As for your original question, it's complicated. A musical is a play, but a play is not necessarily a musical, and an opera is a form of musical. So technically, it could be all of the above.
Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never
knowing how
What's that rule again about squares and rectangles?...
"We don't value the lily less for not being made of flint and built to last. Life's bounty is in it's flow, later is too late. Where is the song when it's been sung, the dance when it's been danced? It's only we humans who want to own the future too."
- Tom Stoppard, Shipwreck
When I go to the playground And a triangle says "How do you do" Then comes in a circle And a rectangle shows up too Well I play with the triangle And the circle can join the game I play with the rectangle Who cares that we're not all the same 'Cause no matter where I am No matter where I go
It's hip to be a square (hip, hip, so hip to be) It's hip to be a square (hip, hip, so hip to be a square) It's hip to be a square (hip, hip, so hip to be) So hip to be a square (hip, hip, so hip to be a square) No matter who I'm with I know
So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.~Office Space
"It does what a musical is supposed to do; it takes you to another world. And it gives you a little tune to carry in your head. Something to take you away from the dreary horrors of the real world. A little something for when you're feeling blue. You know?"
So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.~Office Space
"You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!" - Betty Parris to Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible
See, 'rock opera' immediately popped into my head, but the term really skeeves me out because Andrew Lloyd Webber is supposed to have origanted the style of 'rock opera'. So I prefer to call Rent a 'modern musical', plus there's a scant amount of dialougue so really it's not an opera.......*sigh*
RENT is a Broadway musical based on LA BOHEME, an opera.
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
Musical. It has book / music/lyrics. It CAN be classified as a rock opera, though not a true opera.
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
Without the water...or the ballet...or the senior citizens.
So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.~Office Space
"It's a great feeling of power to be naked in front of people. We're happy to watch actual incredible graphic violence and gore, but as soon as somebody's naked it seems like the public goes a bit bananas about the whole thing."
It isn't. Maybe technically speaking there can be a difference, but not in today Broadway's business world. The Tony's are good examples of experts categorizing stage productions, therefore RENT = Musical! (I didn't see anyone complaining when it won the award : "I'm sorry, we can't accept the Best Musical award for this Rock Opera.." :S )
Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE