Two major purchases which form the core of the collection, were made in 1971 and 1974 from Richard Macnutt, an antiquarian dealer based in England. Funds from the Office of the President of the University of Western Ontario and the Academic Development Fund made these purchases possible. Individual and collective purchases have since been made using library acquisition funds and grants. The collection is an outstanding collection of primary and contemporary sources related to the study of pre-1800 opera in North America. It includes pre-1800 opera scores and libretti, as well as nineteenth and twentieth century titles, instrumental works, and theoretical treatises.
Most items are first editions of operas and libretti and several are in manuscript format.
Printed editions predominate. The chronological emphasis is from 1600 to the early twentieth century. The geographic emphasis is on France, England, Italy, and Germany. Present acquisitions are selective. Language Not applicable.