338 Arts and Entertainment
Opera
An opera is a drama set to music. It is performed and sung by singers who
act out different roles. Opera is often staged in a grand opera house or
theatre with lavish costumes and magnificent stage designs. The songs are
full of passion and emotion. Opera began in Europe during the Renaissance.
Musicals
Musicals are plays with song and dance. Their stories
are fast-paced and dramatic, and the songs are catchy.
Musicals are performed in theatres, or made into films.
These big productions need hundreds of cast and crew.
A popular musical can run at a theatre for many years.
FIND OUT MORE. Cinema 346–347 • Dance 336–337
FIND OUT MORE. Music 330–331 • Theatre 344–345
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT VOICES IN OPERA?
Opera is technically difficult and takes years of
training. The female range covers soprano (high pitch),
mezzo-soprano (middle), and contralto
(low). The male voice covers tenor (high),
baritone (middle), and bass (low).WHERE DID MUSICALS ORIGINATE?
Musicals began in Britain in the late 19th century by combining the comic stories
of operetta (short operas) with the songs and dances of the music hall. It was in the
Broadway theatre district of New York City in the early 20th century that musicals
developed into their modern form: a highly entertaining music and dance show.HOW ARE MUSICALS PRODUCED?
Musicals are spectacular productions with large choruses of singers
and dancers. Film musicals can require hundreds of extras. A
composer writes the music and songs, and a choreographer creates
the dance sequences. Singing and dancing coaches help the
performers learn their parts. The sets built for musicals are often
largescale and visually stunning.WHAT ARE THE PARTS OF OPERA?
An opera opens with an overture (an instrumental
piece of music). The songs sung by the soloists are
arias (Italian for air). Recitatives are speech-like
passages between arias that move the plot along.
A long opera may be broken into several acts.Leading man often has
tenor voice and leading
lady is usually sopranoThe chorus is a
group of performers
who sing in unison2 LA TRAVIATA
One of the most famous operas
is La Traviata (The Woman Who
Strayed) written by the Italian
composer Giuseppe Verdi
(1813–1901). It tells the tragic
love story of Violetta and Alfredo.1 SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
This 1952 film musical, starring Gene Kelly, is most famous for its title
tune, Singin’ in the Rain. During this song, Kelly sings and dances his
way down a street from lamppost to lamppost in the pouring rain.Dance reflects
opera’s origins
as a court event
with balletopera
musicals