Cover -- Half-title -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- A note on the musical examples -- Introduction -- Part I Versification and melodic aesthetics -- 1 Rhythm and stanza in French and Italian librettos -- French versification -- Comparing French and Italian versification -- 2 French and Italian melodic aesthetics and practice ca. 1830-1870 -- Music and verse -- Rhythmic design, phrase, and melodic development -- Harmony and accompaniment -- Episode: Design, middleground rhythm, and phrase -- Part II French melody in Verdi's operas -- 3 Jerusalem and its influence on the subsequent Italian operas -- Comparing reworked and borrowed portions -- The original portions of Jérusalem -- In the wake of Jérusalem -- 4 Les Vêpres siciliennes and its influence on the subsequent Italian operas -- Aspects of rhythm and phrasing with questionable connection to prosody -- Conducting a melody -- Revisions for Paris: Le trouvère and Macbeth -- Between Les Vêpres siciliennes and Don Carlos -- 5 Don Carlos and after -- Aspects of versification and Verdi's musical response -- Aspects of rhythm and phrasing with questionable connection to prosody -- Aida -- Otello and Falstaff -- Verismo -- Appendix: Principal theoretical texts cited (arranged in chronological order by date of publication) -- Notes -- Introduction -- Chapter 1 Rhythm and stanza in French and Italian librettos -- Chapter 2 French and Italian melodic aesthetics and practice ca. 1830-1870 -- Episode: Design, middleground rhythm, and phrase -- Chapter 3 Jérusalem and its influence on the subsequent Italian operas -- Chapter 4 Les Vêpres siciliennes and its influence on the subsequent Italian operas -- Chapter 5 Don Carlos and after -- Bibliography -- A. Primary Sources -- a. Books -- b. Articles and Reviews -- c. Letters -- d. Scores and Librettos.

B. Secondary Sources -- Index.