Skip to main content

Four Common Types of Musicals

There are several forms for musical with the most common types including revue, rock, operetta, and religious or political musicals. These differing types of musicals provide composers and audiences with several forms of entertainment. Often, singers, songwriters, and actors involved in musical theater will specialize in one type of musical.Performers must have singing, dancing, and acting abilities unless of course you are a famous actor already that is being used to play the role of a character to increase box office earnings.

Operetta

Operettas share many things in common with operas. Most operettas are shorter in duration than operas. Opera singers don't speak during a performance. When they do speak, they employ a musical technique called recitative. On the other hand, an operetta combines speech, singing and dancing to engage the audience. Operetta served as the poor man's opera for those without the financial means to attend an opera. "The Merry Widow" by Franz Lehar, which premiered in 1905, serves as an example of an early operetta. Operetta tackles lighter, less intense themes than opera, has English lyrics and always ends with a positive message.

Revue

Revues consist of a mixture of entertainment genres and go well beyond the standard song-and-dance musical. Revues use skits, dancers, singing, and showcase the multi-faceted talents of performers. Mainly a comedic act, comedy plays a large part in revues since the 1920s. George Gershwin, a composer, got his start in the revue. It helped him to develop and hone his craft while composing music for these idiosyncratic musicals. With the revue's popularity and success increasing, the format refined, becoming less chaotic. Revues began to make use of a central subject or overarching theme.

Political and Religious

Political and religious musicals broach subjects that affect modern-day life -- literally or by use of satire. The "South Park" creators released a musical called "The Book of Mormon" in 2011. The musical focuses on a group of Mormon missionaries going to Africa. Through satire, the musical attempts to portray the ironic event that sends young men out in the world with abundant energy to encounter the harsh realities dealt with daily by the poor and downtrodden. Political satires analyze political issues. Comedy exposes inconsistencies, hypocrisy, and dishonesty in the political system.

Rock

Rock musicals give rock musicians a medium to perform on the Broadway stage. The modern rock musical "Hair," in which a man goes through the traumatic event of getting drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. Instead of a classical score, "Hair" uses popular rock music for the songs in the program. Rock operas eventually turned into "pop/rock" operas, partially due to the broader acceptance and appeal of pop music.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sunday Stories: The Power of Audiation in Music Composition

Happy Sunday! Today, let’s explore the transformative power of audiation in music composition and share an inspiring story about a composer who mastered this skill. Audiation, the ability to hear and understand music in your mind, is a crucial tool for composers, enabling them to bring their musical ideas to life with greater detail and precision. What is Audiation? Audiation is the process of hearing and comprehending music in your mind without any external sound. It is similar to thinking in a language, where you can understand and manipulate words and sentences internally.  For composers, audiation is an essential skill that allows them to imagine, develop, and refine their musical ideas before they are played or written down 1 . The Benefits of Audiation for Composers 1. Enhanced Musical Understanding Audiation helps composers develop a deeper understanding of music. By hearing and analyzing music internally, they can grasp the relationships between different musical elements, ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Similarities of Classical and Baroque Music

Music has evolved through the centuries and undergone drastic changes. One of the most significant transitions was from the Baroque to the Classical period of music. In this paragraph, I will compare and contrast some of the main features of these two styles, such as ensembles, instrumentation, and counterpoint study. The Baroque and Classical periods of music have many similarities. While the style of music changed drastically, certain key elements remained the same between the two styles. Composers in the Classical period sought to simplify music and create clearly audible musical lines. In contrast, composers from the Baroque period were interested in creating complex and highly ornamented musical lines. The Baroque period occurs from approximately 1600 to 1750, and the Classical period extends from 1750 to 1820. Ensembles Ensembles are groups of musicians that perform together. Both the Baroque and the Classical period had similar types of ensembles, such as operas, orchestras, str...
Post a Comment
Read more

Exploring Minimalism in Music Composition

Minimalism is a fascinating and influential movement in music that emerged in the mid-20th century. It is characterized by simplicity, repetition, and gradual change, creating a hypnotic and meditative effect. This blog post will delve into the principles of minimalism in music composition and how you can incorporate these techniques into your own work. What is Minimalism in Music? Minimalism in music is a style that focuses on reducing elements to their simplest forms. It often involves repetitive patterns, steady pulses, and a limited harmonic palette. The goal is to create a sense of stasis and gradual transformation, allowing listeners to experience the subtle changes over time. Key Characteristics of Minimalist Music Repetition : Minimalist music often features repeated motifs or phrases. These repetitions can create a trance-like state and highlight small variations. Steady Pulse : A consistent, steady beat is a hallmark of minimalist music, providing a rhythmic foundation that s...
Post a Comment
Read more