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The Birth of Opera

The Making of MusicSeries 1
Episode 10 of 30

Opera was invented in Florence around 1600, and theatres sprang up all over Italy. Classical music history with James Naughtie.

James Naughtie discovers how history has shaped the development of classical music. Opera was invented by a group of Italian intellectuals called the Camerata in Florence around 1600. They stumbled across something extraordinary - why not tell a story in music? It took off and soon theatres were springing up all over Italy - forty in Venice alone.

Reader Benedict Cumberbatch
Produced by Rosie Boulton, Sara Conkey and Lucy Lunt.
BBC Birmingham.

15 minutes

Last on

Sat 15 Sep 201802:15
BBC Radio 4 Extra

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Broadcasts

  • Fri 15 Jun 200715:45
    BBC Radio 4 FM
  • Fri 8 Jul 201115:45
    BBC Radio 4
  • Fri 15 May 201514:15
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sat 16 May 201502:15
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Fri 14 Sep 201814:15
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sat 15 Sep 201802:15
    BBC Radio 4 Extra