The line between musicals and opera can be pretty fuzzy, Bert. For example, "Porgy and Bess" was initially regarded as a musical. But Europeans, quite familiar with opera, unlike most Americans, regarded it as an opera. Now, even American opera companies consider it to be an opera rather than a "just" a musical.

Here's a thought experiment for you:   take one of your favorite musicals and imagine that you were hearing it, not in English, but in French, Italian, or German.

Some operas, such as "The Barber of Seville" or "Die Fledermaus" or "Don Pasquale" are comedies, and a real riot. Situations and bits of business can get real belly laughs out of an audience.

Actually, a musical like Bernstein's "West Side Story" (spoiler alert! Tragic ending) is darned ckose to an opera, and like "Porgy and Bess," may someday be generally regarded as one.

Very fuzzy line.

Don Firth