Famous Singers of To-day and Yesterday

** "Famous Singers of To-day and Yesterday" by Henry Charles Lahee is a historical tour through the vibrant world of opera, highlighting the most famous singers. Beginning in the 1600s with the birth of Italian opera, the book moves to the 1800s, showing off important singers from different opera styles. The book's early pages clearly state the author's goal: to make a short but packed record of the great singers who shaped opera. Instead of trying to cover everyone, it gives a good look at those who stood out. The first part looks at how opera changed from 1600 to 1800 and profiles big names such as Margarita de L'Epine and Katharine Tofts, as well as others. It tells stories of their talent, the competitions between them, and the society they lived in. These stories paint a vivid picture, getting readers ready to really get into the art of opera in the chapters to come. **