This delightful and sometimes cheeky Library of Congress exhibit provides a wealth of information about the history of opera in the United States. We loved #OperaBeforeInstagram for the amazing portrait photography (be sure to click on each image to get a glimpse into opera custumes over the years) accompanied by detailed and often humorous write-ups. ("Her voice was not exceptional, but it served...

Loesser deserves more http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/2430524,frank-loesser-tribute-062710.article Frank Loesser at 100 http://www.artsjournal.com/jazzbeyondjazz/2010/06/frank_loesser_at_100.html Broadway: Frank Loesser http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/loesser_f.html IBDB: Frank Loesser http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=5613 Frank...

Universal Music Donating 200K Master Recordings to Library of Congress http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/universal-music-donating-200k-master-69817 A Digital Library Race, and Playing Catch-Up [Free registration may be required] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/business/09stream.html?src=busln Performing Arts Encyclopedia http://www.loc.gov/performingarts/ Music for the...

For those not familiar with the world of new music, this very compelling journal may be just the place to start. The journal is edited by Mark Alburger, "an eclectic American composer of postminimal, postpopular, and postcomedic sensibilities." Since the journal's inception in January 2000, Alburger and his colleagues have drawn on a wide range of experts to craft their publication. In each issue,...

Greying flower children make pilgrimage to Woodstock 40 years on http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/festivals/article6798424.ece Woodstock wasn't everybody's summer of '69 http://www.lohud.com/article/20090818/COLUMNIST/908180339/-1/SPORTS Why is this Woodstock anniversary so...

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, sheet music was produced in enormous quantities in the United States. To historians and other interested parties, much of this material serves as a way to look at social and cultural mores of the times. This digital collection from Brown University takes a look at the sheet music that reflected attitudes towards African-Americans. Containing several...

For more than thirty years, the Peabody award-winning radio show and digital magazine Afropop Worldwide has educated and entertained audiences with content "dedicated to music from Africa and the African diaspora." Its internationally syndicated, weekly radio show (available on well over 100 stations worldwide) is hosted by Georges Collinet, a seasoned broadcaster with more than 50 years of...

Many Americans might think that the hymn "Amazing Grace" was written in the United States, but in fact it was penned in 1779 in England. The song is without a doubt one of the best-known hymns in the United States, and this lovely site, created by the Library of Congress's Performing Arts Digital Library, explores the history behind this song. Visitors should definitely start by looking at the...

If you don't already know the names Amy Marcy Cheney Beach, Dudley Buck, or William W. Gilchrist, this website will certainly pique one's interest. Associated with 19th and 20th century American choral music, information on these persons (and others) can be found on the American Choral Music site. This online collection is a joint collaboration between the American Choral Directors Association...

The Library of Congress has created this delightful site that brings together hundreds of items that tell of the musical culture of the American Civil War. First-time visitors will want to start by perusing the Civil War Sheet Music section. Here they will find 2,500 pieces culled from the Library's collection, including songs about various generals, battles, and a longing for the tranquility of...