to think Les Miserables is a musical not an opera?

[MardyBraWouldDoEddieRedmayne]

Come and settle a dispute with my DH please.

I would say it was an operetta or a musical.

BTW La Traviata and Carmen (both definitely operas) have spoken bits in them so you can tell you're DH you're right on all counts ;)

mardy - most opera choruses are written in at least eight-part harmony. most musicals tend to be four-part and occasionally not much more than two-part (a lot of Oliver is in unison).