Editing Opera seria (section)

== Structure ==
''Opera seria'' built upon the conventions of the High Baroque era by developing and exploiting the [[Da capo aria|''da capo'' aria]], with its A–B–A form. The first section presented a theme, the second a complementary one, and the third a repeat of the first with ornamentation and elaboration of the music by the singer. As the genre developed and arias grew longer, a typical ''opera seria'' would contain not more than thirty musical movements.<ref name=GD>{{harvnb|McClymonds|Heartz|n.d.|loc=section 1: "Dramaturgy"}}</ref>

A typical opera would start with an instrumental overture of three movements (fast-slow-fast) and then a series of recitatives containing dialogue interspersed with arias expressing the emotions of the character, this pattern only broken by the occasional duet for the leading amatory couple. The recitative was typically ''secco'': that is, accompanied only by ''[[Basso continuo|continuo]]'' (usually [[harpsichord]], [[theorbo]], and cello, sometimes supported by further bass and chordal instruments). At moments of especially violent passion ''secco'' was replaced by ''stromentato'' (or ''accompagnato'') recitative, where the singer was accompanied by the entire body of strings. After an aria was sung, accompanied by strings and oboe (and sometimes with horns or flutes), the character usually exited the stage, encouraging the audience to applaud. This continued for three acts before concluding with an upbeat chorus, to celebrate the jubilant climax. The leading singers each expected their fair share of arias of varied mood, be they sad, angry, heroic or meditative.

The dramaturgy of opera seria developed largely as a response to French criticism of what were often viewed as impure and corrupting librettos. As response, the Rome-based [[Academy of Arcadia]] sought to return Italian opera to what they viewed as neoclassical principles, obeying the [[classical unities]] of drama, defined by [[Aristotle]], and replacing "immoral" plots, such as [[Busenello]]'s for ''[[L'incoronazione di Poppea]]'', with highly moral narratives that aimed to instruct, as well as entertain. However, the often tragic endings of classical drama were rejected out of a sense of decorum: early writers of ''opera seria'' librettos such as [[Apostolo Zeno]] felt that virtue should be rewarded and shown triumphant, while the antagonists were to be put on their way to remorse. The spectacle and ballet, so common in French opera, were banished.<ref name=GD />