Italian opera is a genre of vocal music that has its origins in the 18th century. Its origins can be traced back to the culture and society of the time, specifically the desire to create a national art form that represented Italy. The first example of Italian opera is considered to be “Dafne” by Jacopo Peri in 1598, but it was with Claudio Monteverdi’s “Orfeo” in 1607 that Italian opera began to develop as a distinct genre.
