What is Operetta?
{{unsourced|date=August 2009}} '''Operetta''' is a term which started to be used in the [[19th century]] to describe an [[opera]] that was not too serious and often full of fun. It is often described as “light opera” (“light” meaning “not serious“). In an opera everything is usually sung. In an operetta there is a lot of spoken [[dialogue]], and [[song]]s and [[dance]]s are added to this. Similar traditions already existed in other countries, e.g. in [[Germany]] where the [[Singspiel]] tradition was popular (e.g. [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart’s]] ''[[The Magic Flute]])''. The operetta tradition started in [[France]] and soon spread to [[Austria]] and other countries. It remained popular until the mid-[[20th century]], when it gradually turned into [[musical comedy]]. The composer [[Jacques Offenbach]] can be thought of as the creator of the operetta tradition. It grew out of the [[opéra comique]] which had become quite long and serious. There was a need for shorter, more humorous musical entertainments. Offenbach was composing operettas in the 1850s in [[Paris]]. In England such works were often called “comic operas” or “opera comedies”. Then [[Johann Strauss II|Johann Strauss]] became very popular in [[Vienna]]. He was already very well known in the [[ballroom]], but when he started to write for the [[theatre]] he soon became a rival to Offenbach, whose operettas had become very popular in Vienna. Strauss’s operetta ''Die Fledermaus'' (“The Bat”) has been performed more than any other operetta. In [[Spain]] the [[Zarzuela]] was a kind of operetta. Many people were involved in the creating and performing of operettas. The performers often had to both sing and act very well. [[Bizet]], [[Chabrier]] and [[Delibes]] all wrote operettas as well as operas and other types of music. In England the operas of [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] were a kind of English form of operetta. One of the most popular of all operettas was ''Die Lustige Witwe'' (''The Merry Widow'') by Franz Léhar. It was produced in 1