Summary

The beginnings of opera can be found during the Baroque Era in Italy, and quickly spread throughout Europe. The ability of operatic productions to produce amazing dramatic musical spectacles means that opera remains a compelling musical form even to this day. Opera originally catered to courts, kings, princes and the upper classes, and thus has traditionally been associated with high social status. Opera attracts popular audiences today in part because of this legacy, along with the powerful impact this genre provides. The sites below provide good starting points for explorations into this musical form.