Howard Goodall on Opera

Opera was born in Italy 400 years ago in Florence. The Camerata were a diverse intellectual group that argued about classical culture, arts and sciences. They talked about combining drama, design, music, poetry, and dance to create the ultimate art form... opera. Finally opera would take off in the early 1600s as Monteverdi's L'Orfeo was performed which covered a story about love, god, and the afterlife. Monteverdi  would have a choir consisting only of men. Opera's were even banned by monarchs in order to not give any individuals the idea of rebelling. They were right, operas got political and inspired citizens to rebel against monarchy. Camille Demunda shouted at French patriots to liberate themselves from the control of the monarchy in Paris and many stormed the prison of the Bastille that was a symbol of repression, this sparked the revolution. Giuseppe Verdi, an Italian composer for opera turned it from opera to national propaganda which worked in getting him elected as deputy in Italian parliament in 1861. Many now believe musicals are modern operas while others think it took over opera. John Adams took his childhood experiences of growing up in the cold war and created his operas. The Grand Theatre in Shanghai, China has produced many sellout operas and seats 1800 people. There are smaller opera houses downtown which hold operas that show chinas ancient and rich culture. Opera has thrived for centuries and will continue to thrive.