K:
I think that is an excellent point. When I was learning music in the public schools it was called 'programmatic music' I believe and I don't recall Wagner nor Opera being used as examples, rather the music of Strauss and specifically his compostion: "Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks" because the events depicted by the music are damn near oenomatopoetic: Till riding his horse and splashing the noblemen, Till before the judge, Till's neck being snapped by the rope...