Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
The person or thing standing in the way of a character achieving their objective.
A style of comic opera developed in Italy.
A style of comic opera developed in France and characterised by the use of spoken dialogue.
A style of opera developed in Italy on a serious (usually classical or mythological) theme.
A short and usually humorous opera, generally incorporating more spoken dialogue than traditional opera.
A large-scale, usually narrative musical work for orchestra and voices, typically on a sacred theme, performed without costume, scenery, or action.
Related to obstacle, the person or thing a character struggles against.
Italian for passageway, the place where you transition from chest voice to head voice.
A collection of arias and ensembles composed by many different composers to tell a story.
A technique where singers have a lot of text to deliver on very fast notes.
A complete musical “unit” (such as a verse) that finishes a thought and provides structure for the actor’s analysis.