Die italienischen Opernbühnen Londons fungierten im 19. Jahrhundert als wichtigster Markt der internationalen Opernwelt. Die tragenden Säulen dieses Systems bildeten internationale Sängerstars. Das Buch analysiert im Zeitraum von 1806 bis 1867 unterschiedliche Aspekte des Sängerwesens. Faktoren wie der Zusammensetzung des Londoner Opernpublikums, der Gestaltung von Sängerverträgen und der gängigen Adaptions- und Einlagearienpraxis kommt ein besonderes Augenmerk zu.

Hitherto the western historiography of music and opera has devoted very little attention to Romania. This book seeks to address this gap, examining how music theatre was instrumentalised as a vehicle for the overall modernization and Europeanization of the country. It deals with the complex interaction of the aristocrats, who imported the opera, the local public, the foreign power holders in the time of the Russian Protectorate and opera companies and musicians who came to Romania. In contrast to much of Romanian historiography, which stresses the suppression under the Russian Protectorate, this study focuses on the agenda of the various rulers in the Romanian Principalities, the conflicts among the elites and the rising popularity of music theatre. The book thus combines the study of the political, social, cultural and above all musical history of Romania.