style.” His music shows “pre-Neapolitan traits” in the late period: fewer but
more elaborate arias and alternation between secco recitative and aria.Nicola Antonio Porpora (1686–1768)
- Robinson, Michael F. “Porpora’s Operas for London, 1733–1736.” Soundings
2 (1971–1972): 57–87.
Sources, libretti, analysis, and comparisons with Handel. Porpora wrote
“opera of the nobility.” - Walker, Frank. “Chronicle of the Life and Works of Nicola Porpora.” Italian
Studies6 (1951): 29–62.
A well-documented summary of Porpora’s life, then a critique of the sources
and earlier secondary literature (much of it is unreliable). Despite the title, this
article is a narrative, not a chronology. List of operas and librettists, including
premiere information.
Giovanni Porta (1690?–1755)
Numitoreis in HS,v.4.
Francis Poulenc (1899–1963)
- Keck, George Russell. Francis Poulenc: A Bio-Bibliography.Bio-Bibliogra-
phies in Music, 28. New York: Greenwood, 1990. xi, 304 p. ISBN 0-313-
25562-8. ML134 .P87 K3.
Among the entries in this bibliography are about 50 citations to reviews and
brief notices on the operas. Index. - Daniel, Keith W. Francis Poulenc: His Artistic Development and Musical Style.
Studies in Musicology, 52. Ann Arbor, Mich.: UMI Research, 1982. 390p.
ISBN 0-8357-1284-2. ML410 .P787 D3.
A valuable life and works, with technical analysis of the compositions. One
chapter (p.282–312) is about the stage works. Poorly reproduced musical
examples are a problem. Chapter endnotes, important bibliography of some
800 titles, worklist, expansive general index. - Kipling, Diane Yvonne. “Harmonic Organization in Les mamelles de Tirésias
by Francis Poulenc.” Ph.D. diss., McGill U., 1995. 239p.
Sergei Sergeevich Prokofiev (1891–1953)
Biographies
- Robinson, Harlow. Sergei Prokofiev: A Biography. New York: Viking, 1987.
xiv, 573p. ISBN 0-670-80419-3. ML410 .P865 R55.
A useful life and works, well documented, with a worklist (titles in English
only) and chronology. Program notes and reception for the operas, but there is
not much about music here. Good bibliography of about 125 entries, expan-
sive index of names, titles, and topics.
272 Opera