In the 19th century, Spieloper (German: [ˈʃpiːlʔoːpɐ], 'opera play') was understood to mean a light opera genre, developed from Singspiel.
Works typical of the genre include those by Albert Lortzing, such as Zar und Zimmermann, and Otto Nicolai's The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Similarly, there are special role types such as Spieltenor or Spielbass for singers with lighter voices and the ability to act in comedies.
The Spieloper was also inspired by the French opéra comique of the late 18th century, a narrowly defined form of opera.
The boundaries between Spieloper and a form of German drama "Posse mit Gesang" (melodramatic comedy with musical interludes) and operetta are not well distinguished.