Which term describes a large-scale, secular drama with music and acting?

• A. Cantata
• B. Oratorio
• C. Opera
• D. Mass

Answer: (C)

Opera is a large-scale, secular drama that combines music, singing, acting, and stage presentation to tell a story. It’s performed in a theater with costumes, scenery, and orchestral accompaniment, making the drama come alive through both words and music. Cantatas are vocal works intended for concert or church performance, usually not staged. Oratorios are big musical works with voices and orchestra, similar to operas in scale but not performed with acting, costumes, or sets. A mass is a liturgical musical setting for worship, not a drama. So the term that best describes a large-scale, secular drama with music and acting is opera.