MELODRAMA (a coined word from Gr. μέλος, music, and
δρᾶμα, action), the name of several species of dramatic composition.
As the word implies, “melodrama” is properly a
dramatic mixture of music and action, and was first applied
to a form of dramatic musical composition in which music
accompanied the spoken words and the action, but in which
there was no singing. The first example of such a work has
generally been taken to be the Pygmalion of J. J. Rousseau,
produced in 1775. This is the source of romantic dramas
depending on sensational incident with exaggerated appeals to
conventional sentiment rather than on play of character, and
in which dramatis personae follow conventional types—the
villain, the hero wrongfully charged with crime, the persecuted
heroine, the adventuress, &c. At first the music was of some
importance, forming practically a running accompaniment
suitable to the situations—but this has gradually disappeared,
and, if it remains, is used mainly to emphasize particularly strong
situations, or to bring on or off the stage the various principal
characters. Such plays first became popular in France at the
beginning of the 19th century. One of the most prolific writers
of melodramas at that period was R. C. G. de Pixericourt
(1773–1844). The titles of some of his plays give a sufficient
indication of their character; e.g.Victor, ou l’enfant de la forêt
(1797); Carlina, ou l’enfant du mystère (1801); Le Monastèreabandonné, ou la malédiction paternelle (1816). Another form
of melodrama came from the same source, but developed on
lines which laid more emphasis on the music, and is of some
importance in the history of opera. Probably the first of this
type is to be found in Georg Benda’s Ariadne auf Naxos (1774).
The most familiar of such melodramas in Gay’s Beggar’s Opera.
In these the dialogue is entirely spoken. In true opera the
spoken dialogue was replaced by recitative. It may be noticed
that the speaking of some parts of the dialogue is not sufficient
to class an opera as a “melodrama” in this sense, as is proved
by the spoken grave-digging scene, accompanied by music, in
Fidelio, and the incantation scene in Der Freischütz. To this the
English term “declamation” is usually applied; the Germans use
Melodram. But see Opera.