Although opera first emerged in principalities such as Florence and Mantua at the turn of the seventeenth century, the Republic of Venice was the true birthplace of opera as we know it. It was there that this genre turned into a public and commercial endeavor, the first opera theaters were built and singers became sought-after divas. Set to music by Claudio Monteverdi and Francesco Cavalli, Gian Francesco Busenellos dramatic works offer a unique perspective into the cultural, political and aesthetic transformation of opera from an occasional courtly display to an international pop genre. The...
Although opera first emerged in principalities such as Florence and Mantua at the turn of the seventeenth century, the Republic of Venice was the true...
