Melodrama

Melodrama (Gr. melos, 'a song,' and drama) strictly denotes a half-musical drama, or that kind of dramatic performance in which declamation is interrupted from time to time by instrumental music. The name, however, which was first applied to the opera by its inventor, Ottavio Rinuccini, has come to designate a romantic play, depending mainly on sensational incidents, thrilling situations, and an effective dénouement. Great sums are spent in the staging of such pieces, and the costumes, scenery, and mechanical effects are often very striking. The expression 'transportine drama' refers to a time when such plays were identified with houses on the Surrey side of the Thames; nowadays the home of melodrama in London is to be found in such theatres as Drury Lane and the Adelphi.