Opera from Montiverdi to Strauss

From Montiverdi to Strauss

Opera has come a long way since its early beginnings. It has transcended time and history itself from being presented in early Italian opera houses to reaching number 2 at the UK singles chart. It is as much alive today as it was way back then.

Opera began in the Late Renaissance in Florence, a time of "rebirth," cultural movement and humanism. There was an attempt to replace polyphony with a solitary vocal line with accompaniment. Thus, the Opera, a relatively new form of musical drama, emerged. The word "Opera" was Italian for "work" therefore, it combined the arts of solo and choral singing, declamation, acting and dancing in a staged spectacle. This "new" musical drama was an intellectual experiment to modernize Greek drama and at the same time give Greek texts intensity and flavor through music. Opera was considered entertainment for the nobility and was usually confined to court audiences.

Claudio Monteverdi, an Italian composer, was one of the first to create Operas. Back then, monody emphasized clear melodic lines, intelligible text and placid accompanying music, which was considered an ideal starting point of opera, especially for composers