In regard to Wagner, I am no Wagner-hater and indeed admire some of his orchestral music. Bask … All lists on these pages are of operas from all over the world and can be sorted by any column. The opera’s superb characterizations, intensely emotional music, and the string of glorious melodies make this one of the glories of Bel Canto opera. For a list by sorted by name of composer, see The opera corpus. Highlights include the “Prisoners’ Chorus”, which is an ode to prison sung by a chorus of political prisoners and Florestan’s intense aria “Gott! La bohème. Highlights include the entry of the gods into Valhalla. Semele. Our pick of the top ten opera films of all time – from Zeffirelli to Bergman. Libretto by Antonio Piazza ; First performance at Teatro alla Scala, Milan on 17 November 1839 ; Un giorno di regno - 2 acts - Italian . Recommended recording: Gianni Schicchi: Santini – Gobbi, de los Angeles, del Monte, Puccini: Manon Lescaut (1893) In Manon Lescaut, Puccini wrote music of unremitting intensity. Below is a list of the ten greatest operas ever composed, in order of greatness, from ten down to number one, in the estimation of the present author. So I made this list. It needs repeated listening to appreciate the rich Verdian melodies that just keep flowing and end as fast as they appear. One of the most famous English operas of all, Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes has been a huge hit since it first premiered in 1945. Recommended recordings: Siegfried Knappertsbusch Windgassen Varnay Kuen Hotter (lv 1956) Siegfried: Böhm – Windgassen, Nilsson, Wohlfahrt, Adam (Philips 1966), Wagner : Gotterdamerung (1876) The last of the four Ring cycle operas contains some of the most powerful music of Wagner, and indeed all of opera. Musical feast given by the cardinal de La Rochefoucauld in the Teatro Argentina in Rome in 1747 General. What makes a great opera? Spirited disagreement is expected and welcomed. The opera is remarkable for its profundity of emotions, moving arias and perhaps the greatest ensembles ever written. The theme is about a poor man who could not afford morality. Alfredo Tabocchini. Of course there are no sharp divisions between these rough categories, and it is often possible that a particular singer may be capable of singing certain roles categorized as either S or A or as T or B. Operas with a small number of parts are often (but certainly not always!) It is set in Venice, and tells the intriguing story of the banished Enzo Grimaldi who reclaims the wife of another nobleman. The Magic Flute. Lists of operas in a variety of languages can be found here as well. Then – bam! It is a comedy, which combines elements of Puccini’s modern style of harmonic dissonance with lyrical passages. It features many wonderful ensemble pieces, arias of the multi-faceted female lead, and the fabulous duet, the barcarole “Belle nuit, o nuit d’amour”. All are written by the most talented composers and tell an engaging story. Recommended recording: Les Contes d’Hoffmann: Bonynge – Sutherland, Domingo, Ponchielli: La Gioconda (1876) This verismo opera cannot compare with the creations of the two Italian musical giants, Verdi and Puccini, who were born before and after the composer, yet with the right singers, this opera is as thrilling as it comes. The year the opera was first performed is also indicated to make you appreciate the context of its artistic milieu. Here is a list of the 10 most popular opera composers by performance numbers. A great opera has both a great story and great music. In appreciating opera, you have to forget the prejudices against the genre, borne by spoofs and ridicule by popular culture. It is the story of the 16th century Spanish king Philip II and his son Don Carlo, whose fateful love for his young stepmother, Elizabeth, leads to his downfall. Mozart’s last composition was his famous Requiem which he couldn’t quite finish. This list contains popular examples of operas of the genre Operetta, and contains information such as what language the opera was composed in. Mozart Macerata Opera Festival. This one is on the list only because it is the first opera ever written! Recommended recordings: Norma: Serafin – Callas, Filipeschi, Stignani Norma: Serafin – Callas, Corelli, Ludwig Norma: Bonynge – Sutherland, Alexander, Horne Norma: Patane – Caballe, Veasey, Vickers, Monserrat Caballe sings “Casta Diva” from Norma, Berg: Wozzeck (1925) Written in an atonal style (music that avoids establishing a key) , this work is challenging to listen to. Have A Great Day! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Explore our best operas guide featuring the top 10 most popular operas of all time. All of Mozart’s works are documented in the so-called Köchelverzeichnis (Köchel Catalogue) which includes over 70 church works, 19 operas, 41 symphonies, 30 piano concertos, and many other concerts, chamber music pieces, marches, serenades and songs. Recommended recordings: Der Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Kempe – Frantz, Grümmer, Schock Der Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Karajan – Edelmann, Schwarzkopf, Hopf Der Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Karajan – Adam, Donath, Kollo Der Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Kubelik – Stewart, Janowitz Der Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Solti – van Dam, Mattila, Heppner, Lippert, Wagner : Das Rheingold (1869) The first and the shortest part of the monumental, musically and thematically complex Ring Cycle. / Per Ola, Top 100 Classical Music & Recordings List, Fidelio: Fricsay – Rysanek, Häfliger, Fischer-Dieskau, Norma: Serafin – Callas, Filipeschi, Stignani, Norma: Bonynge – Sutherland, Alexander, Horne, Wozzeck: Böhm – Fischer-Dieskau, Lear, Kohn, Carmen: Beecham – De Los Angeles, Gedda, Blanc, Carmen: Solti – Troyanos, Domingo, van Dam, Te Kanawa, Carmen: Abbado – Berganza, Domingo, Milnes, Pelleas et Melisande: Karajan – von Stade, Stilwell, van Dam, Don Pasquale: Sabajno – Saraceni, Schipa, Badini, Don Pasquale: Muti – Freni, Winbergh, Nucci, Lucia di Lammermoor: Serafin – Callas, Tagliavini, Cappuccili, Lucia di Lammermoor: Serafin – Callas, Di Stefano, Gobbi, Lucia di Lammermoor: Karajan – Callas, Di Stefano, Panerai, Lucia di Lammermoor: Bonynge – Sutherland, Pavarotti, Milnes, L’Elisir d’Amore: Molinari Pradelli – Güden, di Stefano, Capecchi, L’Elisir d’Amore: Bonynge – Sutherland, Pavarotti, L’Elisir d’Amore: Pritchard – Cotrubas, Domingo, La Fille du Regiment: Bonynge – Sutherland, Pavarotti, Malas, Orfeo ed Euridice: de Froment – Gedda, Berton, Micheau, Orfeo ed Euridice: Rosbaud – Simoneau, Alarie, Danco, Faust: Cluytens – de los Angeles, Gedda, Christoff, Pagliacci: Cellini – Björling, de los Angeles, Warren, Pagliacci: Serafin – di Stefano, Callas, Gobbi, Pagliacci: Karajan – Bergonzi, Carlyle, Taddei, Cavalleria Rusticana: Serafin – Callas, di Stefano, Panerai, Cavalleria Rusticana: Karajan – Cossotto, Bergonzi, Guelfi, Cavalleria Rusticana: Levine – Scotto, Domingo, Elvira, Manon / Beverly Sills, Gedda, Souzay, Bacquier; Rudel, Werther: Prêtre – Gedda, de los Angeles, Mesplé, Werther: Davis – Carreras, Von Stade, Buchanan, Cosi Fan Tutte: Karajan – Schwarzkopf, Merriman, Otto, Cosi Fan Tutte: Böhm – Schwarzkopf, Ludwig, Steffek, Don Giovanni : Giulini – Wächter, Sutherland, Schwarzkopf, Don Giovanni : Krips – Siepi, Della Casa, Danco, La Nozze di Figaro: Kleiber – Siepi, Della Casa, Danco, La Nozze di Figaro: Karajan – van Dam, Tomowa-Sintow, Cotrubas, La Nozze di Figaro: Solti – Ramey, Te Kanawa, Popp, Die Zauberflote: Klemperer – Gedda, Popp, Janowitz, Die Zauberflote: Böhm – Wunderlich, Peters, Lear, Boris Godunov: Cluytens – Christoff, Lear, Usunov, Boris Godunov: Karajan – Ghiaurov, Wischnewskaja, Spiess, Les Contes d’Hoffmann: Bonynge – Sutherland, Domingo, La Gioconda: Votto – Callas, Cossotto, Ferraro, La Gioconda: Bartoletti – Caballé, Baltsa, Pavarotti, La Boheme: Beecham – De Los Angeles, Björling, Merrill, La Boheme: Votto – Callas, di Stefano, Moffo, Panerai, La Boheme: Karajan – Freni, Pavarotti, Panerai, Madama Butterfly: Karajan – Callas, Gedda, Boriello, Madama Butterfly: Santini – de los Angeles, Björling, Sereni, Madama Butterfly: Leindorf – Price, Tucker, Maero, Madama Butterfly: Barbirolli – Scotto, Bergonzi, Panerai, Madama Butterfly: Karajan – Freni, Pavarotti, Kerns, Tosca: De Sabata – Callas, Di Stefano, Gobbi, Gianni Schicchi: Santini – Gobbi, de los Angeles, del Monte, Manon Lescaut: Perlea – Albanese, Björling, Merrill, Manon Lescaut: Serafin – Callas, di Stefano, Fioravanti, Manon Lescaut: Bartoletti – Caballé, Domingo, Sardinero, Turandot: Leinsdorf – Nilsson, Tebaldi, Björling, Turandot: Mehta – Sutherland, Pavarotti, Caballé, Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Galliera – Callas, Gobbi, Alva, Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Abbado – Berganza, Prey, Alva, Der Rosenkavalier: Karajan – Schwarzkopf, Ludwig, Stich-Randall, Der Rosenkavalier : Solti – Crespin, Minton, Donath, Aida: Perlea – Milanov, Bjoerling, Barbieri, Aida: Karajan – Tebaldi, Bergonzi, Simionato, Un Ballo in Maschera Votto Callas di Stefano, Un Ballo in Maschera: Leinsdorf – Price, Bergonzi, Merrill, Falstaff: Karajan – Gobbi, Schwarzkopf, Moffo, La Forza del Destino : Schippers – Price, Tucker, Merrill, La Forza del Destino : Gardelli – Arroyo, Bergonzi, Cappuccilli, Otello: Serafin – Rysanek, Vickers, Gobbi, Rigoletto: Serafin – Callas, Di Stefano, Gobbi, Rigoletto: Kubelik – Scotto, Bergonzi, Fischer-Dieskau, La Traviata: Giulini – Callas, di Stefano, Bastianini, La Traviata Pritchard Sutherland Bergonzi Merrill, La Traviata: C. Kleiber – Cotrubas, Domingo, Milnes, Il Trovatore: Karajan – Price, Corelli, Bastianini, Simionato, Il Trovatore: Mehta – Price, Domingo, Milnes, Cossotto, Il Trovatore: Guilini – Plowright, Domingo, Fassbender, Don Carlo: Solti – Tebaldi, Bumbry, Bergonzi, Don Carlo: Giulini – Caballe, Verrett, Domingo, Don Carlos: Abbado – Ricciarelli, Domingo, Simon Boccanegra: Abbado – Cappuccilli, Freni, Carreras, Lohengrin: Kempe – Grümmer, Ludwig, Thomas, Lohengrin: Sawallisch – Silja, Varnay, Thomas, Der Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Kempe – Frantz, Grümmer, Schock, Der Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Karajan – Edelmann, Schwarzkopf, Hopf, Der Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Karajan – Adam, Donath, Kollo, Der Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Kubelik – Stewart, Janowitz, Der Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Solti – van Dam, Mattila, Heppner, Lippert, Das Rheingold: Karajan – Fischer-Dieskau, Veasey, Stolze, Die Walkure: Knappertsbusch – Rysanek, Varnay, Vinay, Die Walkure: Leinsdorf – Nilsson, Brouwenstijn, Vickers, Siegfried Knappertsbusch Windgassen Varnay Kuen Hotter, Siegfried: Böhm – Windgassen, Nilsson, Wohlfahrt, Adam, Gotterdamerung: Knappertsbusch – Aldenhoff, Uhde, Weber, Varnay, Mödl, Gotterdamerung: Bohm – Windgassen, Nilsson, Neidlinger, Tannhauser: Solti – Kollo, Dernesch, Ludwig, Tannhauser: Sinopoli – Domingo, Studer, Baltsa, Tristan und Isolde: Furtwängler – Flagstad, Suthaus, Thebom, Tristan und Isolde: Solti – Nilsson, Uhl, Resnik, Tristan und Isolde: Böhm – Nilsson, Windgassen, Meyer, Tristan und Isolde: Böhm – Nilsson, Windgassen, Ludwig, Tristan und Isolde: Bychkov – Eaglen, Heppner, DeYoung, Top Hits of the 80s | Oldies Music List 1980, Top Hits of the 90s | Oldies Songs List 1990, Top Hits of the 70s | Oldies Songs List 1970, Top Hits of the 60s | Oldies Songs List 1960. It contains arias with long and deeply expressive melodies, and is at its most sublime in Casta Diva, the ultimate bel canto soprano aria, and in the moving duets In mia man and Qual cor tradisti. It is a sprawling story of passion, politics and revenge that features some of Verdi’s most dramatic music. This can be heard, for example, in Orfeo’s outpouring of grief, “Che favo sense Euridice”. It's hard for me to say anything more, since I haven't seen it. The overture is very popular. Although a comedy, it is a sublime work, with several magnificent set pieces. Peter Grimes is the story of a out… Das Rheingold is the prelude to the story of the main drama. The operas listed cover all important genres, and include all operas regularly performed today, from seventeenth-century works by Monteverdi, Cavalli, and Purcell to late twentieth-century operas by Messiaen, Berio, Glass, Adams, Birtwistle, and Weir. Combines the plot of the composer ’ s works into one of composer... 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