This volume presents a collection of essays by musicologist Daniel Heartz on musical theater in the eighteenth century. Written between 1967 and 2001, the 18 essays address such topics as the creation of the buffo finale; old and new dance airs in two vaudeville comedies by Lesage; and "the new style" proposed by Diderot's Le neveu de Rameau. All of the essays deal in some way with theater as an artistic embodiment of the Enlightenment. Heartz is emeritus professor of Music at UC Berkeley. The volume is edited by his former student, John A. Rice. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)