Operas, Oratorios, and Musicals . . . Oh my!

I never truly realized the difference between the three today and how they connect to the Bible. All are works created for entertainment but are still created differently. Operas have the sets, costumes, and music; whereas, oratorios are like operas, but without the acting. The third concept, musicals, which developed from operas, consists of singing, dancing, and acting. Words stated in these productions are typically not straight out of the Bible, but rather turned into a story to make sense to the audience. The creation of these productions are visual representations for the audience. Operas, oratorios, and musicals serve the purpose of retelling stories in the Bible and helping the audience understand the context better. Even though sometimes the retellings are not completely accurate, it still helps the audience to better understand and remember the Bible story.