operatic

[Laurence Horn]

On Mar 18, 2013, at 7:57 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

> Yeah, but enthusiasts of melodrama are probably disgruntled too.
>
> Seriously, though, to call something "melodramatic" generally implies
> condescension or disdain. A more  neutral term is sometimes needed.
>
> But what?  Hmmmm. Melodramas have a stage, people, and music. So do operas!
> So the word is "operatic." It's too new to have negative connotations, and,
> as a bonus, it's new enough to provide that hint of breezy authority.
>
So is "Les Miz" melodramatic, operatic, or both?

LH

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