Day 425: Overture

Over the next three "days," I'm going to write about the three main orchestral pieces of a traditional musical. In the golden age of musicals, and even occasionally a show today, a show begins with an overture. A show could technically begin with an overture, prelude, or prologue and I'll explain the difference later but for now I'll focus on the overture. The overture is an orchestral work that is played at the top of the show before the curtain rises. The traditional format is a medley style, or a big combination of songs from the show. Some people find the long, boring, and downright pointless. While there is truth in that at times, they shouldn't be cut because the integrity of the work should be respected. Also, it gives a chance to showcase the orchestra because back in the day, orchestras were huge with generally about 25 people and full string sections. I think that's why people are starting to eliminate overtures when writing new shows or reviving old ones because the orchestras don't bring them to life like they once did because they are so small and usually sythesized by several keyboards. The main point of the overture is to set the mood of the show which is why some people believe that the medley approach doesn't work. A lot of people think a prelude or prologue is more effective. These are still primarily orchestral but they generally are more relevant to the show and sometimes feature something happening on stage. For example, Hairspray starts with a prelude as Tracy wakes up and it leads right into the opening song. Carousel and west side story begin with prologues which set the scene and provide a lot of exposition through dance with orchestral accompaniment. There are times like in The Addams Family or She Loves Me where the overture doesn't necessarily play songs from the show but plays music that establishes a musical genre and setting which some believe is the only effective overture. Either way, I always tell people as a rule of theater etiquette, the overture is part of the show too. There might not always be stuff happening on stage but the orchestra works hard on it, and frankly, you paid to hear it (it's a musical) so sit back, relax, and listen to the music. Also, applause at the end of the overture is always appreciated.