The Baroque epoch left a rich and voluminous opera heritage. Opera as a music genre
emerged at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries in the Italian city of Florence and in the
17th century developed and spread throughout Italy, ft later appeared in the countries of
Central and Eastern Europe. The trend towards Italian opera and the colossal popularity
of this art form required the development of infrastructures to support performances.
The capitals of princedoms and large cities were marked by the construction of opera
theatres and the invitation of Italian composers, soloists, instrumentalists, choirs, and
ballet performers to these cities. Also, the implementation of special machinery, décor,
stage costumes, and make up contributed to opera’s popularity. Opera performance
was a spectacular event, preparation for which required significant funding by royalty
and aristocrats, and performances demanded a high level of preparation.