- Rinaldi, Mario. Due secoli di musica al Teatro Argentina. Florence: Olschki,
- 3v. ML1833.8 .R76 R57.
A documented narrative history, with a chronology 1732–1976. Valuable bib-
liography of more that 500 primary and secondary sources, name and title
index. - Frajese, Vittorio. Dal Costanzi all’Opera. Rome: Capitolum, 1928. 4v.
Not seen. Kaufmanrefers to it as a “model set,” including complete chro-
nologies with casts for Teatro Costanzi and (its later names) Teatro Reale
dell’Opera, Teatro dell’Opera. - Leoni, Edilio. Un medico e un teatro: Mezzo secolo all’Opera di Roma.Milan:
Electa, 1987. 272p. ISBN 88-4352-1721. ML1733.8 .R62 T42.
A history covering 1880–1928; not seen. A continuation, also not available:
Jole Tognelli, Cinquant’anni del Teatro dell’Opera Roma, 1928–1978(Rome:
Bestetti, 1979; 293p.).
Turin (Torino)
- Bouquet, Marie-Thérese, and Alberto Basso.Storia del Teatro Regio di Torino.
Turin: Cassa di Risparmio di Torino, 1976. 2v. PN2686 .T82 R437.
The lively operatic history of Turin was concentrated on the great Teatro
Regio from its opening in 1740 until its destruction by fire in 1936. It was
finally rebuilt and reopened in 1973. This is a scholarly history, with thou-
sands of footnotes and a presentation of all relevant documents. Outstanding
color plates, chronologies with casts. Much detail is offered, such as the
salaries paid to singers for performances. Each volume has a name and title
index. Alberto Basso continued the story with Il nuovo Teatro Regio di Torino
(Turin: Cassa di Risparmio di Torino, 1991; xiii, 541p.).
See also #2525.
Venice (Venezia; German: Venedig)
It was in Venice that opera became a public rather than a private spectacle. The first
public opera house in the world, San Cassiano, opened in 1637, followed quickly by
many others (there is a convenient list in Oxford Dictionary of Opera(#47). In 1792
the famous theater La Fenice opened, thought by many to be the most beautiful of all
opera houses. It burned down on 29 January 1996 and is still (as of 1999) under
reconstruction.
- Muraro, Maria Teresa, ed. Venezia e il melodramma nel seicento.Florence:
Olschki, 1976. 400p. No ISBN. ML17333.8 .V8 V45.
A valuable collection of 19 articles, originally conference papers. They include
Marie-Françoise Christout, “L’influence vénitienne exercée par les artistes ita-
liens sur les premiers spectacles à machines montés à la Cour de France durant
la Régence (1645–1650)”; Mercedes Viale Ferrero, “Repliche a Torino di
alcuni melodrammi venziani e loro caratteristiche”; Pierluigi Petrobelli, “La
partitura del Massimo Pupienodi Carlo Pallavicino (Venezia 1684)”; Hell-
Italy 477