Sub-genres
The stage works of Offenbach (with the two exceptions of the opéras Die Rheinnixen and The Tales of Hoffmann) are broadly referred to as 'operettas' in English references, even though only 16 of them were designated as opérettes by the composer. Offenbach called a further 8 opérette bouffe, and there is a single 'opérette fantastique'. There are 24 opéras comiques, and 24 opéras bouffes, together with 2 'opéras bouffes féeries'.
Other minor subgenres include opéra bouffon (5), bouffonnerie musicale (3), saynète (2) pièce d'occasion (2) and revue (2). Offenbach invented names for some individual works: 'anthropophagie musicale', 'chinoiserie musicale', 'comédie à ariettes', 'conversation alsacienne', 'légende bretonne', and 'légende napolitaine'. There are also one each of the following; 'fantasie musicale', 'opéra féerie', 'tableau villageois', and 'valse'.
Read more about this topic: List Of Operettas By Offenbach