First Nights at the Opera Thomas Forrest Kelly

What was it like at the opening night of Mozart's "Don Giovanni or "Wagner's "Das Rheingold? "This glittering introduction to the world of opera takes us behind the scenes during premiere performances of five extraordinary operas.
"A rare and wonderful cultural history."--Philip Kennicott, "Washington"" Post"
"An absorbing tangle of minutiae about performing circumstances, personalities, conventions, expectations, critical responses, gossip. . . . This book is readable. Addictively."--Michael White, "Opera Now"
"This thoroughly enjoyable and informative book will delight all opera lovers; highly recommended."--"Library Journal"

Thomas Forrest Kelly is Morton B. Knafel Professor of Music at Harvard University.

'Thomas Forrest Kelly's book gives detailed descriptions of the premieres of five seminal operas...communicating an enjoyable sense of immediacy.' - Warwick Thompson, Classic FM Magazine

'A book to keep going back to, it contains everything you ever wanted to know about the operas and much more besides. By the end, you appreciate just what everyone involved in putting on each opera had gone through. It's an addictive page-turner that will delight all opera-lovers.' - Richard Fawkes, Classical Music