singspiel

[ sing-speel; German zing-shpeel ]

noun

1. a German opera, especially of the 18th century, using spoken dialogue and resembling ballad opera.

Singspiel

/ ˈzɪŋʃpiːl /

noun

1. a type of comic opera in German with spoken dialogue, popular during the late 18th and early 19th centuries

Word History and Origins

Origin of singspiel¹

1880–85; < German, equivalent to sing ( en ) to sing + Spiel play

Word History and Origins

Origin of singspiel¹

literally: singing play

Example Sentences

Did not Wagner himself recommend a budding bard to start his musical career with a Singspiel?

From Project Gutenberg

It is hard to define singspiel, because it is exclusively German.

From Project Gutenberg

Leipsic and Vienna made earnest attempts to support the German "singspiel" (song-play).

From Project Gutenberg

Yet at times the Germans themselves have seemed to lose the distinction between singspiel and opera.

From Project Gutenberg

The old German singspiel form is preserved in the original score of "Der Freischtz," which contains spoken dialogue.

From Project Gutenberg