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Both involve storytelling through music, but how do musicals stand apart from operas?
For those not well-versed in theater, the term “musical” brings to mind images of dramatic Broadway shows—complete with energetic dance moves and catchy songs mixed with spoken dialogue—whereas operas are often seen as the more sophisticated, dramatic relative of musicals. However, as The New York Times' lead classical music critic, Anthony Tommasini, points out, these generalizations don't capture the essence of the differences. For every show like Kinky Boots, there’s a more emotionally charged, entirely sung-through production like Les Misérables, which often tugs more at the heartstrings than it does at the funny bone. Even operas, while often not as comedic, can include dance and spoken word, varying greatly in style and cultural appeal, from light entertainment to the most refined compositions.
Tommasini explains that the key distinction between an opera and a musical is that ‘in opera, music takes center stage; in musical theater, dialogue takes precedence.’ While an opera can often be understood no matter the language, as long as the audience grasps the basic plot, musicals rely heavily on lyrics for nuance and emotional impact.
Tommasini’s insights help explain why opera singers often perform in a different vocal style compared to Broadway artists, why operas and musicals often explore distinct themes, and why the musical composition and orchestration in each genre vary.
That being said, we live in a world full of hybrids where we can combine cuisines like Chinese-Indian, wear jeans-leggings combos, and even experience Broadway productions—like the 2010 show Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark—that are labeled as ‘rock operas.’ Ultimately, the blurred boundaries between opera and musical theater encourage composers from both fields to borrow elements from each other, further mixing the lines.
