A light opera with a humorous plot, typically with spoken dialogue.
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
Comic opera is a stage art that can be enjoyed more casually than opera.
This theater company mainly performs operettas.
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.