML290.8 .C27 D25.
Not seen. Described in Kaufmanas a “magnificent” volume, with chapters on
native sons Bellini and Pacini and the many opera houses in the city. Most
important is the old Teatro Comunale, later the Teatro Massimo Bellini. Sto-
ries of the singers, chronologies of all the houses with casts, color plates.
Cremona
- Santoro, Elia. Il teatro di Cremona.Cremona: Pizzorini, 1969–1972. 4v.
ML1733.8 .C72 N44.
464 Opera