| Opera is a form of theatre in which the | | | | semi-melodic passages occurring in the |
| drama is conveyed wholly or | | | | midst of, or instead of, recitative, are |
| predominantly through music and singing. | | | | also referred to as arioso. During the |
| Opera emerged in Italy around the year | | | | Baroque and Classical periods, |
| 1600 and is generally associated with | | | | recitative could appear in two basic |
| the Western classical music tradition. | | | | forms: secco (dry) recitative, |
| Opera uses many of the elements of | | | | accompanied only by "continuo", which |
| spoken theatre such as scenery, | | | | was often no more than a harpsichord; or |
| costumes, and acting. Generally, | | | | accompagnato (also known as |
| however, opera is distinguished from | | | | "stromentato") in which the orchestra |
| other dramatic forms by the importance | | | | provided accompaniment. By the 19th |
| of song. The singers are accompanied by | | | | century, accompagnato had gained the |
| a musical ensemble ranging from a small | | | | upper hand, the orchestra played a much |
| instrumental ensemble to a full | | | | bigger role, and Richard Wagner |
| symphonic orchestra. Opera may also | | | | revolutionised opera by abolishing |
| incorporate dance; this was especially | | | | almost all distinction between aria and |
| true of French opera for much of its | | | | recitative in his quest for what he |
| history. | | | | termed "endless melody". Subsequent |
| Comparable art forms from various other | | | | composers have tended to follow Wagner's |
| parts of the world, many of them ancient | | | | example, though some, such as Stravinsky |
| in origin, exist and are also sometimes | | | | in his The Rake's Progress have bucked |
| called "opera" by analogy, usually | | | | the trend. The terminology of the |
| prefaced with an adjective indicating | | | | various kinds of operatic voices is |
| the region (for example, Chinese opera). | | | | described in Section 3 below. |
| These independent traditions are not | | | | The word opera means "works" in Italian |
| derivative of Western opera, but are | | | | (from the plural of Latin opus meaning |
| rather distinct forms of musical | | | | "work" or "labour") suggesting that it |
| theatre. Opera is also not the only type | | | | combines the arts of solo and choral |
| of Western musical theatre: in the | | | | singing, declamation, acting and dancing |
| ancient world, Greek drama featured | | | | in a staged spectacle. Dafne by Jacopo |
| singing and instrumental accompaniment; | | | | Peri was the earliest composition |
| and in modern times, other forms such as | | | | considered opera, as understood today. |
| the musical have appeared. | | | | It was written around 1597, largely |
| The words of an opera are known as the | | | | under the inspiration of an elite circle |
| libretto (literally "little book"). Some | | | | of literate Florentine humanists who |
| composers, notably Richard Wagner, have | | | | gathered as the "Camerata". |
| written their own libretti; others have | | | | Significantly, Dafne was an attempt to |
| worked in close collaboration with their | | | | revive the classical Greek drama, part |
| librettists, e.g. Mozart with Lorenzo da | | | | of the wider revival of antiquity |
| Ponte. Traditional opera consists of two | | | | characteristic of the Renaissance. The |
| modes of singing: recitative, the | | | | members of the Camerata considered that |
| plot-driving passages often sung in a | | | | the "chorus" parts of Greek dramas were |
| non-melodic style characteristic of | | | | originally sung, and possibly even the |
| opera, and aria (an "air" or formal | | | | entire text of all roles; opera was thus |
| song) in which the characters express | | | | conceived as a way of "restoring" this |
| their emotions in a more structured | | | | situation. Dafne is unfortunately lost. |
| melodic style. Duets, trios and other | | | | A later work by Peri, Euridice, dating |
| ensembles often occur, and choruses are | | | | from 1600, is the first opera score to |
| used to comment on the action. In some | | | | have survived to the present day. The |
| forms of opera, such as Singspiel, | | | | honour of being the first opera still to |
| opéra comique, operetta, and | | | | be regularly performed, however, goes to |
| semi-opera, the recitative is mostly | | | | Claudio Monteverdi's Orfeo, composed for |
| replaced by spoken dialogue. Melodic or | | | | the court of Mantua in 1607. |