Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size,[1] length of the work, and at face value, subject matter.[2] Apart from its shorter length, the operetta is usually of a light and amusing character.[3] It sometimes also includes satirical commentaries.[4]
"Operetta" is the Italian diminutive of "opera" and was used originally to describe a shorter, perhaps less ambitious work than an opera.[5] Operetta provides an alternative to operatic performances in an accessible form targeting a different audience. Operetta became a recognizable form in the mid-19th century in France, and its popularity led to the development of many national styles of operetta.[5] Distinctive styles emerged across countries including Austria-Hungary, Germany, England, Spain, the Philippines, Mexico, Cuba, and the United States.[6] Through the transfer of operetta among different countries, cultural cosmopolitanism emerged in the previous century.[7] Operetta as a genre lost favor in the 1930s and gave way to modern musical theatre.[8] Important operetta composers include Johann Strauss, Jacques Offenbach, Franz Lehár, and Francisco Alonso.
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