Err, 'Folk-Opera'?

Subject: RE: Err, 'Folk-Opera'?
From: greg stephens
Date: 18 May 09 - 11:23 AM

While there was Peter Bellamy's Transports, which was original songs written in a sort of "folky" style.Very much part of the current folk revival. The granddaddy of them all was John Gay's ballad-opera "The Beggar's Opera". That was original lyrics set to popular/folk tunes of the day(Early 18th century).

Subject: Err, 'Folk-Opera'?
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 18 May 09 - 11:19 AM

This weekend I heard Maddy Priors Arthur the King.
Though is is a bit 'Robin of Sherwood/Enya' it's far more evocative and musically creative IMO. And I'm thoroughly surprised at just how much I like it. Customer reviews on Amazon aren't so hot, but the fRoots review reads far better.

It's like a prog-folk-mythic-opera or something, all themed around the story of Arthur.
Never having heard a (for want of a better term?) 'Folk-Opera' before of this ilk, I'm quite curious to know if there is a genre of this kind of folk-musical production?