Argentina
The essential histories of music are Rodolfo Arizaga, Enciclopedia de la música
argentina, 1971 (IOM0919), which includes an appendix list of Argentine operas,
and Vicente Gesualdo, Historia de la música en la Argentina, 1961 (IOM0920),
which gives strong coverage of opera in Buenos Aires and presents a list of scores pub-
lished in the country, 1830–1900. Operatic life has been centered in the Teatro Colón
of Buenos Aires, which opened in 1857, was destroyed in 1888, and rebuilt for a per-
formance of Aidaon May 25, 1908.
- Caamaño, Roberto. La historia del Teatro Colón, 1908–1968.Buenos Aires:
Cinetea, 1969. 3v. ML1717.8 .B9 C3.
Excellent color plates (artists, scenes, costumes, and stage designs) make up
most of the content, but there is also useful text in the form of essays by vari-
ous scholars. Coverage of the building itself, personnel, performances (all casts
given), critics, etc. Composer and artist indexes. The same author has written
several brief accounts of the theater (IOM0942ff.). A collection of documents
on the theater was assembled by Ernesto de la Guardia and Roberto Herrera,
El arte lírico en el Teatro Colón (1908–1933),1933 (IOM0943). - Kuss, Malena. “Nativistic Strains in Argentine Operas Premiered at the Teatro
Colón (1908–1972).” Ph.D. diss., U. of California at Los Angeles, 1976. xii,
523p.
Considers the operas of 12 major composers and gives a history of opera in
Argentina; also a discussion of opera in other Latin countries, p.373–386.
Worklists, bibliography of about 350 titles, no index. - Fiorda Kelly, Alfredo. Cronología de las óperas, dramas líricos, oratorios, him-
nos, etc., cantados en Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires: Riera, 1934. 83p.
ML1717.8 .B9 F5.
Covers performances in all theaters, 1825–1933; arranged by date, with lists
also by composer and title. Cast and performer information is included.
Another useful treatise is Mariano Bosch, Historia del teatro en Buenos Aires,
1910 (IOM0944). - Gesualdo, Vicente. Pablo Rosquellas y los orígenes de la ópera en Buenos
Aires.Buenos Aires: Artes en América, 1962. 55p. ML1717.8 B9 G4.
Rosquellas was a singer, composer, and violinist who lived in the city from
1823 to 1833 and organized the first opera performances there. The book
gives casts and production information on the early stagings, with biographi-
cal sketches of the singers and critical reviews. Thoroughly footnoted but
without bibliography or index. - Valenti Ferro, Enzo. Las voces: Teatro Colón, 1908–1982.Buenos Aires: Arte
Gaglianone, 1983. 499p. ISBN 9-5090-0436-7. ML1717.8 .B92 T44 V18.
A list of about 800 singers and their roles, by season, with brief biographies
and critical comments about them. The operas are also listed by composer.
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