[OPERA]. ARTEAGA, Stefano Esteban de (1747-1799). Le Rivoluzioni del Teatro Musicale Italiano dalla sua Origine Fine al Presente Opera? Bologna: Per la Stamperia di Carlo Trenti, 1783-88. 8vos. xiv, 411, [3]; xiv, [2], 214, [2]; xiv, [2], 207 pp. With 1 fold-out plate of sheet music (printed on both sides) inserted at the rear of volume III. 3 volumes. Approximately 7 x 5?. Handsomely bound in contemporary full green crushed morocco, boards decoratively ruled in gilt with floral cornerpieces, spines ruled and tooled in gilt, gilt armorial central stamps on boards, burgundy gilt morocco lettering labels, all edges gilt, marbled endleaves (volumes rebacked, preserving most of the original spines, hinges starting, library bookplates on all fp?s, title-pages and a few other pages with perforated or embossed library stamps (from the City Library of Springfield, Mass), some other occasional library markings, ffep of volume II a bit loose, some occasional ink markings in text). Still, a very good copy in armorial bindings (?Nosce te Ipsum? (?Know Thyself?), possibly from John Stansfield. THE RARE TRUE FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE OF THIS FIRST CRITICAL HISTORY OF OPERA. The first edition was a single volume and appeared in Bologna several years earlier, but difficulties prevented it from being printed in its entirety. Arteaga made several alterations and additions and the much enlarged second volume appeared in 1785, and a third volume appeared in 1788. This history was quite successful and was translated into German and French.