How do opera and oratorio differ in performance setting?

Opera and oratorio are both extended works that set a narrative to music, but they differ significantly in their performance settings and production requirements.1

• Opera: This is a staged drama performed in a theatre. It is a complex production that incorporates scenery, costumes, and movement, requiring specialized facilities such as a stage, a backstage area for sets, and an orchestral pit.2
• Oratorio: In contrast, an oratorio is performed as a concert piece. Unlike opera, it is typically presented without the elaborate staging, costumes, or scenery associated with theatrical productions.12

While both genres utilize similar musical components—such as recitative, arias, and orchestral accompaniment—the oratorio often features a testo (narrator) to relate the events of the action, and it frequently places a greater emphasis on the role of the chorus.1