Because I am ignorant of opera, I was amused a long time ago to read an essay with the epigram "When music was married to immortal verse, she committed a horrible mesalliance.
With respect to these partners, opera may be less a marriage than a strained cohabitation. Still, it does have at least one happy, if neglected union of the two. I once studied a little of the first act recitative from Don Giovanni and was surprised to discover how lovely these simple bridges can be. While I might not pay to hear an entire evening of them, I've spent several pleasant hours beginning to understand what they are.
As to the different rhythms of languages, Wow, you might have fun comparing the German rendition of Dr. Bartolo's aria from The Marriage of Figaro with the Italian original. Seraphim has an old recording in German with Walter Berry, Hermann Prey, [Elizabeth Schwarzkopf], and Edith Mathis.
