A Ópera Rock como crítica social: the wall e the lamb lies down on Broadway no contexto das transformações musicais e culturais

Abstract

This article analyzes rock opera as a musical genre that, in addition to entertaining, addresses social and political issues, focusing on the works The Wall (1979), by Pink Floyd, and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974), by Genesis. Through these narratives, the albums explore themes of alienation, rebellion and authority, challenging dominant social structures. In The Wall, Pink is a character who builds a metaphorical wall due to experiences of repression and suffering, while Rael, from The Lamb, searches for her identity in a surreal and alienating context. Traditionally, opera studies focused only on the music, without considering the librettos as an essential part of the work. However, with the evolution of musicology, especially from the 20th century onwards, the field expanded to an interdisciplinary approach, recognizing opera as a multimedia form, where music, text and performance intertwine. The Wall and The Lamb exemplify this fusion, as their narratives and musical elements dialogue with deep cultural and social issues. According to Linda Hutcheon, “Opera, like any form of performance art, cannot be understood without considering its multiple layers of meaning, which extend beyond the music to include text, cultural context, and the performance itself” (Hutcheon, 2016, p. 37). Thus, rock opera not only reflects reality, but also questions it, becoming a powerful vehicle for criticizing and transforming social and political dynamics. Keywords: Rock opera, social criticism, alienation, rebellion, authority.