Yeah Sean, it was good to read of the nice visit Charles had with you. Yes, Carmina Burana isn't classified as an opera, but usually is referred to as a cantata(that explains everything, right?). The usual differentiation is that an opera features individual singers to a greater extent, while a cantata features a chorus with orchestral accompaniment, although there can be some vocal solos. Carmina Burana has become very popular in the classical realm and web sites such as
this one discuss it and Orff in some detail. Probably you played the Muti disc, which I've often recommended from the several that I own, because it combines fine performance and sound at a bargain price around $5-6.
