| 1. | a diverting opera with spoken dialogue and a happy ending. |
| 2. | the tradition or genre of such operas. |
[kom-ik-op-er-uh, -op-ruh] 
| comically vainglorious; having farcically self-important aspects: a comic-opera army, proud in its ceremonial splendor but inept on the battlefield. |
| comic opera n. An opera or operetta with a humorous plot, generally spoken dialogue, and usually a happy ending. Also called bouffe. |
comic opera
general designation for musical plays with light subject matter and happy endings. The dialogue is usually spoken, rather than sung. In addition to operetta and musical comedy, types of comic opera include Italian opera buffa (which has sung dialogue), German Singspiel, English ballad opera, and Spanish tonadilla and zarzuela. The French opera-comique originated as comic opera but later dealt with serious subject matter.
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