a little opera, generally of a buffo oharacter, too short to furnish an evening's amusement, but useful as an afterpiece or Intermezzo. We can scarcely point out more oharming examples of the style than Mozart's * Schauspieldirektor ' and Rossini's ' L' inganno felice.' Both these little masterpieces are in one act, and this condition is really an essential characteristic of the Operetta ; in England the term has been loosely applied to a work better described as Comic Op e r a (q.v.), which has no time limitation. In Italy the dialogue of the Operetta is always carried on in recitativo secco. In England, Germany and France it is spoken. w. s. r .