Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-11-26

patace o. Corsss ana the score 70 Lost
TO the World-.Ths First opsra oivsn
In Public Was "Eurydies."
There In no form OF music NO gener-
ally popular with NIL classes today as
opera--the combination Of action and
music. Opera has made extensive
strides during the last century. al
though Its origin Is very remote. It
came through a gradual course Of de-
velopment from almost the beginning
Of the Christian era. Earliest libret.
lists were such eminent men ~
AsAchylus and sophocles, who accom-
panied their spoken drama with band
OF Tyres aud flutes.
But grand opcra ~ we understand II
today originated about the end OF the
sixteenth century, when Jacopo Perl's
opera "Dafne" was nrst presented. II
originated through the gathering OF u
small party Of music lovers ut the
home OF n F'lorentine noblemnn. These
patrons OF art set themselves In the
spirit Of the renaissance to rcdiscover
the music Of the Greek drama.
Theories grew Into actualitIes when
performance OF "Dafne" was cele-
bratcd In the palace Of Corsi In 1895.
This opera was successfully performed
several times, but always In private.
and now the score ls not discoverable.
The public had the privilege Of hear
Ing opera Ave years later, when two
settings Of "Eurydice" were made. one
by Perl and the other by Caccini.
Both the operas were produced In part
during the marriage celebration Of
Henry ~, and Marie de Medici at the
Petit palace on Oct. u, 1900.
/ Measuring the accomplishments OF
these enthnslasts with the opera Of
not many years later. the former must
appear ridiculous and very wide of the
mark. Hut here at least was step
/ IN IN untrod,len path. Opera wns now
on basis which admitted OF develop
ment. Its career had begun. aal
"Eurydice" was the trst Italian op'
era ever performed Ia public. and the
work excited an extraordinary amount
Of attention. The score was first pub.
llshed In Florence In 1000 aud was
dedicated 10 Marie de Medici. aud Il
was printed In i00s In Venice. a copy
Of the latter being well preserved In
the library of the British museum.
For ifty years "Eury,llce' remained
the luxury OF mobiles. being performed
only before courts during special fes
, tlvals. Montevcrdc ndied the over.
turc 10 the Peri opera.
The next important operate work tc
be produced was that of Monievertie
entitled "Orfeo." which was present.
ell IN 1907, nnd year later "Arianna.
These two operas left Peri aud his
comrades fur IN the rear. Work along
this line developed slowly until 1887,
when the Tcntro di San Cass,ano was
opened at Venice. which was the first
public opera house. Now that the
masses had a voice In the matter. II
soon became evident that the people
must he pleased and the florentIne
ideals forgotten.
) Later IN the century the melody of
the aria was enriched by two compos.
ers named Cavalll and Cesti. The op.
era. by stimulating solo singing and
by. reviving n taste for the beauties OF
popular melody. supplies the necessary
Incentive for the celebrating Of sweet
sounding and finished mclodlc themes.
Cavalli was u tireless worker, and he
produced close 10 forty different on.
cras, none OF which has survived.
Scnrlatti. who followed. was another
tireless worker, his flnt opera having
been produced In Rome IN 1910, after
which he brought out more than sixty
Others, From that period to the pres.
ent day the Italian composer has held
his place with the greatest OF any
countries and has produced more on.
eras than all the other countries com.
bined.
The earliest operas In France were
composed by l.ulli at the end OF the
seventeenth century and Rameau at
the beginning OF the eighteenth cen.
tury, but they were little more thnn