Friday 8 January 2010

'Why can't my life be a musical?!'

Sometimes, especially when my life seems to be peculiarly grey and sad, I ask myself such a question: ‘Why can’t my life be a musical?!’. People love musicals, such shows give them lots of good, clear and irreplaceable entertainment. But we should think about one thing: is living in the musical world really such a great and pleasant adventure? There are some rules which we can encounter in almost each musical performance.


Rule number one: In the musical everything is possible. This is one of the most important rules. We should remember that in musicals almost everything is probable. You don’t believe? Do you want to see cats which are dancing and singing? Watch Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Cats’. Do you think that Death cannot fall in love with a woman? Sylvester Levay’s ‘Elisabeth’ will change your mind. Are you convinced that vampires don’t exist? Jim Steinman and Michael Kunze who have created ‘Dance of the Vampires’ have a different opinion.


Elisabeth (Maya Hakvoort) and Death (Máté Kamarás) in 'Elisabeth'


Rule number two: There should be at least one enamoured couple. People love to read about huge emotions so they like stories with the romantic plots. Love doesn’t have to be fortunate and executed, sometimes it’s even better to show love which cannot have a happy ending because it is more pathetic. They’re many examples of unhappy lovers: Phantom and Christine from ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, Roger and Mimi from ‘Rent’ or Sara and Alfred from ‘Dance of the Vampires’. And how many great songs tell about the hopeless love!


Rule number three: Musical can be about everything. Each topic is good for a musical. There were stories about hippies (‘Hair’), animals (‘Cats’), Harry Potter (‘Harry Potter the Musical’), historical figures (‘Elisabeth’) or even about Jesus (‘Jesus Christ Superstar’). It’s really hard to be original while creating a new musical.


Rule number four: All music genres fit to the musical. They’re no limitations when it’s about musical style. Musicals' creators have already experimented with all possible genres. In ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ there is almost classical music, ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ is one of the most famous rock-operas, ‘Mamma Mia’ is based on the most popular ABBA’s songs and in ‘Boyband’ we can find the greatest productions of famous boysbands.


Ola Salo in the Swedish version of 'Jesus Christ Superstar'


Rule number five: When there’s a crowd on the stage you can be almost sure that it will start to sing and dance. Musicals’ authors love splendour and brilliance. One crowd scene is something indispensable in every musical. Experts in ‘crowd-subjects’ are the authors of Bollywood movies which are some kind of musicals too. In such productions often tens of people (who generally appear from nowhere) follow main characters singing incomprehensible songs about love.


Rule number six: The ending should be very touching. Musicals should arouse emotions and the ending has to be pathetic. It doesn’t matter if moves us unexpected death (‘Hair’), solitude that afflicts one of the characters (‘The Phantom of the Opera’) or wedding (‘Mamma Mia’). The final effect is quite the same: we feel strong emotions that often are unobtainable in daily life.


Final scene from musical 'Hair'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8DkmzIcDeA


These were some typical features which are present in most of musicals. People can like them or not, but it’s a fact that they’re very popular. As we can see, characters from such productions are not always as happy and carefree as we think that they are. But wouldn’t it be nice, just once in life, to go through the street, stop, start to dance and see that all the wayfarers are dancing with us? I think that it might a bit scary but also great experience.


And what do you think about the musicals? Do you like them or not? Which shows are your favorite ones?

25 comments:

  1. In my opinion, going to theatre to see the musical is a great idea for spending our free time. It's always very good prepared and give us an incredible emotions. In my life I had seen two of them, "The vapmire's dance' and "Cats", twice. The second one is better than first - it's kind of real story, full of feelings and emotions. But this kind of entertainment is also quite expensive. To be truth, it must be very difficult to act in musical - you must be good dancer, singer and actor! Recently, I saw "Mamma mia" with my girlfriend, but watching film in the cinemy is not the same!

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  2. I love every kind of movies, performances, and generally art.
    If we are talking about musicals I saw "Hair" few weeks ago. I can trully recomend it for everyone. Music is so spontaneous there!
    I also heard a lot about "Mamma mia" but when I try to imagin the ex-Bond Pierce Brosnan dancing and singing I can't restrain from laugh.
    But Its truth that movie is something different from a real performance. When I saw "The Phantom of the Opera" last year I was really suprised. It was also great expieriance.
    And last, but not least. I can't agree with dabros, who said that this kind of entertainment is expensive. You can sometimes get ticket for a musicall in the same price like cinema ticket.

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  3. Since now, I've watched 'Hair' and I must say that first half of it seemed to be quite boring but I've enjoyed it in all.
    I haven't seen any musical in the theatre yet but I think it could be a very pleasant experience. I've thought about watching 'Romeo and Juliet' because I've heard it is a very good one. Also 'Cats' and 'The vampire's dance' seems to be interesting. I think I will go to see one of them in the nearest future:)

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  4. I love musicals! They are so cheerful, so positive! And mostly they have very creative plots. For example "The Cabaret" - it is full of references and flashbacks. And great music, of course.

    (In "Mamma Mia" Pierce Brosnan sings totally out of tune. I heard opinions, that it's... charming xD.)

    My favourite musicals are "Hair" and "Moulin Rouge". But I must agree, that musicals, just like concerts, are better in real performance. I love all Roma Theatre musicals - I watched all of them. I think they are really on global level :). I wish Roma prepare "Hair" as next musical.

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  5. I believe that life is a musical that can be really tedious. In the presentation we always know what is the script that is the show goes and how it ended. Is not it better to run your life like the track and do not know the end? Besides musical is full of tension, there is still an increased adrenaline. In fact I would not like that my whole life was in full swing, it would be tiring.

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  6. I agree that going to musical can be really interesting form of spending free time. Especially when they are presented in theatre. That's something unusual I think, something totally different than films on TV or even in cinema. Despite that I' ve probably never stood me a question "Why my life can't be like in musical?". Maybe it is good to think about that some time? The end of musical is usually phatetic, often tragical, but maybe life, even ended early, in the name of a great idea, feeling is better than normal, gray and long one. Interesting presentation. Egh, I'm becoming so philosophical recently...

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  7. I love musicals :) my number one is "Cabaret" with Liza Minelli, but in general I prefer "old" musicals. We like it kinds of film or act because we can see something what it's similar to normal life, but not exactly - people dance, sing and make with their bodies something impossible. I think that such films make our moods better - they are just nice and funny, but it often has high artistic level. And as for me question "why can't my life be a musical" is impossible to answer - it would be similar to ask "why we don't have happy ends in real life"...

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  8. Musical is a very interesting type of art which combine theater, with music and dance. I prefer old musicals like Hair, or Jesus Christ Super Star. But my favorite one is Merto from Warsaw's theater Buffo. Merto has a beautiful music written by Janusz Stokłosa, but the plot is also thrilling.

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  9. I like watching musialc for exampl :High school Musical or Bollywood films. When I sad and I watch this kind of film I feel better. It give a positive power, I feel happy because I know that everythink will be ok.

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  10. I don't like musicals.Fact is, that I hate Bollywood films. The reason why I don't like this kind of films is too much music and dance. I saw High school Musical and it was horrible and stupid film. Sory Monika, that's my opinion.

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  11. I love musicals since... oh, I don't remember, but sooo long! I prefer musicals on the stage, but sometimes these in TV also are good. I'm happy, that so much people likes this kind of shows, because it's one of the best. In musicals I can find beautiluf stories, great music (songs, dances and instrumantal music), costumes and the best actors!
    But I must say, that I'm a bit original. I don't like Bollywoods musicals, "Hair" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" (maybe some songs I like, but in generally), and I think "Mamma Mia" is good only on the stage. I hate "Higd school musical". And "Cats" - for me they are horrible!
    In the other hand, there are a lots of musicals, that I can listen all the time, eg. "The Phantom of the Opera" (but Original London Cast, with Mr. S. Barton) or "Billy Elliot" or "Dracula" (Wildhorn's version) or "Wicked. Die Hexen von Oz" (sorry, but only in German - the best cast) or "Les Miserables"... I have a collection of musicals and can talk about theme all night:)
    But my favourite are "Elisabeth" and "Tanz der Vampire" (if I must: "The Dance of the Vampires", but it isn't for me the same, I think Broadway version is much worse). They are originally in German and I can't forget theater in Berlin, when I saw 2 years ago "Vampires" and then "Elisabeth".
    I must say, that Polish "Vampires" were good - only (!) good, but not so amazing. And I remember, in Berlin I was sitting on my chair and I couldn't move... It was great (last holiday I saw "Vampires" one more time, in Germany too) and if someone - Katarzyna, it's for you - would like to go, now they'll be in Stuttgart:)
    Then, after my third class, I saw "Elisabeth", the greatest musical I have ever seen. And 1. January 2010 I spent in theater, watching this musical, too. I shouldn't talk about her too much, because my post is now too big:)
    In the last word - why can't my life be a muscial? Because I don't want it! Musicals are beutiful stories, but they aren't true, even if they talked about Sissi, Napoleon or Mozart. And I like theme, becuase most of them is sad...

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  12. Well...i don't like musicals, so i don't have my favourite one. For me musicals are boring, and i don't like such art...sorry:(

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  13. I'm not very fond of this art too, but I respect it, bacause it's distinguished.
    Musicals are not for everyone, especially this day. It's different kind of sensitiveness.

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  14. I can't say that I have seen many musicals so it's hard for me to say whenever I like them or not. "Metro" and it's beautiful music left a very positive picture in my mind even though I have seen it many years ago but I recently have been to "Notre Dame" and although the story wasn't so bad (it wasn't sissy and didn't have a happy ending)the rest was. I think that it all depend on actors. They must have really good skills in singing dancing and acting and for that I respect them.

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  15. I really don't know what can I say because I hate musicals.I don't understand why people are so delighted that. For me, musicals are dull and completely expressionless.

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  16. First of all, I must say that this topic is really interesting. I have never thought about my life as about a musical, but in my opinion it is a funny idea, it could be a great and pleasant adventure. I think that I would like to experience something like that. I like musicals, especially “Phantom of the Opera”.
    Just like Monika said, musicals had always touching endings, I like to feel strong emotions, maybe that’s why I love musicals so much.

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  17. I can't agree with Iga - I like musicals very much :) However, I haven't seen many of them, just a few. My favourite is Metro, mainly because of songs, with their great music and lyrics - I've been listening them since I saw Metro first time, almost five years ago :)
    I want to watch 'Cats' musical - I've heard only one song of it ('Memory'), but it made big impression on myself and I heard oppinions, that this play is really worth of seeing.

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  18. I'm a great fan of "Jesus Christ Superstar" and I think it's one of the best musicals I've ever seen. I like musicals but unfortunately I can watch them only on TV because in Poland there aren't many good ones and when they're the tickets are very expensive and hard to get. I'd love to see "Cats" maybe when I'll be in USA it'll be possible.

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  19. For me personally, singing and dancing are the lowest and the most primitive forms of communication. I hate musicals, every one of them. I have never seen a good, interesting, breathtaking musical. I don't like them because they are stupid and they are telling stories about nothing. I'm glad that musicals are not popular in Poland.

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  20. The main question of this descusion should be have you ever seen a real musiacal. When some people write that they see ''Romeo and Julie'', ''Mamma mia'' or ''High school muscial'' I burst luaghing. I don't like musicals, becuase they are so artifcial and unrealistic, but I can appreciate real art like '' West side stroy'' or ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. So first watch a some old musical with John Travolta and than compare it with some Bollywood trash. And life as musical? That will be terrible, becuause I can't sing:)

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  21. I like musicals but only the real one. I agree with Maciej that musicals like "high school musical" can't deserve to be called musicals. I saw Cats few years ago. The story was very beautiful and the costumes were awsome.
    I don't like touching ending because it spoils all the positive effects.
    I have never thought about my life as a musical luckily because it would be a disaster.

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  22. My sistra is an actor and musical theater plays in the "Roma". So I saw a lot of musical act one of my favorites is the "spirit of the Opera" and the memorable old "grease". Being an actor is very hard work especially musical actor. I can see how much time and energy she puts in it. She must not only play well but also sing and dance. I admire her for that determination

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  23. Well, for a very long time I was a balley dancer, I alsko graduated from Musical School and I do have some kind of performing on a stage experience and I can say that is a very hard job it takes away from you all pleasures, all society live, you don't have time for anything even for studying. All you have is satisfaction but I think to loose big part of your life for satisfaction is a way to high price.

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  24. Musicals are and will always be a mystery to me. When I want to listen to the music, I go on a concert, when I want to see a play, I go to theater. The mix of those two things seems very odd to me.

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  25. It's not my best way of entertainment . i like music but musicals are often boring, unrealistic and look weird.

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