Great Singers, First Series

A lively, compact portrait of the most celebrated voices that shaped opera’s golden age, this collection pulls together contemporary critiques, memoirs, and firsthand observations to give each artist a vivid, almost theatrical presence. The author’s careful fact‑checking grounds the anecdotes in reliable dates while letting the personalities shine through, creating a readable tapestry of music history rather than a dry encyclopedia.

Readers will meet the fiery rivalry between Faustina Bordoni and Francesca Cuzzoni, follow the flamboyant rise of the Italian prima donna Catalina Gabrielli, and glimpse the witty salons of French chanteuse Sophie Arnould. Interwoven with tales of love, scandal, and artistic duels, the sketches capture the triumphs and temperaments that made these singers legends on stage.

Written with an eye toward both scholarship and storytelling, the volume stops before the turn of the nineteenth century, reserving later luminaries for a promised sequel. It offers a fresh, engaging snapshot of operatic greatness for anyone curious about the people behind the arias.