The big opening chorus number had been a staple in musical theatre since Offenbach's time, with a huge chorus (preferably of females) there to grab the audience's attention. So the opening night regulars were caught off guard when a new Broadway musical began with a lone woman on stage in the middle of a busy morning. Moments later, a man came on to sing the opening number as a sole, with no ensemble in sight. The effect was fresh and charming, as was the heroine's dream ballet, where she got to choose between two suitors. No wonder Louisiana Purchase (1940, 444 performances) was a hit.
If you thought I was describing another show, that's understandable. Misinformed sources have suggested that Oklahoma! invented such features as a two-opening, a dream ballet, and (most laughably) the integration of song, dance, and dialogue. There is no question that Oklahoma! was a landmark work... but many of the seemingly "new" things in it had been brewing on Broadway for some time.
J. Kenrick, Musical theatre: a history (2008), 238
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