Books as clear, inviting, well-structured and as necessary as this don t come along often. It is a compendium of scholarly insights and practical guidance, and not to be missed .

The Musical Times

'The book is well produced, with clean music examples and photos of Cavalli's manuscripts Readying Cavalli's Operas can be recommended overall to any opera enthusiast with a lively interest in how 17th-century Italian opera was composed, staged and transmitted it furthers significantly our understanding of the most influential figure of 17th-century Italian opera'.

Opera Magazine

' an impressive publication and a compelling advertisement for the healthy state of research on the subject. The quality and coherence of the collection reflect the standing and focus of the parent conference'.

Early Music

' a useful reference book. It should appeal to anyone interested in early opera this is a detailed reference book, which can be read by both students and devotees of early opera. It offers a fascinating insight into the world of 17th-century opera and its evolutionary process of dramatic production, constantly changing, as it was moulded to the needs of the performers and the requirements of the theatre'.

The Consort

'There is a cornucopia of interdisciplinarity here, combining music with linguistics, theatre, and English and Spanish literature, with the collection presenting both the fruit of long-term thinking by established Cavalli scholars but also interesting new approaches that expand the existing discourses. There is both theoretical pondering and practical suggestions, and together the essays provide a holistic approach. the level of detailed interdisciplinarity afforded here is a welcome addition to our discipline'.

Brio

'This volume is dense. The scholarship throughout is thoughtful, robust, and deep.'

Fontes Artis Musicae