Apparently this has been an on going debate with people defining what the difference is between an opera and a musical and no one ever seems to have a definitive explanation that separates the two. From what I've been able to gather Musicals are plays with song and dance while operas are sung primarily throughout the whole time. Now there are many forms of opera which is what makes it hard to have something definitive on how to describe it due to how it has changed over time. Here's a list I looked through which goes through different types of operas. http://www.infoplease.com/search?q=operas&in=all&x=0&y=0&fr=iptn
Now I have my personal opinions of opera and what I think of when the word drops to mind which many of you may remeber from a movie long ago called the 5th Element.
Great movie for those who are into sci fi, now one of my favorite musicals has to be grease, Watching this as a kid I was drawn to the rhytms and songs that were being played from the t.v and for those who remember the legendary VHS!!!
Just for kicks I added the newest performances they've done lol good stuff Travoltas old but still got it!!
In class we began talking about some of the swing music and how in that era is was pretty big. One thing that always blows me away is that no matter the way the music is played or what is played people always find a way to dance to it somehow. Those brave groups of individuals pioneer the steps to keep the music going. The reason I bring this up is the fact that dancing makes a lot of music popular because it now allows the listener to be a part of the song by using their body. If you think of the songs that get aired most today or heard mostly are songs that people usually dance to in a club, bar, etc. The link attached below is from a movie called "SWING BOYS", I brought it up in class because it was also a form of music that was raunchy for its time and if you look at the dancing that's done now you would probably agree that it's nothing like the way people normally dance today.
Thinking back to how America is this this melting pot of unique forms of music I came across this song a while back called "bust your windows" by Jasmine Sullivan. When I heard it I automatically thought of the Spanish music I listened to growing up. This song had an R&B singer on it though so it through me in a loop but I can spot that Spanish rhythm anywhere it what I use to dance to. Tango originated from Spain although some say Morocco. It was in the early 1900's when women would actually dance by themselves. Later on the couples became added but that has a whole nother history to it. This dance form was soon to be considered immoral and in some places even illegal! The melodies and rhythm of tango was considered very flirtatious and it was for many good reasons, the way that the bodies linked together caused for much commotion.
Below is Jasmine Sullivan's song used in Step Up 3
Below is the ballroom tango that most of us see now and notice due to it being the most popular form which came together in Argentina.
