Step behind the footlights of a vanished era. A compact guide for generations. Dixie Hines's Who's Who in Music and Drama assembles concise, matter-of-fact biographies of notable men and women in music and the drama as recorded in 1914, creating a music and drama encyclopedia that maps the careers of early 20th century performers across opera houses, concert stages and provincial theatres. The entries favour clarity over flourish: career notes, professional affiliations and contemporary reputation are set out with a researcher-friendly eye, while the brisk, lived-in tone preserves period colour. As a theatrical biography collection and classic biographical anthology it invites casual readers fascinated by vintage entertainment history and supports students, practitioners and anyone tracing historical stage personalities. The compendium covers notable musicians and actors alike, from established salon performers to emerging stage figures, and highlights the porous borders between concert and theatrical life that defined Edwardian taste. More than a ledger of names, the book offers a snapshot of Edwardian era theatre and the interwoven worlds of music and drama on the eve of seismic change, and thus serves as a valued performing arts reference for researchers and historians. Librarians, genealogists and archivists rely on such contemporaneous records when reconstructing careers; collectors of music books prize the authentic headline-grab of contemporary reputation. Ideal for compiling programme notes, enriching museum displays or supplying context for exhibition catalogues and new biographies, the entries are compact pointers rather than exhaustive narratives; they direct readers to the people, companies and repertoires that matter. Out of print for decades and now republished by Alpha Editions. Restored for today's and future generations. More than a reprint - a collector's item and a cultural treasure. Accessible and authoritative, this edition appeals to casual readers and classic-literature collectors alike, and rewards those charting the social networks, repertoires and touring circuits of 1914 performing arts.
