Operetta

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.