noun
A light opera with a humorous plot, typically with spoken dialogue.
喜歌劇は、オペラより気軽に楽しめる舞台芸術です。
Comic opera is a stage art that can be enjoyed more casually than opera.
noun
operetta
A shorter, lighter opera, often with spoken dialogue and a romantic or comedic story. Often used interchangeably with オペレッタ.
See also: オペレッタ
この劇団は喜歌劇を中心に上演している。
This theater company mainly performs operettas.
オペラ is a general term for opera, usually more serious and fully sung, while 喜歌劇 specifically refers to lighter, comic works.
Compound of 喜 (ki, 'joy') + 歌劇 (kageki, 'opera'), literally 'joyful opera'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term was coined to describe light, comic operatic works.