There was practically no difference in form between the first operas and the earliest oratorios, a statement borne out by the fact that Domenico Mazzocchi’s _Querimonia di S. Maria Maddelena_ rivalled Monteverdi’s _Lamento d’Arianna_ in popularity. Both opera and oratorio were constructed, musically, in the self-same way. Both were made up of recitative and arias, of choral and instrumental numbers, and both began with an overture. The angelic choruses of the first oratorios were musically synonymous with the bacchic choruses of the early operas. The difference between them lay only in the choice of subject-matter. And throughout the seventeenth century this continued to be the case, speaking generally, despite a certain divergence of viewpoint which had already made itself felt. How ‘operatic’ in character Cavalieri’s sacred score was, is proven by its composer’s employment of children as _dramatis personæ_, by the division of his work into acts, and by the use of worldly intermezzos, pantomimes and ballets. Interesting is the composer’s anticipation of Wagner at Bayreuth in his stage directions relegating his orchestra to a place ‘behind the scenes’ and out of sight. This orchestra, primitive in character, consisted of a double lyre, a harpsichord, a large guitar and two flutes. The use of the violin was recommended, though it was not insisted upon. Cavalieri’s stage directions for the performance of his sacred drama are so interesting and throw so much light on the dramatic character of the early oratorio that they are quoted here, nearly in full, from Dr. Burney’s ‘History of Music’: (1) ‘The words should be printed, with verses correctly arranged, the scenes numbered, and the characters of interlocutors specified. (2) ‘Instead of the Overture or Symphony to modern musical drama, a madrigal is recommended, as a full piece, with all the parts doubled, and a greater number of instruments. (3) ‘When the curtain rises, two youths, who recite the Prologue, appear on the stage; and when they have done, Time, one of the Characters in the Morality, comes on, and has the note with which he is to begin given him by the instrumental performers behind the scenes. (4) ‘The Chorus are to have a place allotted to them on the stage, part sitting and part standing, in sight of the principal characters; and, when they sing, they are to rise and be in motion, with proper gestures. (5) ‘Pleasure, another imaginary character, and two companions, are to have instruments in their hands, on which they are to play while they sing and perform ritornelles. (6) ‘_Il Corpo_, the Body, when these words are uttered, _Si che hormia alma mia_, etc., may throw away some of his ornaments, as his gold collar, feather from his hat, etc. (7) ‘The World and Human Life in particular, are to be gaily and richly dressed; and when they are divested of their trappings, to appear very poor and wretched, and at length dead carcasses.