Musical Theater

Musical Theater

Music Theatre before 1960s

The American musical is a relatively new form which developed over the years leading up before 1960s. In the romantic period? 'heavy' operas by composers such as Verdi and Puccini lead to a reaction in Europe where composers such as Offenbach began to write lighter comedy operas. In England during the late 19th century? Gilbert and Sullivan developed the form in their Doyle Carte opera productions. Speech was introduced? and the operettas developed until they were almost plays with songs (Rich 2008).

The street acquired the nickname 'Tin Pan Alley' as of the sound of pianos and other tools playing music for possible customers in the issuing houses. It became the theatre centre of the west coast because there were so many literate musicians living and working in the area? and the musicals being written became musicals about Broadway simply because it was a vehicle through which composers could get their work published? and the style became known as the 'Broadway musical'.

Jerome Kern was the most admired and well-known musician of musical theatres before 1960s. He started by compiling extra songs for theatres when required and became recognized for his complicated style. He wrote four shows between 1915 and 1918 for the Princess Theatre in New York? and these were regarded as being more sophisticated than what had gone before? with the songs and the stories more closely linked (Bordman 2001).

The composer of 'Oklahoma'? Richard Rodgers? like Gershwin? was inspired to start writing musicals after hearing the work of Jerome Kern? recognizing it as 'the beginning of a new form of musical theatre in this country. The next main expansion in American music theatre arrived with Leonard Bernstein's 'West Side Story' in 1957. Bernstein was influenced by many composers and styles? but his close friend composer Aaron ...