Chronicle of Opera, The:Year-by-year Four Centuries of Music, Per: "Year-by-year Four Centuries of Music, Performance and Recording" by Michael Raeburn
"The Chronicle of Opera" celebrates the great eras of music and performance, mixing fact and anecdote, personalities and stylistic development with hundreds of fascinating illustrations, while key historical dates set the operas in context. With a comprehensive reference section including biographies, a timeline, list of opera house openings and premieres, a discography and recommendations for further reading, this is the essential reference book for all lovers of the operatic arts.