OPERA (ItaL, smirk), a regular drama get to music, always accom panied by scenic, representation, frequently by machinery, and some times by dancing. It appears (according to Doni) to have originated at Florence towards the end of the 16th century. The true opera, as found on all the Italian stages, whether in Italy or elsewhere, and as performed in the French language at the Acad6mie Imperiale, admits no speaking ; all is recitation or air, &c.; while what is called opera in the national theatres of Germany and England, as well as the French opera comique, Is of a mixed kind—partly spoken, partly sung. In Italy the opera is divided into four kieds,—namely, the sacred, the serious, the semi serious, and the boffa or conk In France the division is into the grandopera and opera eoaique. In Germany the divisions are more numerous, embracing the grand opera, the serious, the Ira*, the /wok, the romantic, the allegorical, the military melodrama, the comic, and others.
The constituents of an opera, says Rousseau, are the poem, the music, and the decorations. The poetry addressee itself to the mind, the music to the ear, the painting to the eye ; and it is the duty of the three to unite their powers, in order to move and make an impression on the heart. The truth is, that the poetry of an opera has long ceased to be considered otherwise than as a vehicle for music, and, but for the scenery and decorations, the saying of the Abb6 Arnaud, that the Italian opera is a concert, of which the drama is the pretext, would be applicable to nine in ten of all productions of the kind that have appeared during the last seventy or eighty years.
The moment that the opera appeared out of its native country, and especially when it reached the British shores, it was attacked by a host of critics and wits. Addison and Swift were among the first to level the shafts of ridicule at it, and were followed by I'ope, Young, and many others. Addison lived to retract his opinion ; for some of the absurdities which the opera in its infant state presented were soon corrected, though certainly enough remained, and must for ever remain, to sanction the objections of those who tried, or may still judge, the melodrama by the cold stubborn laws of unpoetical proba bility.
This species of entertainment, though susceptible of much improve ment, has not stood quite still while everything else, or nearly everything, has been advancing. That prominent feature, however, in the musical drama, which from the very first proved so obnoxious to ridicule, continues unaltered — the recitative, which provoked the satire of our forefathers, and is yet rather tolerated than approved by the many—if a fault, is, we believe, a fault not imputable to the moderns, but to those whom it has hitherto been tbougbt right to consider as the models of dramatic propriety and poetical taste. Thie leads to an inquiry concerning the origin of the melodrama—that is, the musical drama, or opera.
That the opera, properly so called, whether Italian or French, is the offspring of the Greek drama,—an opinion that for years past has been gaining ground,—is supported by the most learned and able writers on the subject, and seems likely ere long to be universally adopted. The first that we have met with who has touched on this point is the "philosopher of Idalmesbury," Hobbes, who, in a letter to Sir William D'Avenant, says, " There is, besides the grace of style, another cause why the ancient poets chose to write in measured language, which is this : their poems were made at first with intention to have them sung, as well epic as dramatic (which custom bath long time been laid aside, but began to be revived in part of late years in Italy), and could not bo made commensurable to the voice or instruments in prose—the ways and motions whereof are so uncertain and undistinguished (like the way and motion of a ship in the sea), as not only to discompose the best composers, but also to disappoint sometimes the most attentive reader, and put him to hunt counter for the sense. It was therefore necessary for poets in those times to compose in verse." This letter is dated Paris, 1650 ; consequently, written anterior to the establishment of the Actul6mie Royale, or French opera.