I think we're forgetting that the terms "Musical" (from "Musical Comedy") and "Opera" have developed historically and independently, and so there's a lot of overlap. "Musical comedy" stems from American vaudeville of the early years of the 20th century; evenually the form expanded to encompass both comedic and serious subject matter (the musical theatre form also has elements of 19th-century populist melodrama). Opera has a much older tradition, of course, being the descendent of the Court Masque of the Early Modern Period (ballet has similar origins). Both opera and musical theatre have grown significantly and have influenced each other immensely; the "integrated musical," for example, is directly adapted from Wagner and his preference for the "seamlessness of theatrical elements," where music, lyric, story and performance all merge into one flowing whole. Differences between the two forms are historical, not definitive.
I believe when Boublil & Schonberg were writing LES MISERABLES (originally performed as a concert, I think), they were very much writing a song cycle in the musical theatre "mould." But Schonberg also grew up with opera and so is heavily influenced by that musical tradition, hence why LES MISERABLES has many operatic qualities.
BlueWizard's blog: The Rambling Corner
HEDWIG: "The road is my home. In reflecting upon the people whom I have come upon in my travels, I cannot help but think of the people who have come upon me."
Updated On: 4/7/05 at 11:00 AM
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