Democracy at the opera : music, theater, and culture in New York City, 1815-60 / by Ahlquist, Karen, 1948-

Table of Contents: “…English opera as popular culture : The Beggar's opera tradition -- Nature's new mirror : English opera and theatrical reform -- Culture and commerce : the first opera nights in New York -- "Directly from the heart" : English opera and the power of music in the age of sentiment -- The failure that flourished : early New York opera houses -- The new Italian opera and its reception -- Opera and the "higher order of composition."…”