The well-known musical Les Misérables has enthralled audiences all around the world. Some, though, could query if the performance is a musical or an opera. This question’s answer is complicated because it depends on how one defines a musical and an opera.
Operas often feature little to no spoken dialogue and are entirely sung. Musicals, on the other hand, frequently blend spoken and sung dialogue. The latter category includes Les Misérables because it has both spoken and musical passages. Les Misérables’ score, on the other hand, has a more operatic feel to it and features a number of strong and dramatic solos, duets, and group pieces.
Due to the lack of spoken dialogue, Les Misérables is frequently referred to be a musical that is entirely sung through. The writing team of Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, who also created the lyrics for Les Misérables, popularized this genre of musical. The show’s format and soundtrack have more in common with an opera than a conventional musical, yet both genres are still present.
Regarding the following query, Annie is a musical that depicts the tale of a little orphan girl who is looking for her parents. It is a great illustration of a conventional musical, combining musical numbers with spoken dialogue. Because it lacks the continuous sung-through framework, Annie is not an opera.
Community theater is a style of theater that is run by locals, frequently as volunteers. Although the idea of community theater has roots in Europe’s 19th century, the movement really took off in the US. Community theater in the US was greatly influenced by Emma Sheridan Fry’s Little Theatre Movement, which she started in the early 20th century.
The usual funding sources for community theater are ticket sales, donations, and grants. Additionally, theaters might provide local companies with sponsorship or advertising opportunities. Local government financing is also used to support some community theaters.
Lastly, theater that is approachable to a broad audience and frequently has exciting and interesting themes and music is referred to as popular theater. Popular theater can consist of plays, musicals, and other live performances. A prime example of popular theater is Les Misérables, which features stirring music and a poignant plot.
Finally, Les Misérables can’t just be categorized as a musical or an opera. As an operatic musical with sung-through lyrics, it falls somewhere in the middle. Annie is a conventional musical, whereas community theatre is a form of theater produced by locals. Popular theater includes a variety of live performances, such as plays and musicals.