Power of Musicals and Music Theatres - Essay Example

Musical theatre Firstly it is necessary give a definite explanation of what musical theatre is. It is known that musical theatre is a kind of theatre which comprises singing, dancing, music and spoken dialogues. Musical theatre is told to be connected with opera which is characterized by the different forms of popular music, but the instrumentation is different. (Bordman 1992) Musical theatre has a long history comprising traditional forms and traditional structures. The art of writing musical is always stretching and involving new art forms. It is possible to say that musical theatre is researching the unexplored spaces. Musical is the art of musical theater and it is a combination of dialogue and singing. It is necessary to mention that the greatest musicals shown in the theatres are The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Miss Saigon. (Lodge 2005) Usually musical has several authors and they are rarely written by one script writer. The writing of the musical involves composer, lyricist and script. Every musical tends to be unique and specific. It tends to be remembered by the audience in the theatre. The melody in most cases inspires the authors to write a musical. It is apparent that aspiration is the main point in creating a masterpiece for musical theatre. Musical theatre sometimes adopts books and plays and reinterprets them in a new way. The Black Crook was the first theatre musical which adapted the modern principles of this genre. The musical lasted for five hours. And musical theatres became rather popular among people. Musical theatres created a new world full of mystery and admiration. Once visited musical theatre it is difficult to part with it. Musicals became like a fairy tales. (Kresner 1995) Nowadays musicals are pulled in different directions. They require good or even great investments. Creating musicals requires many resources. Musical theatre is beyond reality. Nowadays pop culture influences all aspects of our life and it is not possible to avoid it. (Lodge 2005) Nowadays musical theater became like a melody, which is being listened by everybody in the whole world. Foe many yeares theatre musica included popular music. For our parents and grandparents music theatre was something like musical channels on TV for younger generation. The older generation was inspired by musical theatre and such famous composers as Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin and Richard Rodgers will be always remembered and honoured. But for young generation these composers are unknown. Some musical combine, for example, pop trends with classical tradition and libretto. As an example it is possible to mention musical Mama Mia, which is told to be the most entertaining modern musical. The lexicon of musical theatre was mentioned to be like a hybrid. (Lodge 2005) It is apparent that nowadays musical theatre is artistical and practical venue fot modern composers. Many of composers are aspired to write musicals, because they were brough uo with Porter, Kern and Rodgers. Randy Newman is also markable exmple of composer who tried to create modern pop musicals for musical theatres. Some admitted that musical theatre is like "smorgasbord", you can choose everything you like: singing, dancing, greatest hits and sad motives. Some people believe that musical is rather dissident form of theatre which referred to the theory of Brecht. (Kresner 1995) But it is necessary to observe the reaction of the audience of the musical theatre. The grown-ups sit stark in their sits and children look line they are burning fireworks. Everybody is impressed and full of admiration and delight. Musical theaters are really exciting and interesting. (Kresner 1995) The power of musical theatre was told to move people intuitively and emotionally to another world of songs and dances - to the wonderful fairy world. That power appealed to many people and they actually stuck to musical theatre. The people's love in the musical theatre is always storytelling, dancing and singing. In musical theatre people are always greatly attracted by gorgeous music, but it is also important to shed light on the deepest play's values. Many composers were skilful masters at sensitive or even dangerous communicating, they expressed the most significant and vital subjects through singing and music. And that was real art. Drama is the main point of the musical theatre. (Lodge 2005) It is necessary to admit that music is functioning on the subconscious level and the ideas are sent to the deeper corners of man's brain. The lyric language and spoken dramatic dialogues reinforce the perception. The aim of some music composers is to create something easy, light, entertaining and, of course, consistent. The aim of other composers is to create subjects which are difficult to understand and to handle. Such composers are busy in creating comic characters, but with depth of perception. Their way is to wave away criticism from sponsors who think that the song is not good enough to express all thoughts and feelings. (Lodge 2005) Music theatre is robust, vivid art form, which is also unpretentious, optimistic and forward-looking. But it is possible to admit that musicals are full of controversy, conflicts and contradictions according to some musical critics. Musical theatre is American native art form. It originated from colonial America. During two centuries all the genres were admitted to "march toward the evolution of a play organically integrated with music and dance". (Lodge 2005) American musical is decisive art from like Shakespeare's plays in England. For Americans musicals are in bones and blood. They are integral part of everyone's personality. Americans are considered to be the skillful interpreters of musicals. It is necessary to admit that the main constituents of musical theatre are: Musical performance Costumes Technical equipment Musical theatre is also impressive due to artists' costumes, which in many cases reflect the whole epoch in the history or only small episode. But costumes are really important, because they are personification of the musical and the roles played by artists. The costumes attract the attention of the whole audience and due to them it easier to penetrate into the very details and motives of the musical. It is a mean for the audience to imagine the epoch and the events, which take place on the stage. (Pressley 1999) The art of singing is a genius talent given by the God. This talent isn't given to everybody, only to chosen ones. The artists can arouse the deepest feelings and emotions through songs. And dancing is the expression of the most undercover people's instincts and desires. It is possible through music to express the deepest feelings and desires and in such way to empress the audience. (Carter 1992) Hi-tech is also an essential part of every musical. It helps to create the necessary atmosphere with the help of special effects. Such effects even deepen the impression of the audience and make people stuck to the play. All these important traits are combined in the greatest musicals: The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Carmen and the Lion King. The phantom and Cats were composed by the greatest men Lloyd Webber, whose works are greatly appreciated and loved by the whole world. In his musical he creates his own world and leads the audience in it. His music is really impressive and fabulous. The greatest Webber's musical is the Phantom of the Opera. Its music and role play is really enchanted. It is wondering that it is possible to express such deep thoughts through music and singing. Its music is marginal and the artists' play is mysterious. The most impressive scene is labyrinth with candles, which created the atmosphere of magic and mystery simultaneously. The audience is also enchanted by the songs "Music of the Night", "Angel of Music", "All I ask of You". Though the stage production was criticized, during 17 years this musical attracted large audiences. The story is the same as the original novel. The stage musical version is exciting because of luxurious production and fashion costumes. Many theater-goes fell in love with this musical and practically yielded "to the power of the musical of the night". (Song "Music of the night"). The music and costumes are enchanting and enriching. Christine, the main heroine of the musical, is pin-up thinking that phantom is the angle of music which was sent by her dead father. The wonderful lyric soprano of the musical presents the sweetness and vulnerability. The songs posed the challenges to heroine's voice. It is really admirable to follow Christine's development into confident young lady. All her transformations are performed through songs. The Phantom of the Opera represents the greatest unimaginable power of the music and mystery. This musical is a journey into the deepest corners of human heart in which fears, desires, violence and vulnerability are combined into one song. The song impressive and most popular musical is Cats, which is known in the whole world. The musical was also created by Lloyd Webber and became a masterpiece. This musical aroused great interest among audience due to music's and costumes' originality and peculiarity. Perron mentioned that "Cats is a total experience". (Perron 6) The musical represents magnificent, funny and magical dump (garbage). The atmosphere is conditioned by the cats-costumes, which create a real cat-world for the audience. The artists stuff and costumes, make-up and coiffures are a real legend. Perron admitted: The dancing is superb and deliciously feline: Every whiskered facial twitch is fascinating. (Perron 6) Twenty-five human cats are dancing and singing their hearts. They poured forth and unburdened their hearts in the musical staged. It was mentioned that Cats broke the record for staging. Many of the artists became celebrities after the staging. The musical is famous for its creativity of music and costumes. One of the artists noticed: For a while people didn't want to be associated with Cats, but now we're savoring this time. We get letters from lots of people, like one person who said Cats was the first Broadway show he ever saw as a kid, and now he's bringing his kid to it. (Perron 6) It is also necessary to mention Carmen, which also of great popularity. This musical is powerful piece of musical theatre. This performance is told to be ingenious and original. The costumes are also rather peculiar, especially the vulgar dressing of Carmen. The image of Carmen is very sensual and effective, but also enchanting, fascinating and fatal. Her singing is said to be skittish and flirting. Through her songs she creates the atmosphere of temptation and infatuation. (Storm 2001) Richard Storm noticed that "hard-working singers in secondary roles and the chorus did their best to create a convincing crowd". (Storm 2001) the performance is really fascinating and gripping, because the musical itself is so wonderful constructed. Music and dramaturgy is like a strike when they show the toxic power of inevitable fate, desperate love and strong hate. (Storm 2001) To sum up it is necessary to confirm that musical theatre and musicals have strong appeal to the audience. And they do tell the story without words. Through music they express such feeling which can't be expressed with words. The main attributes of musicals are singing, dancing an spoken dialogues, which create a new world of wordless performance appealing to everybody's heart. Works cited Bordman, Gerald. American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. Krasner, David. Parody and Double Consciousness in the Language of Early Black Musical Theatre. African American Review 1995: 2. Lodge, Mary Jo. Our Musicals, Ourselves: A Social History of the American Musical Theatre. Theatre History Studies 2005: 25. Perron, Wendy. The Last of Nine Lives: 'Cats' Closes. Dance Magazine June 2002: 6. Pressley, Nelson. Great Expectations: Why Are the Country's Top Musical-Theatre Artists Flocking to Virginia's Tiny Signature Theatre American Theatre 1999: 4. Storm, Richard. Carmen' Suffers from Cutbacks.Sarasota Herald Tribune January 16 2001. Read More