Which musical genre is defined as a play set to music with scenery, costumes, and lighting?

The correct answer is the genre that encompasses a narrative performed with vocal and instrumental music, combining elements like scenery, costumes, and lighting to create a theatrical experience. In opera, the music is integral to both the storytelling and the aesthetic presentation, allowing for deep emotional expression and dramatic storytelling. The combination of these visual and musical elements distinguishes opera from other musical forms.

In contrast, a sonata is a specific form of instrumental composition typically for a solo instrument or a small ensemble, focusing more on the music than on a narrative or theatrical performance. A concerto is generally a composition that features a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra, emphasizing the virtuosity of the soloist rather than a staged performance. Similarly, a symphony is an orchestral work that does not involve vocalists or dramatic enactments, focusing on the purely musical dialogue among the instruments. This context helps clarify why opera is uniquely positioned as the correct choice in this scenario.