Baroque Music
Tragedie lyrique is a very specific type of opera that was created in the 17th century. Like most operas, its original purpose was to tell a story, but it differs from others in that it is set to ballet. Although it began as a way to increase the popularity of ballet, today, tragédie lyrique is often used as an artistic medium by itself. Tragedie lyrique uses classical ballet as part of its aesthetic effect. Tragedie lyrique can be divided into two categories: tragedy and comedy. Comedy tragédie lyrique focuses on the comedic aspects of the story and uses dance and music to enhance this effect; tragedy tragédie lyrique focuses more on the dramatic aspects of the story and uses dance and music to further emphasize these elements. While it is true that this style does add to the overall effect, I believe that it distracts from the overall effect. In order for a piece of art to have an impact on an audience, there must be some sort of emotional connection between the artist and the audience. When pieces are merely entertaining, there is no real connection to be made, which means that the audience is not emotionally invested in the work. When works are centered on classical dance, however, there is a greater connection between the audience and the work because they are able to relate to the movements being performed.
Thus, these works are more likely to have an impact on their audiences than those without this connection. Whereas ballet is used not just for the artistic value but also to enhance the story by adding realism to the characters' movements and adds a sense of excitement and drama to the production that helps make it more engaging for audiences, I believe that this style distracts from the overall effect because it takes away from the emotional connection between the audience and the work being presented.
