A repeated passage in music or a return to an earlier musical theme; also, a repetition or renewed instance of something. In theater and music, it refers to the restatement of a song or theme.
From French 'reprise' meaning a taking back or resumption, from 'reprendre' (to take back). Originally a musical term that entered English in the 18th century, it has expanded to mean any kind of return or repetition of a previous element.
In musical theater, a reprise often carries deeper emotional weight than the original song because characters have grown or situations have changed! The same melody with different context can transform a hopeful song into a tragic one, demonstrating how repetition in art is never truly identical.
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