Howard Goodall on Opera

Opera was invented in Florence, Italy. It was designed to be an alternate artform to be performed through only song. It is interesting to me that after the first two performances, Opera looked to be heading out the door already. It only needed the right audience and stage to succeed, and L'Orfeo was just the right performance to help Opera get off the ground. I cannot imagine how archeologists felt when they uncovered that secret room. The art on the walls itself is so intricate and detailed, it feels like it was painted by one of the great renaissance painters. In order to reproduce Monteverdi's sound, it was important to use the same all male choir to capture a similar sound that would have been captured at the time. The songs performed during the shows are serene, and the music tells a story in itself, even if the listener isn't aware of what's being said. The instruments used serve only as a background as the main focal point is the harmonies and long tremulous notes that are sung by the talented performers.