The Classic Opera Explained

Classic opera is plural of the Latin "opus" which means work. The subject matter of the opera was initially related to the ancient Greek tragedy in addition to themes of mythology. Many classic opera composers drew their material from the daily lives of ordinary people, from history, but also from folk traditions, fairy tales, nature and the supernatural element. The latter trend is found mainly in German Romantic opera, the which was developed in the early 19th century.

Depending on its subject matter, classic opera is divided into four main types:

1. Opera Seria: opera with a premise "serious, not necessarily tragic"

2. Opera Semiseria: opera "with intermediate comic elements"

3. Opera buffa: opera "with a light comic premise"

4. Grand opera: opera "with tragic plot and high quality requirements".

It is noteworthy that in some cases these opposite species were combined between them, as when a short was inserted between the acts of an Opera Seria comic Interlude. The plot in the interludes was usually different from the serious one opera and aimed at relaxing the audience through satire and parody, being a form of break. The interludes gradually became autonomous, thus forming a new species, the intermediate, which developed mainly in Naples in the period 1710-1730. In 1637 was built in Venice the first theater used exclusively for opera performances, while only in the city of Venice the construction of an additional 16 followed similar theaters.