Welcome back to Between the Barlines! I am your host, Dr. Maeve Berry! Today, we are headed to the opera house in the 18th century, a time when the world of opera was exploding with new forms, new stories, and new sounds. This was the golden age of opera seria, the rise of comic opera, and the beginning of Singspiel and other national operatic styles.

Some of the music mentioned in this episode:

Handel Giulio Cesare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qrcg2jlnqA

Pergolesi La serva padrona: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsUeywPFEgQ

Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYOTeHL14uQ

John Gay The Beggar’s Opera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq7g_NRKHU0