Opera A. Contains all the elements described earlier in relationship to the theater. Differs from theater in that the characters sing rather than speak. The quality of singing rather than the words provides the principal enjoyment. B. Elements of the opera 1.
Emphasis is on the power of music to communicate directly to our emotions.
An orchestral piece played before the operatic action begins. A sequence of scenes presenting several characters singing together in various combinations. C. History of opera 1. Opera first flourished in Italy during the Renaissance. During the Neoclassical period composers experimented with the subtleties of opera s philosophical power.