London, Paris, Berlin, & Philadelphia: Societe Universelle Lyrique, (1899). "Limited Edition De Luxe made for the Dominion of Canada." Complete in five elephant folio volumes (17" x 13.5"), 514, & xvi pages (continuously paginated), frontis bust portrait from sculpture of Verdi in volume 1 plus 50 plates throughout (26 photogravure, some tinted; 24 in color which are tipped in) & numerous illustrations in text (many tinted). Publisher's bevel-edged maroon cloth elaborately lettered & decorated in gilt, the upper covers with "Great Composers" crest lettered & decorated in gilt featuring a pictorial device of children above an inset vellum shield lettered "G.V." All edges gilt.
Condition: Bindings moderately soiled & rubbed, spines browned, modest edge wear mostly at spine extremities & corners (including fraying), couple of tiny losses in the cloth along the joints, stain on the lower cover of volume 5, occasional foxing & handling smudges within, otherwise Very Good. Please see photos.
Includes:
Volume 1:
Introduction -- A Brief History of Opera - A Life-Sketch of Giuseppe Verdi - La Traviata - A Sketch of Richard Wagner - Tannhäuser - A Sketch of Ambroise Thomas - Mignon - A Sketch of Charles François Gounod - Faust - A Sketch of Pietro Mascagni - Cavalleria Rusticana - The Rhinegold - The Valkyrie - Siegfried - Gotterdammerung - Sketch of Friedrich von Flotow - Stradella.
Volume 2:
Martha -Semiramide - Manon - Norma - Marriage of Figaro - Aida - A Sketch of Carl Maria von Weber - Der Freischutz - La dame blanche --A Sketch of François Boieldieu - Sapho - A Sketch of J. Massenet - Lucia di Lammermoor - A Sketch of Gaëtano Donizetti.
Volume 3:
Orpheus and Eurydice - A Sketch of Christoph von Gluck - A Sketch of Giacomo Meyerbeer - The Huguenots - Il Travatore - Carmen - A Sketch of Georges Bizet - The Jewess - A Sketch of Jacques François Halévy - The Flying Dutchman - Fidelio - A Sketch of Ludwig von Beethoven -Lohengrin - Hansel and Gretel - A Sketch of Englebert Humperdinck - Don Giovanni.
Volume 4:
Nero - A sketch of Anton Gregor Rubinstein - I Puritani --The Mastersingers of Nuremberg -Lakme - A Sketch of Leo Delibes - Samson and Delilah - A Sketch of C. Saint-Saëns - Tristan and Isolde - The magic flute - The Bohemian girl - A Sketch of Michael Balfe - La Bohéme - Sketch of Giacomo Puccini - Queen of Sheba - A Sketch of Karl Goldmark.
Volume 5:
The Prophet - Robert the Devil - Lucretia Borgia - William Tell - A Sketch of Gioacchino Antonio Rossini - Fra Diavolo - A Sketch of Daniel François Esprit Auber - The Barber of Seville -L'Africaine - La Favorita - La Sonambula - Rigoletto.