A Short History of Opera, Fourth Edition
Whether it be Monteverdi or Gluck or Wagner, no saner guide than Grout can be recommended(The Times Literary Supplement (of earlier edition))Combines learning with a grace of expression seldom encountered in works of this kind. The subject is treated in greater detail than the word 'short'might indicate.(Saturday Review (of earlier edition))A Short History of Operais perhaps one of the best known and most widely circulated texts on the history of this art form...This is a vitally important book, and it is likely to be one of the first places students, researchers, and fans will consult.(Tom KaufmanThe Opera Quarterly)