National Traditions of Opera is a series which aims to study the development of the genre in individual European countries. Volumes planned and in preparation cover France, Russia and Germany. Since each country has made a very different contribution to operatic history, no systematic pattern of treatment has been imposed on authors; rather they have been asked to find the methods that will best provide an account of the manner in which each country's opera has reflected its character, history and culture. Considerations that have been borne in mind are therefore not only musicological but literary, historical, political, social and economic, in an attempt to determine what it is that has shaped each particular tradition. Other matters discussed have been language, in some cases folk music and folk traditioins, national epic and legend, the rowth of national musical institutions, and much else that has had a bearing on the expression of national character in opera. Naturally it has also been necessary to view these matters in the context of the international development of opera. It is intended that the books should be of value to the opera goer no less than to students and scholars.

• General Editors: John Warrack