John A. Rice (born 1949) is an American musicologist known for his work on the history of opera, particularly the operas of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Christoph Willibald Gluck. He is also recognized for his contributions to the study of musical patronage and social history in the 18th century.
Rice received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1987. He has held teaching positions at several universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Houston.
His research focuses on the cultural contexts surrounding opera production and reception. His publications examine the relationship between music, politics, and social life during the Enlightenment.
Selected Publications:
- W.A. Mozart: La clemenza di Tito (Cambridge Opera Handbooks, 1991)
- Antonio Salieri and Viennese Opera (University of Chicago Press, 1998)
- Music in the Eighteenth Century (Western Music in Context: A Norton History, 2013)
- Numerous articles in leading musicological journals, including The Journal of the American Musicological Society and Cambridge Opera Journal.
Rice's work is characterized by its meticulous scholarship, insightful analysis, and broad interdisciplinary approach. He is a respected figure in the field of musicology and his writings have contributed significantly to our understanding of opera and music history.