"The Simon and Schuster Book of Opera"

Prefatory note #2: As of this writing, the best (cheapest) deals I've seen on "very good" to "near fine" condition copies are via abebooks.com. I wouldn't advise you to settle for any copy said to be in merely "good"--or worse--condition. When shopping, be sure to note the (separately described) conditions of the book and its dust jacket. The dust jacket is especially beautiful, but only if it's truly well preserved! So, don't unduly scrimp by settling for a too conspicuously worn (much less a significantly damaged) copy.

A couple weeks ago I was browsing in the "reference" section of the largest public library branch in the Kansas City 'burb of Overland Park, Kansas, and I espied this hefty, venerable tome on the shelf. A bit of browsing disclosed a pleasing plethora of mostly full-color illustrations (many full-page), the likes of which any opera buff could find endlessly captivating. Moreover, its synopses and commentaries for over 800 operas amounted to a rather substantial and useful reference. Most of its information was of the longstanding sort that seemed scarcely compromised by its thirty-year-old vintage.

I noted the library book's "1978" copyright date, and, upon arriving home, I immediately checked the listings of various online used-book sellers, and, sure enough, there was a nice assortment of used copies available in "Very Good" or better condition. I took a chance and ordered a "Very Good" copy for $5.93 (plus shipping); the seller mentioned very trivial wear to the edges of the dust jacket.

Thankfully, my copy's description wasn't exaggerated, and I was more than satisfied. I promptly proceeded to protect and beautify this vintage book with a (Gaylord-brand) clear-plastic "book jacket cover." So, just like that, I was the proud new owner of a nearly thirty-year-old operatic collectible that--at least for my dilettantish purposes--is every bit as enjoyable today as when it was first issued.

This publication appears to be of entirely Italian origin. The title page merely states the book's title (at the top) and the following words (in the middle):

"A Complete Reference Guide--1597 to the Present"

"Over 400 Illustrations"

Finally, at the bottom, the words "Simon and Schuster * New York" appear.

However, turning to the next ("copyright") page, the reader beholds an abundance of tiny text, which, among other things, conveys that the original (Italian) title was L'Opera: repertorio della lirica dal 1597 (copyright 1977); and this "American" edition appeared one year later via a team of translators. Nonetheless, this "Yank" edition was itself "printed and bound in (Verona) Italy."

There is no specified "foreword" or "introduction," but three brief paragraphs essentially serve that purpose. I'll take the liberty of quoting the middle paragraph verbatim, given that it pretty well summarizes the thrust of this "large but not quite fully comprehensive" discussion of operas:

"It was not our intention to attempt a comprehensive review of opera over the centuries; what we have done is to select nearly 800 operas which, because of their historical importance, public acceptance, and acknowledged artistic quality, command a special place in the history of musical presentation."

In other words, while this work doesn't discuss every opera ever composed, it essentially does discuss all the ones that are in the standard repertory, and plenty more that aren't. If you're a "completist," check out the alphabetized The New Grove Dictionary of Opera; otherwise, The Simon and Schuster Book of Opera should more than satisfy any reader seeking a very basic "chronicle" of operas.

I emphasized the word operas directly above because what this book is not is an encyclopedia of composers, singers, conductors, terminology, venues, etc. Basically, the content (apart from the captioned illustrations) comprises a year-by-year "chronicle of opera" via fairly succinct articles, each of which generally consists of the following: The original-language (e.g., Italian) title followed by its English translation; mention of how many acts and scenes the opera comprises; names of the composer(s) and librettist(s) along with a very brief summary of dates and venues for its original performance(s); a succinct yet satisfying synopsis of the opera's story (this synopsis is often consists of a single, paragraph--but sometimes it's a very lengthy paragraph encompassing more than one column of a page); and a brief, concluding paragraph adding various information of interest (e.g., addressing the history of the original presentation(s) of the opera).

The book's textual layout is in two columns. The font is medium-sized, very lightly serifed, and highly legible. The paper is not quite as glossy as that of some "coffee table" volumes, and my original (used) edition evinces some very subtle, tolerable tanning at the edges, which, I suspect, will be the case with the majority of surviving copies.

Along with page numbers in the bottom margins, this year-by-year chronicle of operas includes what, at first glance, look like page numbers in the top margins; however, each such upper number actually designates the year in history that a given page's content addresses. The earliest such year is "1597" (when the pioneering opera Dafne was first performed), and the final such year is "1977" (when the not-so-well-known opera Napoli Milionaria--the final entry in Simon & Schuster's "chronicle"--was first performed). Accordingly, this chronologically arranged book includes (and needs) no conventional table of contents.

However, at the back there are two helpful, alphabetized indexes that allow the book to be reasonably easily searched by readers preferring a conventional "encyclopedia."

The first is an "Index of Operas." Each entry consists merely of an opera title and the relevant page number(s) where that opera is discussed.

The other is an "Index of Composers, Librettists and Literary Sources." This "index" comprises alphabetized names of (mostly) composers (in bold type) beneath which is an alphabetized list of operas by that composer, with adjacent page numbers for the respective articles (and illustrations).

This substantial, 512-page, clothbound hardcover weighs about 4 pounds and three ounces. It measures about 10.5 inches (high) by 8 inches (wide) by 1.7 inches (thick).

The cornucopia of helpfully captioned illustrations encompasses many color (and some black-and-white) prints and photos of vintage opera-stage scenes; opera house exteriors and interiors; performers from yesteryear; original posters; and more.

The consistently well-edited and expertly translated articles in this "chronicle" comprise prose that is satisfyingly and straightforwardly written at a level that seems sufficiently adult yet should prove largely accessible to most high school students. [Note to parents and teachers: I did notice one small, black-and-white, 1974 photo of the beautifully bare-breasted Gabriella Ravazzi (see page 355). Otherwise (compared to many more recent offerings in a notoriously provocative field!), this book's content shouldn't seem unduly risque'.]

This book's overall look-and-feel isn't absolutely the glossiest and most sumptuous you can find in its field; nonetheless, it's plenty appealing, and it amounts to an altogether gratifying read.

The upshot:

This venerable volume admirably combines a year-by-year "chronicle" of, specifically, over 800 operas with two helpful, alphabetized indexes where the reader can look up composers' names, etc., to find the page numbers of relevant articles and illustrations. Although it doesn't chiefly address composers, singers, terminology, or other operatic topics, it does cover considerably more operas than most other single-volume references. And its profusely illustrated pages bear many excellent color illustrations serving to qualify it as a "coffee table" edition.

There are basically two reasons to add this thirty-year-old book to your collection: (1) you want an affordable, virtually encyclopedic reference comprising--specifically--reasonably succinct synopses and commentaries for operas (NOT articles on composers, performers, terminology, or anything else); and/or (2) you relish thumbing through old "opera" books largely to behold the plethora of colorful, captioned illustrations.

Considering the many inherent virtues of The Simon and Schuster Book of Opera, and considering its low cost via various sellers, collecting it is basically a no-brainer for any book-browsing lover of operatic lore and art!