Ballet and opera were born out of royal entertainments in 17th century Italy and France. These were spectacular productions celebrating marriages or
political visits used by kings or nobles to show off their wealth and power. They were unashamed propaganda aimed at impressing foreign dignitaries
and other royals.
These entertainments mixed music, dance, and magnificent processions with spectacular technical effects and extravagant costumes. The stories or themes
were taken from classical mythology (the ancient stories and myths of the Greeks and Romans), drawing parallels between the ruler and the mythological
gods or heroes.
More
information about court entertainments
The First Opera in the UK
