Notes on Drama Concept in Monteverdi’s Orfeo

Monteverdi’s masterpiece is considered mostly from the aspect of word-music relations, both in context of aesthetics and from the standpoint of composition and dramaturgy. Movement toward increasingly detailed understanding of these relations, in which word and music switch their roles, is important for more precise characterization of the genre and for the choice of terms that would adequately describe its features. The subtler our perception of the reflection of words in music, the greater our delight in this composition.