burletta

[ ber-let-uh ]

noun

, Theater.

1. (in the 18th and 19th centuries) a musical drama containing rhymed lyrics and resembling comic opera or a comic play containing songs.

Word History and Origins

Origin of burletta¹

1740–50; < Italian, equivalent to burl ( a ) jest ( burlesque ) + -etta -ette

Example Sentences

The old theatres were successful in maintaining their monopoly in regular plays, but the irregular houses gained permission to give performances under the loosely defined term "burletta."

From Project Gutenberg

The acting of Harley, an admirable dry comedian, gave some vitality to The Strange Gentleman, a “comic burletta,” or farce, in two acts, founded upon the tale in the Sketches called The Great Winglebury Duel.

From Project Gutenberg

Golden Pippin: an English burletta, in three acts.

From Project Gutenberg

This proving a success was immediately followed by a burletta, entitled The Opera of Operas, based on Fielding’s Tragedy of Tragedies.

From Project Gutenberg

We move ourselves—they are moved by wires; but we do just the same things—we are life and we are art, in the burletta we are both.

From Project Gutenberg