Musical theatre has always been associated with music and dance only. However, it is to be noticed that the performance has its plot, climax, and ending just like opera does, as the posting claims. I agree that an opera is a form of theatre that expresses everything through music. Also, it is necessary to mention that I agree that opera gives more impressions and more opportunities to understand the play better than a movie on TV. Nevertheless, I will try to prove that after opera had bifurcated into the musical theatre and opera itself, it became possible to speak about musical theatre as a separately taken art with its stage intricacies. So, this paper is purposed to unveil the richness of musical art and outline its importance for cultural heritage acquiring which is not of less importance than the opera art performance.
It has to be said that contemporary musical theatre has emerged as an independent branch of style and musical performance. Since the 1930’s the major advances in the sphere of musicals took place. Poetry and music emerged because it was hard to express feelings in simple words. The same happened with musical theatre: it advanced in its technologies and expression greatly to bring colorfulness of the plot to the viewers. Therefore, the theatre had developed into a powerful tool of stories and emotions’ expression. The lyrics were written especially for performing on stage, the features f operetta were combined with native musical comedy. It gained so popularity that people were merely astonished by the new message and the new impressions they could get from the energy coming down from the stage. For example, the Show Boat that was opened in 1927 was in several respects an advance ‘it was a serious story, and this set Show Boat apart from lighthearted musical comedies. ’ (Wilson p.367)
Gaining a huge resonance among the public the musical theatre continued advancing in many ways. It started showing dialogues in the scenes played. Another ‘flourishing musical performance’ (Wilson, p. 367) style o the 19th century in the US was called the minstrel show. It was a very popular stage performance that included dances, songs, and comedic dialogue. What made it even more popular and outstanding were its conventionalized shows that were performed by white actors in blackface. According to Wilson ‘… production that many historians consider a significant forerunner…’ (p 368)
Moreover, supporting the opinion that musical theatre has been evolving greatly through times and finally got to its peak in the 1950’s it has to be noticed that a lot of attention was now paid to the choreography. It was the starting point to change the perception of musicals entirely. The choreography changed from the classical lifts and turns to the ‘eccentric moves created by Bob Fosse (1927-1987)’ (Wilson, p.369)
From the 1990s to nowadays the genre of musicals has only gained more popularity. It changes its repertoire and styles from time to time; however, this makes it only more popular and vivid. The most expressive genres that are noticed within musical theatre performances are musicals based on films. It has won many admirers and remains the most popular dancing and the singing genre that attracts huge crowds of the public.
In a word, musical theatre is a wonderful opportunity to enrich people’s souls. It has been a huge success back in the days and remains the most popular and compelling performance shown on a stage. Indeed, musical theater is one of the ways to express emotions and feeling through body moves, actors’ plays, and well-written parts. It is the mainstream of Broadway and has a great influence on public art education. It speaks the insight through singing and dancing which can hardly leave the audience unmoved, though the musicals are considered to be a ‘patchwork quilt’ (Wilson, 377) including old and new musicals, taking the stories from books and revues. It is a different language that arouses the utmost feeling of admiration in the viewer’s heart.
Works Cited
Wilson, Edwin. The Theatre Experience. NY, New York. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2008. Print.