The private balls of the years just before the French Revolution were battlefields of prestige and political power among the nobles; the "public" balls of the Paris Opéra, however, had no host to cosset, plenty of greater and lesser creatures to impress, and a venue big enough to hold plenty of intrigue. Semmens (music history, U. of Western Ontario) closely examines how these balls were organized and promoted, who attended, and their many attractions to an unprecedented mix of French society. Appendices include the regulation concerning the establishment of the bal public in 1715, an advertising poster, a contemporary description of the ballroom, daily attendance statistics, and longways contredanse progression charts showing how the dancers intermingled. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)