Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche
Besides this I place another equally obvious confirmation of my view that opera is based on the same principles as our Alexandrian culture. Opera is the birth of the theoretical man, the critical layman, not of the artist: one of the most surprising facts in the history of all the arts. It was the demand of throughly unmusical hearers that before everything else the words must be understood, so that according to them a rebirth of music is to be expected only when some mode of singing has been discovered in which textword lords it over counterpoint like master over servant: For the words, it is argued, are as much nobler than the accompanying harmonic system as the soul is nobler than the body.
Summary
In this quote, the author suggests that opera, as a form of art, is driven by the principles of the Alexandrian culture. They argue that opera was not primarily born out of artistic creativity but was rather a response to the demand of non-musical audiences who prioritize understanding the lyrics above all else. The author finds it surprising that opera emerged as a result of the layman's critical view, rather than the artist's expression. They assert that, according to this perspective, true musical progress would occur when singing style prioritizes the dominance of the lyrics over musical accompaniment, as the words are considered more important and noble than the harmonic system.
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