View a Preview ClipThe Birth and Life of Opera. Opera is unique among musical forms in that it developed over a relatively short period of time, unlike the concerto or symphony. From the birth of opera in Florence with the Camerata to the genius of Monteverdi and beyond, this program looks at how opera grew into both a form of entertainment and a vehicle for delivering incisive social, political, and cultural messages. The operettas of Offenbach and of Gilbert and Sullivan are also considered, as is opera’s maturation into a worldwide phenomenon. (51 minutes)
