Is "RENT" a musical or a rock opera?

Question

i don't really see the difference, but whatever. "RENT" is one of my all time favorite movies/plays (unfortunately i've only ever seen it in movie form), and i'd like to know the correct terminology for when i talk about how much i love it.

Answer 1

Well, RENT is a musical with rock-style songs that's based on the opera La Boheme. So rock opera works.

Answer 2

I think it's a musical, since there is spoken dialogue between the songs (thus a "musical play").  Operas have little dialogue, and that which they do have is sung (called the recitative).

Answer 3

it's a rock opera. that's what they were calling it on the behind the scenes footage in the movie, and i just know from seeing the show. a musical is a play with some music, some singing. but, the play version of rent (not the movie, so since you've only seen the movie, you might not get this) is ONLY sung; therefore considered an opera. but, since the style of music that they are singing in isn't classic "opera" music, they call it a rock opera.

you know you love me. xoxo, gossip girl ;)

Answer 4

It's a musical, but it's "sub-genre" is classified as a rock opera.

Just like the musical Bare is a pop opera.

So call it whatever you want.