Musicals vs Operas

Mon, 10 Sept 2001, 12:39 am

Walter Plinge26 posts in thread

Just 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.

RE: MORE on Musicals vs Operas!

Fri, 28 Sept 2001, 06:21 pm

Walter Plinge

Glynn - you raise an interesting point. My own feeling is that such a score would only exist as incidental music to the play, and would not convert the hypothetical play into a musical. An example close to what you suggest exists in the form of incidental music composed by Felix Mendelssohn for Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. I do not imagine that seeing a production of this play with Mendelssohn's music would cause me to think it a musical.

Thread (26 posts)

Threaded Flat

Musicals vs Operas— Walter Plinge10 Sept 2001

RE: Musicals vs Operas— Amanda Chesterton10 Sept 2001
- RE: Musicals vs Operas— The Review Master10 Sept 2001
- RE: Musicals vs Operas— Amanda10 Sept 2001
- RE: Musicals vs Operas— Walter Plinge13 Sept 2001
RE: Musicals vs Operas— James Harley10 Sept 2001
- RE: Musicals vs Operas— Walter Plinge10 Sept 2001
- RE: Musicals vs Operas— Eliot McCann10 Sept 2001
  - RE: Sweeney an Opera?— Grant Malcolm11 Sept 2001
    - RE: Sweeney an Opera?— Walter Plinge12 Sept 2001
      - ···
        RE: Sweeney an Opera?— Grant Malcolm12 Sept 2001
        ···
        RE: Sweeney an Opera?— Walter Plinge12 Sept 2001
        ···
        RE: Tommy— JoeMc12 Sept 2001
        ···
        RE: Tommy— Eliot McCann12 Sept 2001
    - RE: Sweeney an Opera?— Walter Plinge15 Sept 2001
      - ···
        RE: Sweeney an Opera?— JoeMc15 Sept 2001
        ···
        RE: Sweeney reviewed— Grant Malcolm25 Sept 2001
- RE: Musicals vs Operas— Walter Plinge13 Sept 2001
  - RE: Musicals vs Operas— crgwllms16 Sept 2001
RE: Now I know!— Walter Plinge21 Sept 2001
RE: Musicals vs Operas— Walter Plinge21 Sept 2001
- RE: Musicals vs Operas— Walter Plinge28 Sept 2001
MORE on Musicals vs Operas!— Walter Plinge27 Sept 2001
- RE: MORE on Musicals vs Operas!— Walter Plinge28 Sept 2001
  - RE: Moron Musicals vs Operas!— crgwllms2 Oct 2001
    - Musicals and Opera— Walter Plinge5 Sept 2002

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