Financial Impact of Using Music, Dance and Their Expressions in Sinhalese Lyrical Theatre

Abstract

Music and dance forms traditionally used in theatre are classical because their treatise texts have been written in a more poetic way. All the historical legends and other stories are narrated usually in their text. The script has been written according to the Buddha Charitha (life of Buddha), with the intention of giving the audience an unique conception on Buddha‟s life, through using music and dance of classical nature, and also to create a distinctive space for this genre of theatre and a specific audience for it. Besides, there is another reason for the use of classical music and dance in expressing feelings in lyrical theatre. In this case, the year 1900 becomes a special milestone view in Sinhala stage due to a number of reasons. First, the people who had been dissatisfied with Carnatik music in Nādagama, found the Hindustani music quite alluring. The other reason is the new theatre genre became a semi professional theatre in the land. This situation influence to increase the income of the production. Therefore, this paper aimed to discuss the influence of music, dance and its expressions to increase the financial situation of theatre production. source for primary data was the actual performances of particular plays. The secondary sources included the literature relevant to these areas.