Opera & Musicals

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!!