Cultural: No operas?

Cultural, musical based idea;

The creation of operas and related musical genres (and shows genre) changed the path of what is occdental music, classical music, giving it somes very famous pieces - who never heard by example the Rides of the Valkiries by Wagner?

But it came as an odd idea, a fashion from italian states, mecenates of musicians and all, and was surely disliked by purists back then.

What if the mode never caught on, or died-never existed? At least, an obscure part of italian musical history. How would that have changed occidental music(s)?
 
I think that the combination of a narrative told through song is pretty much unavoidable.

This can be backed up with:

- singing Neanderthals (foundation of language)
- Greek theatre with supporting choir (next step: opera)
- bards


Of course the classic Italian opera can be avoided, the effect might be that western music never truly goes pompeous, except for the occasional fanfares for the royals.
 
I think that the combination of a narrative told through song is pretty much unavoidable.

This can be backed up with:

- singing Neanderthals (foundation of language)
- Greek theatre with supporting choir (next step: opera)
- bards


Of course the classic Italian opera can be avoided, the effect might be that western music never truly goes pompeous, except for the occasional fanfares for the royals.

I don't know. The earlier operas were more simple, and a lot of the incredibly broad musical scores were brought in by Wagner, Mozart and Puccini, and were considered very revolutionary and outrageous in their day.
 
Probably done if Italia never become a cultural center, but... not sure.
Spain? kinda conservative? France, maybe? A german state?
 
Well, operas were based on a revival of the old Greek choirs, so to prevent its rise, you need to make sure that neoclassicism never spreads far from its Enlightenment roots.
 
Probably done if Italia never become a cultural center, but... not sure.
Spain? kinda conservative? France, maybe? A german state?

France got into Opera the other way around, it wasn't music made into theater, it was theater put to music (essentially French opera was the spiritual ancestor of the musical :p ).

Spain is interesting because its artistic culture was not geared that much towards profane music, thus potentially putting a brake on it. It took until the late 1600s for it to develop in Spain IOTL and with much french and italian influence involved.
 
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