The Italianness of Italian opera : literature, history, politics, music

Abstract

Italy gave birth to opera; it can rightfully claim sovereignty despite the entire world taking to it like fish to water. It was in the heart of Italy that experimenting and conjecturing led to the first tentative steps at composing opera at the turn of the seventeenth century. For at least three centuries after Monteverdi first sprung his Orfeo on an enthusiastic public, Italian composers have been assiduously participating in its continued development. They can rightly be credited with having made superlative important contributions to the genre. Despite the very valid input by such countries as France, Germany, Russia, and others, Italy’s involvement with opera has had a more enduring and passionate effect than contributions by other nations. [excerpt]