2007-05-23 13:36:20 · 6 answers · asked by me 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Theater & Acting
Opera and Musical Theatre are two very different and distinct artforms. I'm going to try to answer the question by contrasting the two.
Due to it's history and time of existance, opera is considered a classical artform. Musical Theatre is considered a contemporary art form. Opera is also a European art. Musical Theatre is something that is very American. Due to the fact that Opera is European, it does not have quite the appeal to the average Joe in America. Opera is still thriving in Europe.
The general assumption is that there is no dialogue in Opera. That is not completely true. Dialogue is expressed in recitative which is basically sung speech. It's not necessarily in song quite yet, but dialogue is exchanged on pitch. During an aria (a song), the aria is used to express an emotion or a moment that is going on. By contrast, Musical Theatre uses song to further the plot. Musical Theatre basically functions like a play. It has to be well written. Musical Theatre is basically setting dialogue to music.
From a musical standpoint, Opera is more demanding on the singer. The vocal aspect of opera requires a HIGHLY trained voice. Operas aren't amplified so it's going to take a very trained singer to fill the entire hall with sound. That's not to say that Musical Theatre isn't demanding. Musical Theatre is more demanding because it has evolved into an artform where the perform must act, sing, and dance well.
Just for the sake of clarity (because one of the previous answers may confuse you), contemporary Opera does not use rock or pop music. While the term "rock opera" is used to descrube Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, or Rent...those shows are Musical Theatre. The Musical Theatre world is simply using the term "rock opera" to express that the show is completely sung through without dialogue. Contemporary Opera is still a classical art form. It just uses contemporary conventions of music such as things found in the harmonies, motivic content, etc.
2007-05-24 03:42:34 · answer #1 · answered by doggy1117 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
In a musical, people also talk but sing when particularly happy or sad or otherwise emotional.
In an opera, the entire dialogue is sung and it four or eight part harmonies as well as solos and duets. The vocal aptitude of the performers is much more polished and the style is more confined. Although some modern operas are in a rock or jazz style, most operas are classical in nature.
In a musical, the style of music may be jazz, rock, country, classical or any other variation and the style may vary from song to song, operas are more uniform in style.
2007-05-23 13:43:38 · answer #2 · answered by Question&Learn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'll add to that. Like an opera, a musical can sometimes be sung through with no spoken language. However, any musical has more of a structure than opera, plus the lyrics rhyme. Opera libretto doesn't have to and usually doesn't rhyme and the music never seems to have that all-American tin pan alley song structure -- though many of today's musicals don't either. But contemporary operas are more experimental when it comes to the music, as a rule.
2007-05-24 07:38:02 · answer #3 · answered by clvcpoet 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In a musical there are songs as well as spoken dialogue. In an opera, everything is sung.
2007-05-23 13:40:58 · answer #4 · answered by dizzkat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-08-24 03:26:33 · answer #5 · answered by chanda 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First two answers are correct but the singing is also different. Musicals have more theatrical songs.
2007-05-23 14:01:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋