I am reading some wonderful ideas for the subjects of some operas. For instance, just above, Harriet Tubman is a brilliant suggestion of an individual who was a larger-than-larger-than-life. Even Hefner, if the turning point in his life could be found, is operatic.
Musical subjects are more commonplace folks. Fanny Brice is a musical. Piaf is an opera.
The Mizner brothers are neither. They are slapstick but they don't 'sing' to me at all.
"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable."
--Carrie Fisher