This eye-catching new edition of The Grove Book of Operas ably achieves the challenging aim of providing a more scaled-down, portable version of the four-volume Grove Dictionary of Opera. Containing more than 250 operas ranging from the earliest known works to the most recent world premieres, the book functions as a valuable compendium that is ideal for both long-time aficionados and newcomers to the form.
This new edition includes works freshly minted into the canon, such as Maw’s Sophie’s Choice, Ruders’ A Handmaid’s Tale, Adams’ Death of Klinghoffer, and Adamo’s Little Women. The book maintains much of the convenience of the previous edition, such as the alphabetical listing by opera title, so that readers don’t need to have even the barest knowledge of who the composers were or the historical period to which an opera belonged. Each entry includes a complete synopsis of the plot, a cast list, notes on the original cast of performers, in-depth information on the work’s origins and, where applicable, some additional commentary, notes, analysis, or explication.
Despite this accessibility, the new “Grove” will not disappoint even those who have achieved the most esoteric levels of operatic knowledge. An engrossing and thought-provoking essay by David Levin heads things off, in which he discusses the hotbed topic of the changing trends in opera production. Such an introduction acts as further reassurance that the “Grove” publications are still in the hands of leading luminaries and scholars, even after the passing of its esteemed editor, Stanley Sadie, in 2005. Indeed, the list of contributors to this most recent “Grove” incarnation is substantial and of the highest authority and caliber, including its new editor, Laura Macy, who took the helm after Sadie.
The new “Grove” certainly had a tough act to follow, but this edition has managed some visible improvements over the last, with an even more user-friendly format that includes a host of new images, glorious illustrations, and photos in both black and white and in color (many of them visually stunning, such as the photo of Glyndebourne’s 2003 production of Idomeneo on page 169). The photos themselves can be seen as a veritable timeline, showing the shift in opera production from traditionalism to deconstructivism and further illuminating Levin’s introductory remarks.
The contributors manage to exceed expectations for such a condensed volume. They have taken extra pains to provide esoteric information on the more problematic works, such as Musorgsky’s Boris Godunov (which has two versions, requiring markedly different annotations). Nor do they shy away from close analyses of score excerpts, particularly in the case of Wagnerian operas.
Professional and aspiring singers should especially take note: the revised “Grove” also contains a glossary, an index of role names, and an index of incipits of arias, ensembles, etc. for quick and easy reference. Additionally, it includes an index of operas under composers—a go-to list of all the notable operatic composers and their complete works (an essential and time-saving resource).
For any opera lover, even a cursory reading of the title’s entry in this edition—which goes much farther than playing mere second-best to the libretto—will greatly enhance, any operatic performance. With all it compresses into a single volume, it won’t be long before The Grove Book of Operas will be standard fare on academic syllabi and reading lists.
