The Metropolitan Opera Guide - Modern Library (1943) 5th Ed., Illus.

Peltz, Mary Ellis; Lawrence, Robert

Published by The Modern Library (Random House,) for the Metropolitan Opera Guild, Inc., New York, 1943

About this Item

Issued as the official repertory guide of the Metropolitan Opera Association, this volume presents a structured survey of the standard operatic canon as performed at the Met during the early 20th century. Organized chronologically by stylistic development, it includes essays, detailed synopses, and musical excerpts covering major composers and works - from Gluck and Mozart through Verdi, Wagner, Bizet, and Puccini. Musical notation examples appear throughout, reinforcing the book's utility as both a reference and an educational guide.

Illustrated by Alexandre Serebriakoff, whose expressive black-and-white vignettes and headpieces add visual character consistent with Modern Library's deluxe institutional productions. This copy is the Fifth Edition, November 1943, as explicitly stated on the copyright page, reflecting wartime-era reissue of a popular and frequently updated title. A solid example of mid-20th-century American opera scholarship and Metropolitan Opera Guild publishing.

Original red cloth with gilt figure and spine labels present. Moderate shelf wear to spine ends and corners; spine labels rubbed but readable. Cloth shows light surface soiling and fading consistent with age. Binding intact but with visible inner hinge separation at the rear, webbing exposed; text block remains secure. Endpapers and preliminary leaves show noticeable toning and offsetting. Interior pages largely clean, with scattered age toning; no writing or underlining observed.

Mary Ellis Peltz and Robert Lawrence were music writers associated with the Metropolitan Opera Guild, contributing accessible yet authoritative opera literature intended to broaden public appreciation of classical music during the interwar and wartime periods.

Alexandre Serebriakoff (1907-1995) was a Russian-born illustrator and designer who settled in France after the Russian Revolution. He became well known for his elegant black-and-white illustrations for opera, ballet, and theatrical subjects, contributing artwork to programs, books, and publications associated with major European and American cultural institutions, including the Metropolitan Opera. His work is characterized by strong line, theatrical composition, and a refined graphic style well suited to music history and performance literature.

Seller Inventory # NF.PEL.1943.1

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Metropolitan Opera Guide - Modern Library (1943) 5th Ed., Illus.
• Publisher: The Modern Library (Random House,) for the Metropolitan Opera Guild, Inc., New York
• Publication Date: 1943
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Alexandre Serebriakoff
• Edition: 5th or later Edition
• Condition: Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
• Seller catalogs:
  • Music
  • Non-Fiction