Talk:Evangeline (1874 musical)

Is this an opera buffa or a musical?

I see it being said as both and I'm slightly confused. (talk • contribs) Isangtaosamundo (talk) 11:12, 16 December 2021 (UTC)

Notwithstanding the notation on the poster, Rice did not write opera buffa. We describe Evangeline as a musical Extravaganza, which the sources support, and which would be appropriate for this composer in this period of American musical theatre. It was often billed as a "musical comedy". Genre definitions in 18th century musical theatre, especially in America, are often pretty approximate in any case. -- Ssilvers (talk) 15:54, 16 December 2021 (UTC)

So why did it say "opera-buffa"? Anyways, if that cannot be answered for now, all I can say is that there's quite a bunch of early musicals and operetta confused with each other. Also, some sources say it's a musical Extravaganza, others an opera buffa. It may resemble both nontheless.Isangtaosamundo (talk) 08:03, 4 January 2022 (UTC)

Most sources describe this as Extravaganza, which is closely related to Victorian burlesque in style, whereas opera buffa is a fairly specific kind of light opera. As I said, none of Rice's works are opera buffa, and we are on solid ground going with the majority of sources here. It's true that trying to classify pre-1890s musical theatre is a lot like herding cats, but I feel pretty confident about this one. -- Ssilvers (talk) 21:35, 4 January 2022 (UTC)