Extravaganza

Extravaganza

Extravaganza refers to a literary or musical work (often musical theatre) characterized by freedom of style and structure and usually containing elements of burlesque, pantomime, music hall and parody. It sometimes also has elements of cabaret, circus, revue, variety, vaudeville and mime. [ [http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-199143/extravaganza Encyclopedia Britannica online] ] Extravaganza may more broadly refer to an elaborate, spectacular, and expensive theatrical production. [cite book |author=Ewen, David|title=Panorama of American Popular Music|publisher=Prentice Hall|year=1957]

The term was widely used to describe to a type of 19th century British drama made popular by James Planché. Planche defined it as "the whimsical treatment of a poetical subject." [Planché. "The recollections and reflections of J.R. Planché (Somerset herald): a professional biography" (1872), Vol. II, p. 43]

The term is derived from the Italian word "stravaganza", meaning extravagance.

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Extravaganza — ist seit der zweiten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts eine Bezeichnung für ein Ausstattungsstück im US amerikanischen Unterhaltungstheater vor allem am Broadway. Dies kann eine Revue, ein Ballett oder ein Musical sein. Das Wort Extravaganza bezieht… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Extravaganza — Ex*trav a*gan za, n. [Extravagance with an Italian ending: cf. It. stravaganza.] 1. A composition, as in music, or in the drama, designed to produce effect by its wild irregularity; esp., a musical caricature. [1913 Webster] 2. An extravagant… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • extravaganza — 1754, with reference to peculiar behavior, 1794 of a fantastic type of performance or writing, from It. extravaganza, lit. “an extravagance,” from estravagante, from M.L. extravagantem (see EXTRAVAGANT (Cf. extravagant)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • Extravaganza — (nach dem ital. estravaganza), in England neuerdings aufgekommene Bezeichnung für phantastische Zauberpossen, Ausstattungsstücke …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Extravaganza — 10e album de la série Les Simpson Personnages principaux Les Simpson Éditeur Jungle Première publication 5 mai 2010 Nb. d …   Wikipédia en Français

  • extravaganza — [n] spectacle caricature, display, divertissement, flight of fancy*, pageant, parody, show, spectacular; concepts 263,293 …   New thesaurus

  • extravaganza — ► NOUN ▪ an elaborate and spectacular entertainment. ORIGIN Italian estravaganza extravagance …   English terms dictionary

  • extravaganza — [ek strav΄ə gan′zə, ikstrav΄ə gan′zə] n. [respelled by analogy with L ex < It estravaganza, extravagance < estravagante < ML extravagans: see EXTRAVAGANT] 1. a literary, musical, or dramatic fantasy characterized by a loose structure and …   English World dictionary

  • extravaganza — [[t]ɪkstræ̱vəgæ̱nzə[/t]] extravaganzas N COUNT: usu sing, with supp An extravaganza is a very elaborate and expensive show or performance. ...a magnificent firework extravaganza. ...an all night musical extravaganza. Syn: spectacular …   English dictionary

  • extravaganza — /ik strav euh gan zeuh/, n. 1. a musical or dramatic composition or production, as comic opera or musical comedy, marked by a loose structure, a frivolous theme, and elaborate costuming and staging. 2. any lavish or opulent show, event,… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”