Arundell, Dennis. The Story of Sadler's Wells, 1683-1977. 2nd ed. Newton Abbot and London: David and Charles, 1978.

Biddlecombe, George. English Opera 1834 to 1864 with Particular Referehces to the Works of Michael Balfe. New York: Garland, 1994.

"Some Words about Music and Modern Opera." Fraser's Magazine (October 1847): 432-46.

Timms, Susie. Benjamin Lumley's Victorian Opera: A new commentary on his 1864 Reminiscences. London, Bezazzy Publishing 2007. Paperback, 200 pages, 23 b/w illustrations ISBN 978-0-9550667-5-7

Sensational, brilliant, disastrous. Solicitor turned impresario Benjamin Lumley counted Napoleon and Count d'Orsay, Verdi and Mendelssohn, and diva Jenny Lind amongst his friends. He survived two turbulent decades directing the Italian opera at London's Her Majesty's Theatre and his own fêtes became society highlights. Susie Timms completes her eagerly awaited first trilogy on doyens of Victorian opera with this fascinating reworking of Lumley's 1864 'Reminiscences'. Includes entirely new material. Illustrated and fully indexed.

Timms, Susie. Mapleson: Victorian opera impresario. London, Bezazzy Publishing, 2007.

Colonel, King and Emperor. Here is a remarkable Victorian character whose wheeler-dealer approach to opera stage management became legendary. From an impressionable childhood in the very heart of London's theatreland, through an early career under an alias, James Henry Mapleson became supremo of a turbulent merry-go-round of fledgling starlets and prime donne, magnificent theatres and hair-raising contract deals that led him into the midst of royal society. From Her Majesty's Theatre, The Lyceum, Drury Lane and Covent Garden, he took tours to the UK provinces, to Ireland and right across the early American west. He entered into battle with rivals such as Gye and Abbey, even taking on the Metropolitan Opera House of New York. Rarely daunted, even by terrible disasters, his ambition to create his own national opera house in London became an obsession.What happened in the thirty years of his life that do not appear in his own memoirs and what led to his downfall? A compelling true story, told with the benefits of original new research and interpretation. Includes intriguing comparisons with Elvis Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker.

Timms, Susie. Titiens: Her Majesty's Prima Donna: Victorian London's Opera Idol Therese Titiens (Tietjens) 1831-1877. London, Bezazzy Publishing, 2005

Victorian opera revealed through the glittering life and tragic death of international soprano Therese Titiens (Tietjens) 1831-1877, her mysterious ancestry and the prima donna lifestyle, her intriguing relationships with London theatre impresarios Benjamin Lumley and Colonel Mapleson, as well as with many other famous personalities of the time.

With contemporary and often rare illustrations from the Victoria and Albert Museum, Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Royal Philharmonic Society, Bodleian Library Oxford, Lilly Library USA and others, together with extracts from the journal of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. Comprehensively indexed.

White, Eric. A History of English Opera. Lndon: Gaber and Faber, 1983.


Last modified 6 April 2008