interludes

An interlude is a short piece of music, drama, or narrative that is inserted between the main sections of a work or performed during a break in a program. The term signals a pause or transitional moment, offering variety, commentary, or relief from the surrounding material. Etymologically, it stems from the idea of something played between acts or sections; forms of interlude appear in various cultures and historical periods.

In theatre and drama, interludes began as brief entertainments between acts in medieval and early modern performances. They could be comic sketches, songs, dances, or moral tales, and were sometimes standalone pieces as well as embellishments within a larger play. In Elizabethan and Stuart theatre, interludes helped to structure long evenings and provided audiences with lighter moments or satirical observations on contemporary life.

In music, interludes are passages that connect larger sections, such as movements within a suite or acts within an opera. They may be instrumental or vocal and can function as transitions, mood setters, or brief standalone works, sometimes given the name intermezzo in Italian contexts.

In literature, interludes appear as short scenes, chapters, or vignettes that interrupt a primary narrative to offer background, introduce a shift in perspective, or comment on events from a different vantage point. In film, television, and radio, interludes can take the form of cutaway scenes, dream sequences, or musical or sonic breaks that modulate tone and pacing.

Interludes are distinct from intermissions, which denote a formal break in the main program; interludes are the material presented during or between segments.