Scarlet Masque Theatre Journal New Beginnings and Fond Farewells Vol. 1 | Page 38

and classical/art music world respectively—likely best represents the thorough and
sprawling compositional effects of New York opera on musical theatre (Dizikes, 1993).
Sondheim’s first opera, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, epitomized
the stylistic elements of New York opera by overlaying complex, yet entertaining music
with a narrative that placed great emphasis on the traditions of ancient epics (Dizikes,
1993). However, the break from style that likely went on to greatly affect the
compositional development of musical theatre came from Sondheim’s, Anyone Can
Whistle. Within the opera, or what would now likely represent a musical to the modern
audience, Sondheim combines an increasing complex and intuitive score with a level of
narrative realism that had not been encountered prior (Dizikes, 508). According to
Dizikes, Sondheim’s narrative was, “a social satire of withering bleakness, its music
entirely integrated in the story.” (Dizikes, 1993). Thus, it is clear that the interrelationship
between score and text was still very prevalent, in typical New York opera fashion.
However, Sondheim’s libretto is elaborate and emotive in a way that its predecessors
had not been.
This leads to a period in Sondheim’s career that Dizikes calls, “the development
of something very different… it has taken time to fully understand the originality
of.” (Dizikes, 1993). I believe that it is within this period of work that was difficult to
comprehend that the modern compositional form of musical theatre was derived from
the foundations of New York opera. Sondheim took the foundational music composition
aspects of New York opera paired with his own intensely emotive and authentic
narratives and combined them into works such as Company, Sweeney Todd, and
Sunday in the Park with George. Dizikes cites Company as focusing on “mass culture,”
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