It was not until opera became public in 1637 Venice, that it became an established genre in theatre. Strong competition between the different courts resulted in the production having a very large scale, with no limitations to staging or scenery, which at the time was well within the abilities of Italian theatre makers. Written for a festival at the beginning of Lent, it was financed heavily by the Gonzaga Family, and was intended to be viewed by a small audience of the Accademia degl’Invaghiti. Orfeo, written in 1607 by Monteverdi became known as the first great opera. Although Euridice can be considered the original opera, the earlier work Dafne, written by Peri, Rinuccini and Corsi in the 1590’s, was a play which was entirely sung throughout, and could be considered the stepping stone to the larger medium of opera. This device was used and developed throughout seventeenth century opera. In writing this Peri introduced the musical device recitative, similar to his madrigals, however harmonically simpler with the basso continuo moving with the speech. It was performed at the Pitti Palace in Florence and was a lavish, spectacular production, reflecting the power and wealth of the family. Written by Jacopo Peri and Rinuccini, Euridice was commissioned for the marriage of Maria De Medici to King Henry IV. The idea of opera was an expansion on the practice of Intermedi, which was when musical dg scenes were performed during the intermission of plays, often allegorical, with characters such as Gods and Goddesses being used as metaphors for the people being celebrated. Italy at the time was a conglomeration of states with multiple courts competing with one another for both power and cultural dominance. The idea of opera began at the beginning of the seventeenth century in Florence. It will also explore sub genres of opera, such as Lully’s tragédie en musique and the Italian drama per musica.

This essay will explore the differences in these styles, beginning with the origins of opera in Italy and its impact on French opera and how it developed through the seventeenth century.

The main influential factors on opera were politics, patronage and culture, which resulted in different styles across France and Italy. This essay will compare and contrast the different national approaches of opera in Italy and France in the seventeenth century.

What country was opera not developed in