János Malina’s publication, L’isola incantata: or Joseph Haydn and the opera performances of Eszterháza, is a complete and authoritative work: it focuses on the operation of an opera house—even if we are talking about two buildings—during a relatively narrow period (1768-1790), i.e., the author summarises twenty years of opera performance practice, and, in this context, we look in many directions while reading the individual chapters. Between 1768 and 1790 nearly 1300 operas were staged at the ‘Bright or Pompous’ Eszterháza directed by Miklós Esterházy, and the number of performances in other genres (puppet shows, theatre, ballet and pantomime) is estimated at around 4000-5000.  The main title, L’isola incantata (Enchanted Island), takes on its meaning in the cultural-historical context of the Preface: it is the name given by contemporaries to the Esterházy estate, also called a fairy kingdom by Goethe. The theme of the book becomes clear and gains its real significance in a well-constructed cultural-historical setting, i.e., in this context, the history of the Esterházy family, the estates of the Counts of Eszterház and Kismarton, and the cultural life of Vienna are necessary elements to painting the historical tableau.