Comic Operas

What is comic opera?

Comic opera is best described as ‘lighthearted opera.’ The fact that it is a form of opera means that, at its core, it is a dramatic work that is meant to be sung. The singing is accompanied by orchestra performances (with the orchestra instruments providing backup melodies to the sung dramatic performance).

Where can one find comic opera performances today?

One can often find comic opera performances in theaters in various parts of the world. They are typically not advertised as being ‘comic opera’ performances. But by looking at their titles, their themes, and their plot outlines, one can tell at a glance that they are actually comic theater performances. All said and done, a good number of opera performances turn out to be comic theater performances. It is worth keeping in mind that, in the final analysis, an opera performance is classified as either being a ‘comic opera performance’ or ‘a serious opera performance.’

Why are comic opera performances so popular?

In order to understand the reasons behind the popularity of comic theater performances, one needs to appreciate the fact that people go to opera performances with the view of getting entertained. Under that scheme of things then, the most entertaining opera performances are also likely to be the most popular. And as it turns out, comic opera performances are often the most entertaining, hence their popularity.

What are the key features of comic opera?

The key features of comic opera include satire, the use of catchy melodies (which are performed by the orchestras behind the operas), and the use of farcical characters.

The satire more often than not revolves around contemporary topics which are viewed as suitable subjects for satire. In actual fact, satire can be made out of any subject: the comic opera composer only needs to develop the ‘third eye’ with which to spot the funny side of everything.

The catchy melodies can be played in keys which accentuate the lightheartedness of comic opera.

The farcical characters who bring comic opera to life can either be those who are naturally funny, or those who have been made ‘artificially funny’ through the use of attire and other aids.

When talking of the key features of comic opera, it is worth noting that the narrations/performances often have happy endings. This makes comic opera different from serious opera: whose performances more often than not have tragic (or at least flat/neutral) endings.

How are comic opera performances conducted?

At the most basic level, comic opera performances are designed in such a manner that an instrumental orchestra provides the melodious accompaniment to the dramatized musical performance. Thus, there are two groups of people in a comic opera performance. The first of those is that of the orchestra members providing the melodious accompaniment. And the second group is that of the folks who do the actual dramatized singing act.

In some cases, it becomes necessary to have some parts of the comic opera performances narrated (through ordinary dialogue), as opposed to being sung. This arrangement doesn’t rob the comic opera performances in question of their qualification to be termed as ‘opera performances.’

In most cases, it is the orchestra which kicks off the performance with the melody. Then the actors come into the picture later, with their narrations or dramatized song performances, where the comic themes emerge gradually.

Like any other type of opera, comic opera is a dramatic work that is sung. What makes comic opera unique is, however, the fact that it is comic (funny) in nature, and it generally tackles ‘light’ issues. When comic opera happens to tackle serious issues, it nonetheless tackles them in a light manner. Thus, in a nutshell, it is the ‘lightness’ of comic opera which sets it apart.

The two forms of opera

Further enquiry on this subject reveals that all opera performances fall into two broad categories. The first one is that which can be referred to as serious opera. And the second one, which is of greater concern to us in this discussion, is that which can be referred to as comic opera, which is generally light.

The performance of comic opera

Just as is the case with any opera, comic opera is typically made up of two components.

The first of those is the orchestra component (where the underlying melodies are performed by instrumentalists). When well done, these melodies turn out to be an attraction in their own right.

The second component is that of dialogue. In some cases, the dialogue is spoken. In some other cases, the dialogue is sung. All said and done, it is not the melody aspect of an opera which determines whether it is to be classified as either being a serious opera or a comic opera. Rather, it is the dialogue part of the opera which determines its classification in this regard. Where the dialogue happens to be light (and generally comical), we end up with the comic opera.

Plots in comic opera

The plots (storylines) in comic opera are usually farcical. To bring such storylines to live, it becomes necessary to have equally comic actors on stage. In some cases, the actors turn out to be those folks who are naturally funny by way of appearance. In some other cases, the actors turn out to be serious folks who, through the use of appropriate attire and other aids, manage to acquire that comical look.

In order to come up with suitable comic opera plots, it often becomes necessary to satirize current affairs topics. The end result is sophisticated humor, which gets even the most uptight of folks laughing. Wherever this sort of satire becomes part of comic opera plot, the end result is a situation where the characters have to act as parodies of certain real-life characters.

Forms of comic opera performed today

Comic opera is a relatively old genre, one whose history goes back to the 17th century. Today, there are two forms of comic opera you can enjoy.

The first form of comic opera you can enjoy today is that which can be termed as ‘contemporary comic opera.’ The works which constitute contemporary comic opera are written by modern day authors. They deal with modern issues, in a satirical (or otherwise comical) manner.

The second form of comic opera you can enjoy today is that which can be termed as ‘classic comic opera.’ This is what we encounter in theaters where teams come together to perform old (classic) comic opera pieces which are nonetheless still enjoyable today.