Could Musicals Turn Young People On To Opera?

No.

I’m tempted to leave it there.

But the question is explored further by Laura Blumenthal. It’s not that young people dislike music theatre:

“In fact, there's a real appetite for lavish productions with a constant stream of music. They're called musicals”

The issue is our old friend that we know so well, “familiarity”:

“Familiar stars, from TV and pop. Familiar songs, in the form of the jukebox musicals that have proliferated in the wake of the success of Mamma Mia!. Familiar plots, either from shows that remake films – Ghost, Shrek, Legally Blonde – or get a second wind when they are turned into films themselves, such as Chicago.”

The problem with this line of thinking is that popularity breeds familiarity but the reverse ain't necessarily true. For every Mamma Mia, there's a Beach Boys-Billy Joel-Rod Stewart attempt at theatrical greatness that never made it. Familiarity isn’t sufficient to get down with the kidz.

Secondly, opera could play this game too, if it so wished. How about “Titanic - the Opera”? Complete with a playlist of opera favourites and Russell Watson and Kathryn Jenkins playing Leo and Kate (or the other way round). Would it work? Maybe, maybe not. But if you think that all ya need's a bit of "familiarity", it would be an option.

The fact that it’s unlikely to happen is down to the variant histories of the two forms. Opera has traditionally been at the patronage of Kings, Emporers and taxpayers. Musicals were forged in the cut-and-thrust commercialism of Broadway. If opera wants to attract a young audience it needs more than a plot about Facebook. It needs, fundamentally, to entertain (and not just the young).

In the meantime, musicals should not serve as opera’s appetiser.