Opera In The Living Room: An Old Tradition Reappears In Italy

"Such private concerts were common in the 1750s ... They started in France when musicians began to host events to show off their work - and their new status. The practice expanded to Austria, Germany, England, and Italy. It was also the way friends and families simply spent time together - as any Jane Austen book illustrates - before the onset of radios, televisions, and iPhones." Now the Festival Verdi in Parma is trying out the practice anew.

Article source here:Arts Journal