Final answer:
Opera buffa is the correct answer to the student's question regarding Italian comic opera. It originated from commedia dell'arte, featuring light-hearted, humorous plots and stock characters.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Italian comic opera referred to in the question is called Opera buffa. This style of opera emerged from the traditions of commedia dell'arte, which was a form of improvisational theater that relied on a set of stock characters and loose plot lines, often including input from the audience. Characters like Capitano, a braggart soldier, and zanni, crafty servants such as Arlechino (Harlequin), were common and helped shape the comedic elements of Opera buffa. This form of opera was characterized by its light-hearted and humorous approach, setting it apart from the more serious Opera seria. It also paralleled the earlier secular trend of madrigals, which evolved from the compelling mix of vocal and instrumental harmonies.