Overview of 17th Century Opera

Opera first developed in Italy around the turn of the 17th century.  Italian composers dominated most of 17th century opera, but France and England also had fine opera composers in Jean-Baptiste Lully and Henry Purcell, respectively. Heinrich Schütz wrote the first German opera,  , in 1627.  It is now lost. 

Most 17th century opera contained serious and comic scenes and music.  The first purely comic opera was Chi soffre, speri (1637).  Purely serious opera, opera seria, would not develop until the early 18th century.


Opera for the courts

Opera for the public



The Castrato