Operas in English?

So we're putting on another show: two one-act operas by a gentleman named Gian Carlo Menotti. I assumed given the name that we would be doing more Italian, but I'm told both operas are in English.  I'm not entirely convinced that this is strictly operatic, but I am told that these are genuine, bona fide operas and not musical theatre (not that there's anything wrong with a good sing-along - or meow-along - Evita from time to time).

But I digress.   Both operas are comedies.  One appears to be about a telephone and the other about an old maid and a thief.  Again, this sounds highly un-operatic to me.  I mean, who writes an opera about a phone?  I think maybe these operas were originally written in Italian and then badly translated.  That must be it. 

Wait, no, I'm being told that they are definitely in English and that in fact one can write an opera about anything at all.

Well, really.  Am I the conductor-in-residence or not?  Now I shall have to erase all the Italian translations I made in the score.  Oh well -- I suppose it will be worth it to present opera in the local language!