Transcriber’s Notes: Underscores “_” before and after a word or phrase indicate _italics_ in the original text. Equal signs “=” before and after a word or phrase indicate =bold= in the original text. Small capitals have been converted to SOLID capitals. Illustrations have been moved so they do not break up paragraphs. Deprecated spellings have been preserved. Typographical and punctuation errors have been silently corrected. _The Music Story Series_ EDITED BY FREDERICK J. CROWEST. THE STORY OF OPERA _The Music Story Series._ 3/6 net per Volume. _Already published in this Series._ THE STORY OF ORATORIO. By ANNIE PATTERSON, B.A., Mus. Doc. With Illustrations. THE STORY OF NOTATION. By C. F. ABDY WILLIAMS, M.A., Mus. Bac. With Illustrations. THE STORY OF THE ORGAN. By C. F. ABDY WILLIAMS, M.A., Mus. Bac. With Illustrations. THE STORY OF CHAMBER MUSIC. By N. KILBURN, Mus. Bac. With Illustrations. THE STORY OF THE VIOLIN. By PAUL STOEVING. With Illustrations. THE STORY OF THE HARP. By W. H. GRATTAN-FLOOD, Mus. Doc. With Illustrations. THE STORY OF ORGAN MUSIC. By C. F. ABDY WILLIAMS, M.A., Mus. Bac. With Illustrations. THE STORY OF ENGLISH MUSIC (1604-1904)— MUSICIANS’ COMPANY LECTURES. THE STORY OF MINSTRELSY. By EDMONDSTOUNE DUNCAN. With Illustrations. THE STORY OF MUSICAL FORM. By CLARENCE LUCAS. _This Series, in superior leather bindings, may be had on application to the Publishers._ [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] [Illustration: _Emery Walker Ph. Sc._ _Sir Arthur Sullivan, M.V.O., Mus. Doc._ _Painted by Sir John Everett Millais, Bart., P.R.A._] [Illustration: MASCAGNI.] The Story of Opera BY E. MARKHAM LEE M.A.; Mus. Doc., Cantab. London The Walter Scott Publishing Co., Ltd. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons 1909 Preface. HistorieS of Opera are not very numerous: there have been many articles and essays in various magazines, dictionaries, and so forth which have presented more or less concise synopses of the gradual development and growth of the Operatic Art. Some of these, notably the one in Grove’s _Dictionary_, are excellent, but a work of such bulk is not for the everyday reader, nor, generally speaking, for the amateur. Beyond these magazine and dictionary essays the number of books—at any rate in the English language—solely on Opera is very limited, and from the nature of the case, those that exist soon get out of date.