Modern-Day Beggar's Opera
Usually musicals have songs and lyrics that are composed entirely for the musical, that fit into the flow of the story. Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the music for The Phantom of the Opera, and the songs are a series of songs with words that all fit in the storyline. Story, then songs, in that order.
Moulin Rouge was a whole different kind of musical. The songs in it were not written just for the movie; they were taken right from pop culture. Sure, they were arranged differently, performed by a symphony, so that there was continuity between the songs. But basically, the songs were plucked right from the radio. And the plot was worked to fit around the songs just as much as the songs fit into the plot.
This was done in the eighteenth century in England by a man named John Gay, who wrote a play entitled The Beggar's Opera. It was notable for featuring music of the commoners, including many notable folk songs and church hymns, that were popular at the time. These were adopted to fit the story and worked into the opera as a whole.
Creating a "beggar's opera" of your own sounds like an interesting idea for those looking to put on a production at their local theaters or churches. Most good songs have narrative in their lyrics, so it would be pretty easy to cobble several of them together around a plotline. The benefit? You don't have to write a bunch of music and the audience doesn't have to strain themselves getting acquainted with new melodies. Most of them will already know "Bad Romance", so when your angst-ridden protagonist starts belting out the words, it will strike a chord with onlookers immediately.
Moulin Rouge was a whole different kind of musical. The songs in it were not written just for the movie; they were taken right from pop culture. Sure, they were arranged differently, performed by a symphony, so that there was continuity between the songs. But basically, the songs were plucked right from the radio. And the plot was worked to fit around the songs just as much as the songs fit into the plot.
This was done in the eighteenth century in England by a man named John Gay, who wrote a play entitled The Beggar's Opera. It was notable for featuring music of the commoners, including many notable folk songs and church hymns, that were popular at the time. These were adopted to fit the story and worked into the opera as a whole.
Creating a "beggar's opera" of your own sounds like an interesting idea for those looking to put on a production at their local theaters or churches. Most good songs have narrative in their lyrics, so it would be pretty easy to cobble several of them together around a plotline. The benefit? You don't have to write a bunch of music and the audience doesn't have to strain themselves getting acquainted with new melodies. Most of them will already know "Bad Romance", so when your angst-ridden protagonist starts belting out the words, it will strike a chord with onlookers immediately.