intermezzo or intermedio or (French) intermède,
A musical interlude between acts of a play. This tradition, which originated at the Ferrarese court in the late fifteenth century, evolved from being purely musical into a visual spectacle, which was one of the antecedents of opera. As it developed it grew into lavish court spectacles with specially designed costumes and elaborate stage sets. These were based on pastoral, mythological, and allegorical scenes and devised for particular occasions such as the wedding of ... ...
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