How did opera begin?

Opera began at the end of the 16th century in Florence, Italy. A group of intellectuals, artists, and musicians came together to create a piece of music that would tell a story in a more dramatic way than traditional music. They took inspiration from ancient Greek drama, which combined music and drama, and created the first opera, “Dafne.” This new form of musical theatre was an instant success and soon spread to other cities in Italy and then the rest of Europe. Opera quickly became one of the most popular forms of entertainment, with composers creating new works that featured elaborate costumes and sets, as well as complex musical structures.