Musicals vs Operas
Mon, 10 Sept 2001, 12:39 amWalter Plinge26 posts in thread
Musicals vs Operas
Mon, 10 Sept 2001, 12:39 amJust to kick-start this brand-spanking new section (thanks Granty!), I thought I'd pose the toughest question there is in this area..... just what the hell is the difference between a musical and an opera?
Given that we are all eargerly awaiting the arrival of "Les Miserables" at the Regal (some more eagerly than others though, I have to say), and that that production features opera-type dudes like David Dockery and Justin Freind right alongside your more musical-theatre-type broads like Amanda Chesterton and Gillian Binks, I was wondering where people drew the line.
Is "Les Mes" an opera? Is "Threepenny Opera" a musical? Or vice versa? Or neither?
Thoughts, people!
D.M.
Given that we are all eargerly awaiting the arrival of "Les Miserables" at the Regal (some more eagerly than others though, I have to say), and that that production features opera-type dudes like David Dockery and Justin Freind right alongside your more musical-theatre-type broads like Amanda Chesterton and Gillian Binks, I was wondering where people drew the line.
Is "Les Mes" an opera? Is "Threepenny Opera" a musical? Or vice versa? Or neither?
Thoughts, people!
D.M.
RE: Musicals vs Operas
Mon, 10 Sept 2001, 06:34 pmWalter Plinge
My earliest understanding of the difference was akin to what James said. Opera's were through-composed and musicals contained spoken dialogue but that all changed somewhere along the line. Les Miserables, like many other musicals, is through-composed but I didn't consider Les Mis to be an opera (probably for the same reason that Amanda doesn't - the singing style is different).
However, my dictionary says that Opera is "musical drama", Comic Opera "has spoken dialogue and humorous treatment", Grand Opera is "sung-throughout with serious treatment" and Light Opera is "not on a serious theme".
Going by those little gems Les Miserables is in fact Grand Opera.
Cheers,
Gill
However, my dictionary says that Opera is "musical drama", Comic Opera "has spoken dialogue and humorous treatment", Grand Opera is "sung-throughout with serious treatment" and Light Opera is "not on a serious theme".
Going by those little gems Les Miserables is in fact Grand Opera.
Cheers,
Gill
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