Giacomo Meyerbeer: Reputation without Cause? A Composer and His Critics

Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791 1864) was the most successful composer of grand operas in nineteenth-century Paris, whose music continued to be frequently performed worldwide into the following century. Today, recent scholars acknowledge his stature but his operas have become stage rarities. There is normally a gap on shelves in libraries and bookshops between Mendelssohn and Mozart (Messaien and Monteverdi for the better resourced). There is no biography or broad evaluation of Meyerbeer in print in English. This study of the vicissitudes of Meyerbeer s reputation complements introductions to his works and the volumes of academic essays in English and other European languages. While reputation forming has recently offered several interesting studies, it is rare for a composer to be the subject. This volume will be of interest primarily to opera enthusiasts, and to libraries and musicologists worldwide.