This list provides a guide to the most important for full details. 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 Judith Weir. The brief accompanying notes offer an explanation as to why each opera has been considered important. For an introduction to operatic history, see Opera . The organisation of the list is by year of first performance, or, if this was long after the Composer 's death, approximate date of composition.
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- 1607 '' L'Orfeo '' ( Claudio Monteverdi ). This is widely regarded as the first operatic masterwork.John Whenham, writing in Grove
- 1640 '' Il Ritorno D'Ulisse In Patria '' ( Claudio Monteverdi ). Monteverdi's first opera for Venice, based on Homer's Odyssey , displays the composer's mastery of portrayal of genuine individuals as opposed to stereotypes.Ellen Rosand, writing in Grove
- 1642 '' L'incoronazione Di Poppea '' ( Claudio Monteverdi ). Monteverdi's last opera, composed for a Venetian audience, is often performed today. Its Venetian context helps to explain the complete absence of the moralizing tone often associated with opera of this time.Elllen Rosand, writing in Grove
- 1644 '' Ormindo '' ( Francesco Cavalli ). One of the first of Cavalli's operas to be revived in the 20th century, ''Ormindo'' is considered one of his more attractive works.Ellen Rosand, writing in Grove
- 1649 '' Giasone '' ( Francesco Cavalli ). In ''Giasone'' Cavalli, for the first time, separated Aria and Recitative .Ellen Rosand, writing in Grove''Giasone'' was the most popular opera of the 17th century.Viking p.191
- 1651 '' La Calisto '' ( Francesco Cavalli ). The ninth of the eleven operas that Cavalli wrote with Faustini is noted for its satire of the deities of classical mythology.Martha Novak Clinkscale, writing in Grove
- 1689 '' Dido And Aeneas '' ( Henry Purcell ). Often considered to be the first genuine English-language operatic masterwork. Curtis Price , writing in Grove
- 1692 '' The Fairy-Queen '' ( Henry Purcell ). A Semi-opera rather than a genuine opera, this is often thought to be Purcell's finest dramatic work.Curtis Price, writing in Grove
(1733).]]
- 1710 '' Agrippina '' ( George Frideric Handel ). Handel's last opera that he composed in Italy was a great success,Viking p.418: ''According to John Mainwaring, Handel's first biographer, 'The theatre at almost every pause resounded with shouts of "Viva il caro Sassone". They were thunderstruck by the sublimity of his style: for never had they known till then all the powers of harmony and modulation so closely arrayed and forcibly combined'"''. and established his reputation as a composer of Italian opera.Anthony Hicks, writing in Grove
- 1711 '' Rinaldo '' ( George Frideric Handel ). Handel's first opera for the London stage was also the first all-Italian opera performed on the London stage.Anthony Hicks, writing in Grove
- 1724 '' Giulio Cesare '' ( George Frideric Handel ). This Handel opera is noted for the richness of its orchestration.Anthony Hicks, writing in Grove
- 1724 '' Tamerlano '' ( George Frideric Handel ). This work is described by Anthony Hicks, writing in '' Grove Music Online '', as possessing a "taut dramatic power".Anthony Hicks, writing in Grove
- 1725 '' Rodelinda '' ( George Frideric Handel ). ''Rodelinda'' is often praised for the fullness of the melodic writing among Handel's output.Anthony Hicks, writing in Grove
- 1728 '' The Beggar's Opera '' ( John Gay and Johann Christoph Pepusch ). A satire of Italian '' Opera Seria '', the ballad opera format of ''The Beggar's Opera'' has proved popular even up the current time.Robert D. Hume, writing in Grove
- 1731 '' Acis And Galatea '' ( George Frideric Handel ). This is Handel's only work for the theatre that is set to an English libretto.Orrey p.64
- 1733 '' Orlando '' ( George Frideric Handel ). An opera that is described by Anthony Hicks as "remarkable"Anthony Hicks, writing in Grove and by Orrey as one of Handel's "best works".Orrey p.64
- 1733 '' La Serva Padrona '' ( Giovanni Battista Pergolesi ). ''La serva padrona'' became a model for many of the '' Opera Buffa s'' that followed it, including those of Mozart.Orrey pp.90-91
- 1733 '' Hippolyte Et Aricie '' ( Jean-Philippe Rameau ). Rameau's first opera caused great controversy at its premiere.Graham Sadler, writing in Grove
- 1735 '' Ariodante '' ( George Frideric Handel ). Both this opera and ''Alcina'' enjoy high critical reputations today.Anthony Hicks, writing in Grove
- 1735 '' Alcina '' ( George Frideric Handel ). Both this work and ''Ariodante'' were part of Handel's first opera season at Covent Garden .Anthony Hicks, writing in Grove
- 1735 '' Les Indes Galantes '' ( Jean-Philippe Rameau ). In this work Rameau added emotional depth and power to the traditionally lighter form of '' Opera-ballet ''.Graham Sadler, writing in Grove
- 1737 '' Castor Et Pollux '' ( Jean-Philippe Rameau ). Initially only a moderate success, when it was revived in 1754 ''Castor et Pollux'' was regarded as Rameau's finest achievement.Graham Sadler, writing in Grove
- 1738 '' Serse '' ( George Frideric Handel ). A deviation from the usual model of ''opera seria'', ''Serse'' contains many comic elements rare in Handel's other works.Anthony Hicks, writing in Grove
- 1744 '' Semele '' ( George Frideric Handel ). Originally performed as an Oratorio , Semele's dramatic qualities have often lead to the work being performed on the opera stage in modern times.Stanley Sadie, writing in Grove
- 1745 '' Platée '' ( Jean-Philippe Rameau ). Rameau's most famous comic opera. Originally a court entertainment, a 1754 revival proved extremely popular with French audiences.Graham Sadler, writing in Grove
- 1760 '' La Buona Figliuola '' ( Niccolò Piccinni ). Piccinni's work was initially immensely popular throughout Europe. By 1790 over 70 productions of the opera had been produced and it had been performed in all the major European cities.Mary Hunter, writing in Grove
- 1762 '' Orfeo Ed Euridice '' ( Christoph Willibald Gluck ). Gluck's most popular opera. The first work in which the composer tried to reform the excesses of Italian '' Opera Seria ''.Viking pp.375-6
- 1767 '' Alceste '' ( Christoph Willibald Gluck ). Gluck's second "reform" opera, nowadays usually given in its French revision of 1776.Viking pp.378-9
- 1768 '' Bastien Und Bastienne '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). Mozart's one-act '' Singspiel '' was set to a parody of Rousseau's '' Le Devin Du Village ''.Julian Rushton, writing in Grove
- 1770 '' Mitridate, Re Di Ponto '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). Composed when Mozart was 14, ''Mitridate'' was written for a demanding cast of star singers and is over 6 hours long in production.Julian Rushton, writing in Grove
- 1772 '' Lucio Silla '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). This opera from Mozart's teenage years was not revived until 1929 after its initial run of 25 performances.Julian Rushton, writing in Grove
- 1774 '' Iphigénie En Aulide '' ( Christoph Willibald Gluck ). Gluck's first opera for Paris .Viking p.381
- 1775 '' La Finta Giardiniera '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). This work is generally recognised as Mozart's first ''opera buffa'' of significance.Julian Rushton, writing in Grove
- 1775 '' Il Re Pastore '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). Mozart's last opera of his adolescence was set to a libretto by Pietro Metastasio .Julian Rushton, writing in Grove
- 1777 '' Il Mondo Della Luna '' ( Joseph Haydn ). This opera was the last of three that Haydn set to libretti by Carlo Goldoni .Caryl Clark, writing in Grove
- 1777 '' Armide '' ( Christoph Willibald Gluck ). Gluck used a libretto originally set by Lully for this French work, his favourite among his own operas.Viking p.393
- 1779 '' Iphigénie En Tauride '' ( Christoph Willibald Gluck ). Gluck's "last and perhaps greatest masterpiece".Viking p.370
- 1781 '' Idomeneo '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). Usually thought of as Mozart's first mature opera, ''Idomeneo'' was composed after a lengthy break from the stage.Orrey p.110
- 1782 '' Die Entführung Aus Dem Serail '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). Often thought of as the first of Mozart's comic masterpirces, this work is frequently performed today.Orrey p. 113
- 1782 '' Il Barbiere Di Siviglia '' ( Giovanni Paisiello ). Paisiello's most famous comic opera, later eclipsed by Rossini's work of the same name.Viking p.752
- 1786 '' Der Schauspieldirektor '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). Another ''Singspiel'' with much spoken dialogue taken from plays of that time, the plot of ''Der Schauspieldirektor'' features two sopranos vying to become ''prima donna'' in a newly-assembled company.Julian Rushton, writing in Grove
- 1786 '' Le Nozze Di Figaro '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). The first of the famous series of Mozart operas set to libretti by Lorenzo Da Ponte is now Mozart's most popular opera.Julian Rushton, writing in Grove
- 1787 '' Don Giovanni '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). The second of the operas that Mozart set to Da Ponte's libretti, Don Giovanni has provided a puzzle for writers and philosophers ever since its composition.Julian Rushton, writing in Grove
- 1790 '' Così Fan Tutte '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). The third and last of the operas that Mozart set to libretti by Da Ponte, ''Così fan tutte'' was scarcely performed throughout the 19th century, as the plot was considered to be immoral.Orrey p.107
- 1791 '' La Clemenza Di Tito '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). Mozart's last opera before his early death was extremely popular until 1830, after which the work's popularity and critical reputation began to decline; they did not return to their former levels until after the Second World War.Julian Rushton, writing in Grove
- 1791 '' Die Zauberflöte '' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ). A work that has been described as "the apotheosis of the ''Singspiel''", ''Die Zauberflöte'' was denigrated during the 19th century as confused and lacking in definition.Orrey p.113
- 1792 '' Il Matrimonio Segreto '' ( Domenico Cimarosa ). Usually regarded as Cimarosa's best opera,Orrey p.114 Leopold II enjoyed the three-hour-long premiere so much that, after dinner, he compelled the singers to repeat the opera later during that same day.Gordana Lazarevich, writing in Grove
- 1797 '' Médée '' ( Luigi Cherubini ). The only French opera of the Revolutionary period to be regularly performed today. A famous showcase for Soprano s such as Maria Callas .Viking pp.210-211
- 1805 '' Fidelio '' ( Ludwig Van Beethoven ). Beethoven's only opera was inspired by the composer's passion for political liberty. Viking p.59
- 1807 '' La Vestale '' ( Gaspare Spontini ). Spontini's opera about a Vestal Virgin in love was a great influence on Berlioz and a forerunner of French Grand Opera .Viking p.1002-1004
- 1812 '' La Scala Di Seta '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). An early Rossini work, this opera is outright '' Farsa comica''.Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1813 '' L'italiana In Algeri '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). This opera is described by Richard Osborne, writing in Grove Music Online , as "Rossini’s first ''buffo'' masterpiece in the fully fledged two-act form".Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1813 '' and always cantilena: beautiful cantilena, new cantilena, magic cantilena, rare cantilena".Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1814 '' Il Turco In Italia '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). This opera stands out among Rossini's output for its frequent ensembles and absence of aria.Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1816 '' Il Barbiere Di Siviglia '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). This work has become Rossini's most popular ''opera buffa''.Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1816 '' Otello '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). The composer Giacomo Meyerbeer described the third act of ''Otello'' thus: "The third act of Otello established its reputation so firmly that a thousand errors could not shake it".Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1817 '' La Cenerentola '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). Rossini's comedy was composed in just over three weeks.Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1817 '' La Gazza Ladra '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). In this opera Rossini drew upon the French genre of Rescue Opera .Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1818 '' Mosè In Egitto '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). This work was originally conceived of as a sacred drama suitable for performance during Lent .Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1819 '' La Donna Del Lago '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). Another Romantic-era opera inspired by the works of Sir Walter Scott .Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1821 '' Der Freischütz '' ( Carl Maria Von Weber ). Weber's masterpiece was the first great German Romantic opera.Viking p.1212-14
- 1823 '' Euryanthe '' ( Carl Maria Von Weber ). Despite its weak libretto, ''Euryanthe'' had a great influence on later German operas, including Wagner's ''Lohengrin''.Viking p.1214-15
- 1823 '' Semiramide '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). This is the last opera that Rossini composed in Italy.Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1825 '' La Dame Blanche '' ( François-Adrien Boieldieu ). Boieldieu's most successful '' Opéra Comique '' was one of many 19th century works inspired by the novels of Sir Walter Scott .Oxford Illustrated p.136
- 1826 '' Le Siège De Corinthe '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). For this work Rossini heavily revised his earlier ''Maometto II'', placing the action in a different setting.Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1826 '' Oberon '' ( Carl Maria Von Weber ). Weber's last opera before his early death.Clive Brown, writing in Grove
- 1827 '' Il Pirata '' ( Vincenzo Bellini ). Bellini's second professional production established his international reputation.Simon Maguire, writing in Grove
- 1828 '' Der Vampyr '' ( Heinrich Marschner ). Marschner was a key link between Weber and Wagner, as this Gothic opera shows.A. Dean Palmer, writing in Grove
- 1828 '', calls details that the work is one of the "wittiest, most stylish and most urbane of all comic operas".Richard Osborne, writing in Grove
- 1829 '' La Straniera '' ( Vincenzo Bellini ). ''La straniera'' is rare among ''bel canto'' operas in that it offers remarkably few opportunities for vocal ostentation.Simon Maguire, writing in Grove
- 1829 '' William Tell '' ( Gioacchino Rossini ). Rossini's last opera before his retirement is a tale of liberty set in the Swiss Alps. It helped to establish the genre of French Grand Opera .Viking p.884; pp.917-18
- 1830 '' Anna Bolena '' ( Gaetano Donizetti ). This was Donizetti's first success on the international scene and helped greatly to establish his reputation.William Ashbrook, writing in Grove
- 1830 '' Fra Diavolo '' ( Daniel Auber ). One of the most popular '' Opéra Comique s'' of the 19th century, Auber's tale of a Neapolitan bandit even inspired a film by Laurel And Hardy .Viking p.38
- 1830 '' I Capuleti E I Montecchi '' ( Vincenzo Bellini ). Bellini's version of '' Romeo And Juliet ''.Viking p.66
- 1831 '' La Sonnambula '' ( Vincenzo Bellini ). The concertato "D'un pensiero e d'un accento" from the finale of Act 1 of this work was later parodied by Arthur Sullivan in '' Trial By Jury ''.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1831 '' Norma '' ( Vincenzo Bellini ). The final act of this work is often noted for the originality of its orchestration.Orrey p.132
- 1831 '' Robert Le Diable '' ( Giacomo Meyerbeer ). Meyerbeer's first Grand Opera for Paris caused a sensation with its ballet of dead nuns.Viking p.659-60
- 1832 '' L'elisir D'amore '' ( Gaetano Donizetti ). This work was the most often performed opera in Italy between 1838 and 1848.William Ashbrook, writing in Grove
as Ivan Susanin in Glinka 's '' A Life For The Tsar '']]
- 1833 '' Beatrice Di Tenda '' ( Vincenzo Bellini ) Bellini's tragedy is notable for its extensive use of the chorus.Viking p.70
- 1833 '' Hans Heiling '' ( Heinrich Marschner ) Another important Gothic horror opera from Marschner.Viking p.609
- 1833 '' Lucrezia Borgia '' ( Gaetano Donizetti ) One of Donizetti's most popular scores.Viking p.277
- 1834 '' Maria Stuarda '' ( Gaetano Donizetti ) This work was dismissed as a failure in the 19th century, but since its revival in 1958 it has made frequent appearances on stage.Viking p.278
- 1835 '' Das Liebesverbot '' ( Richard Wagner ) An early work by Wagner loosely based on Shakespeare's '' Measure For Measure ''. The composer later disowned it.Viking p.1176
- 1835 '' I Puritani '' ( Vincenzo Bellini ) Bellini's drama, set during the English Civil War , is one of his finest achievements.Viking p.71
- 1835 '' La Juive '' ( Fromental Halévy ) This grand opera rivalled the works of Meyerbeer in popularity. The tenor aria "Rachel quand du seigneur" is particularly famous.Viking p.412
- 1835 '' Lucia Di Lammermoor '' ( Gaetano Donizetti ) Donizetti's most famous serious opera, notable for Lucia's mad scene.Viking p.280
- 1836 '' A Life For The Tsar '' ( Mikhail Glinka ) Glinka established the tradition of Russian opera with this historical work and the later ''Ruslan and Lyudmila''.Oxford Illustrated p.246 ff.
- 1836 '' Les Huguenots '' ( Giacomo Meyerbeer ) Perhaps the most famous of all French grand operas, widely regarded as Meyerbeer's masterpiece.Viking pp. 660
- 1837 '' Roberto Devereux '' ( Gaetano Donizetti ) Donizetti wrote this work as a distraction from the grief he felt at the death of his wife.Viking p.282
- 1838 '' Benvenuto Cellini '' ( Hector Berlioz ) Berlioz's first opera is a virtuoso score which is still highly difficult to perform. Viking p.92
- 1839 '' Oberto '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) Verdi's first opera is a sensational melodrama.Viking p.1125
- 1840 '' La Favorite '' ( Gaetano Donizetti ) A grand opera in the French tradition.Viking p.285
- 1840 '' La Fille Du Régiment '' ( Gaetano Donizetti ) Donizetti's venture into French ''opéra comique''.Viking p.285
- 1840 '' Un Giorno Di Regno '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) Verdi's only comedy apart from his last opera, ''Falstaff''.Viking p.1125
- 1842 '' Der Wildschütz '' ( Albert Lortzing ) Lortzing's "comic masterpiece", intended to show a German work could rival Italian ''opera buffa'' and French ''opéra comique''.Viking p.584
- 1842 '' Nabucco '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ). Verdi described this opera as the genuine beginning of his artistic career.Roger Parker, writing in Grove
- 1842 '' Rienzi '' ( Richard Wagner ) Wagner's contribution to the Grand Opera tradition.Viking p.1177
- 1842 '' Ruslan And Lyudmila '' ( Mikhail Glinka ) This episodic version of a Pushkin fairy tale was a major influence on later Russian composers.Viking p.368
- 1843 '' The Flying Dutchman '' ( Richard Wagner ) Wagner regarded this German Romantic opera as the true beginning of his career.Viking p.1179
- 1843 '' Don Pasquale '' ( Gaetano Donizetti ) Donizetti's "comic masterpiece" is one of the last great ''opera buffas''.Viking p.288
- 1843 '' I Lombardi Alla Prima Crociata '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) Verdi's follow-up to ''Nabucco'' was the first of his operas to be performed in America.Viking p.1127
- 1843 '' The Bohemian Girl '' ( Michael Balfe ) One of the few notable 19th century English operas apart from the works of Gilbert and Sullivan.Viking p.48
- 1844 '' Ernani '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) One of the most dramatically effective of Verdi's early works.Viking p.1128
- 1845 '' Tannhäuser '' ( Richard Wagner ) Wagner's "most medieval work" depicts the conflict between pagan love and Christian virtue.Viking p.1181
- 1846 '' Attila '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) Verdi was troubled by ill health during the writing of this piece, which was only a moderate success at the premiere.Viking p.1132
- 1846 '' The Damnation Of Faust '' ( Hector Berlioz ) Frustrated at his lack of opera commissions, Berlioz composed this "dramatic legend" for concert performance. In recent years, it has been successfully staged as an opera, though the critic David Cairns describes it as "cinematic".Viking p.94
- 1847 '' Macbeth '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) Verdi's first venture into Shakespeare.Viking p.1132
- 1847 '' Martha '' ( Friedrich Von Flotow ) Flotow unashamedly aimed at satisfying popular taste in this comic and sentimental work set in the England of Queen Anne .Viking p.328
- 1849 '' The Merry Wives Of Windsor '' ( Otto Nicolai ) Nicolai's only German opera has been his most lasting success.Viking p.726
- 1849 '' Le Prophète '' ( Giacomo Meyerbeer ) A grand opera about the life of the religious fanatic, John Of Leiden .Viking p.661
- 1849 '' Luisa Miller '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) Fans of Verdi think that this setting of Schiller 's "bourgeois tragedy" has been underrated.Viking p.1138
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- 1850 '' Genoveva '' ( Robert Schumann ) Schumann's only excursion into opera was a relative failure, though the work has had its admirers from Liszt to Nikolaus Harnoncourt . Viking p.968
- 1850 '' Lohengrin '' ( Richard Wagner )The last of Wagner's "middle period" works.Viking p.1184-86
- 1850 '' Stiffelio '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) Verdi's tale of adultery among members of an American Protestant sect fell foul of the censors.Viking p.1139
- 1851 '' Rigoletto '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) The first - and most innovative- of three middle period Verdi operas which have become staples of the repertoire.Oxford Illustrated p.192
- 1853 '' Il Trovatore '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) This Romantic melodrama is one of Verdi's most tuneful scores.Oxford Illustrated p.193
- 1853 '' La Traviata '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) The role of Violetta, the "fallen woman" of the title, is one of the most famous vehicles for the soprano voice.Viking p.1143
- 1855 '' Les Vêpres Siciliennes '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) Verdi's opera displays the strong influence of Meyerbeer.Viking p.1144
- 1858 '' Der Barbier Von Bagdad '' ( Peter Cornelius ) An oriental comedy drawing on the tradition of German Romantic opera.Viking p.228
- 1858 '' Orphée Aux Enfers '' ( Jacques Offenbach ) The world's first Operetta , this cynical and satirical piece is still immensely popular today. Viking p.735
- 1858 '' Les Troyens '' ( Hector Berlioz ) Berlioz's greatest opera and the culmination of the French Classical tradition.Viking p.94
- 1859 '' Faust '' ( Charles Gounod ) Of all the musical settings of the Faust legend, Gounod's has been the most popular with audiences, especially in the Victorian era.Penguin Guide to Opera on CD p.114
- 1859 '' Un Ballo In Maschera '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) By the time he came to write ''Un ballo in maschera'', Verdi was rich enough not to have to work for a living. This opera ran into trouble with the censors because it originally dealt with the assassination of a monarch.Viking p.1147
- 1862 '' Béatrice Et Bénédict '' ( Hector Berlioz ) The last opera Berlioz wrote is the fruit of his lifelong admiration for Shakespeare.Viking p.97
- 1862 '' La Forza Del Destino '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) This tragedy was commissioned by the Imperial Theatre, Saint Petersburg, and Verdi may have been influenced by the Russian tradition in the writing of his work.Viking p.1149
- 1863 '' Les Pêcheurs De Perles '' ( Georges Bizet ) Though a relative failure at its premiere, this is Bizet's second most performed opera today and is particularly famous for its tenor/baritone duet.Viking p.115
- 1864 '' La Belle Hélène '' ( Jacques Offenbach ) Another operetta by Offenbach which pokes fun at Greek mythology.Viking p.736
- 1864 '' Mireille '' ( Charles Gounod ) Gounod's work is based on the epic poem by Frédéric Mistral and makes use of Provençal folk tunes.Viking p.397
- 1865 '' L'Africaine '' ( Giacomo Meyerbeer ) Meyerbeer's last Grand Opera received a posthumous premiere.Viking p.664
- 1865 '' Tristan Und Isolde '' ( Richard Wagner ) This romantic tragedy is Wagner's most radical work and one of the most revolutionary pieces in music history. The "Tristan chord" began the breakdown of traditional Tonality .Viking p.1196
- 1866 '' Mignon '' ( Ambroise Thomas ) A lyrical work inspired by Goethe 's novel ''Wilhelm Meister'', this was Thomas's most successful opera along with ''Hamlet''.Viking p.1098
- 1866 '' The Bartered Bride '' ( Bedřich Smetana ) Smetana's folk comedy is the most widely performed of all his operas.Viking p.988
- 1867 '' Don Carlos '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) Verdi's take on French grand opera is now one of his most highly regarded works.Viking p.1152
- 1867 '' La Jolie Fille De Perth '' ( Georges Bizet ) Bizet turned to a novel by Sir Walter Scott for this ''opéra comique''.Viking p.116
- 1867 '' Roméo Et Juliette '' ( Charles Gounod ) Gounod's version of Shakespeare's tragedy is his second most famous work.Viking p.398
- 1868 '' Dalibor '' ( Bedřich Smetana ) One of the most successful of Smetana's operas exploring themes from Czech history.Viking p.990
- 1868 '' Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg '' ( Richard Wagner ) Wagner's only comedy among his mature operas concerns the clash between artistic tradition and innovation.Viking p.1198
- 1868 '' Hamlet '' ( Ambroise Thomas ) Thomas's opera takes many liberties with its Shakespearean source.Viking p.1099
- 1868 '' La Périchole '' ( Jacques Offenbach ) Set in Peru, this operetta mixes comedy and sentimentality.Viking p.738
- 1868 '' Mefistofele '' ( Arrigo Boito ) Though most famous as a librettist for Verdi, Boito was also a composer and he spent many years working on this musical version of the Faust myth.Viking p.131
- 1869 '' Das Rheingold '' ( Richard Wagner ) The "preliminary evening" to Wagner's epic '' Ring '' cycle tells how the ring was forged and the curse laid upon it.Viking p.1188
- 1870 '' Die Walküre '' ( Richard Wagner ) The second part of the '' Ring '' tells the story of the mortals Siegmund and Sieglinde and of how the Valkyrie Brunnhilde disobeys her father Wotan, king of the gods.Viking p.1190
- 1871 '' Aida '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ) This celebrated grand opera was originally intended to mark the opening of the Suez Canal .Viking p.1155
- 1874 '' Boris Godunov '' ( Modest Mussorgsky ) Mussorgsky's great historical drama shows Russia's descent into anarchy in the early 17th century.Viking p.718
- 1874 '' Die Fledermaus '' ( Johann Strauss II ) Probably the most popular of all operettas.Viking p.1020
- 1874 '' The Two Widows '' ( Bedřich Smetana ) Another comedy by Smetana, the only one of his operas with a non-Czech subject.Viking p.992
- 1875 '' Carmen '' ( Georges Bizet ) Probably the most famous of all French operas. Critics at the premiere were shocked by Bizet's blend of romanticism and realism.Viking p.118
, 1886 (National Gallery of Modern Art, Rome).]]
- 1876 '' Siegfried '' ( Richard Wagner ) The third part of the '' Ring '' sees the hero Siegfried slay the dragon Fafner, win the ring and free Brunhilde from her enchantment.Viking p.1191
- 1876 '' Götterdämmerung '' ( Richard Wagner ) In the final part of the '' Ring '', the curse takes effect leading to the deaths of Siegfried and Brunnhilde and the destruction of the gods themselves.Viking p.1192
- 1876 '' La Gioconda '' ( Amilcare Ponchielli ). Apart from Verdi's ''Aida'', this is the only Italian grand opera to have stayed in international repertory.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1877 '' L'étoile '' ( Emmanuel Chabrier ) This comic piece has been described as "a cross between ''Carmen'' and Gilbert and Sullivan, with plenty of Offenbach thrown in".Penguin Guide to Opera on Compact Discs p.53
- 1877 '' Samson And Delilah '' ( Camille Saint-Saëns ). An opera with that was heavily influenced by those of Wagner.Hugh MacDonald, writing in Grove
- 1879 '' Eugene Onegin '' ( Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ) Tchaikovsky's most popular opera, based on the verse novel by Pushkin . The composer strongly identified with the heroine Tatyana.Viking p.1087
- 1881 '' Hérodiade '' ( Jules Massenet ) An opera telling the Biblical story of Salome , Massenet's work was eclipsed by Richard Strauss's treatment of the same subject.Viking p.624
- 1881 '' Les Contes D'Hoffmann '' ( Jacques Offenbach ) Offenbach's attempt at writing a more serious work remained unfinished at his death. Nevertheless, this is his most widely performed opera today.Viking p.738
- 1881 '' Simon Boccanegra '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ). Verdi heavily revised this opera over twenty years after it was first performed.Roger Parker, writing in Grove
- 1882 '' Parsifal '' ( Richard Wagner ) Wagner's last opera is a "festival play" about the legend of the Holy Grail .Viking p.1201
- 1882 '' The Snow Maiden '' ( Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov ) One of Rimsky-Korsakov's most lyrical works.Viking p.866
- 1883 '' Lakmé '' ( Léo Delibes ) This ''opéra comique'' set in the British Raj in India is famous for its "Flower Duet" and "Bell Song".Viking p.252
- 1884 '' Le Villi '' ( Giacomo Puccini ) An early operatic work by Puccini with plenty of opportunity for dance.Viking p.807
- 1884 '' Manon '' ( Jules Massenet ) Massenet's most enduringly popular work along with ''Werther''.Viking p.625
- 1885 '' The Gypsy Baron '' ( Johann Strauss II ) Strauss's operetta was intended to soothe tensions between Austrians and Hungarians in the Habsburg empire.Viking p.1022
- 1886 '' Khovanshchina '' ( Modest Mussorgsky ) Mussorgsky's second great epic of Russian history was left unfinished at his death.Viking p.720
- 1887 '' Le Roi Malgré Lui '' ( Emmanuel Chabrier ) Ravel claimed he would rather have written this comic opera than Wagner's ''Ring'' cycle, though the plot is notoriously confused.Penguin Guide to Opera on Compact Discs p.54
- 1887 '' Otello '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ). The first of Verdi's late-period masterpieces was set to an unusually fine libretto by Arrigo Boito .Roger Parker, writing in Grove
- 1888 '' Le Roi D'Ys '' ( Édouard Lalo ) A Breton folk tale with music heavily influenced by Wagner.Oxford Illustrated p.164-5
- 1890 '' Cavalleria Rusticana '' ( Pietro Mascagni ) A perennial favourite with audiences around the world, this one-acter is usually performed alongside Leoncavallo's ''I pagliacci''.Viking p.618
- 1890 '' Prince Igor '' ( Alexander Borodin ) Borodin spent 17 years working on this opera off and on, yet never managed to finish it. Most famous for its "Polovtsian dances".Viking p.134
- 1890 '' The Queen Of Spades '' ( Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ). In a letter to his brother and librettist the composer said that "the opera is a masterpiece".Richard Taruskin, writing in Grove
- 1891 '' L'amico Fritz '' ( Pietro Mascagni ). This work has been thought of as a late example of ''opera semiseria''.Peter Ross, writing in Grove
- 1892 '' Iolanta '' ( Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ) Tchaikovksy's last, lyrical opera set to a libretto by his brother Modest.Viking p.1094
- 1892 '' La Wally '' ( Alfredo Catalani ). Usually thought of as Catalani's masterpiece.Michele Girardi, writing in Grove
- 1892 '' Pagliacci '' ( Ruggero Leoncavallo ) One of the most famous Verismo operas, usually paired with Mascagni's ''Cavalleria rusticana''.Viking p.564
- 1892 '' Werther '' ( Jules Massenet ). Along with ''Manon'', this is Massenet's most popular opera.Rodney Milnes, writing in Grove
- 1893 '' Falstaff '' ( Giuseppe Verdi ). Verdi's final opera was set to another of Boito's fine libretti.Roger Parker, writing in Grove
- 1893 '' Hänsel Und Gretel '' ( Engelbert Humperdinck ). The well-known fairy-tale received a full Wagnerian operatic adaptation at Humperdinck's hands.Amanda Glauert, writing in Grove
- 1893 '' Manon Lescaut '' ( Giacomo Puccini ). The success of this work established Puccini's reputation as a composer of contemporary music of the first rank.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1894 '' Thaïs '' ( Jules Massenet ). The opera that contains the famous ''Méditation'' interlude.Rodney Milnes, writing in Grove
- 1896 '' Andrea Chénier '' ( Umberto Giordano ). Set to a libretto by Luigi Illica , this ''verismo'' drama is Giordano's most popular opera.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1896 '' La Bohème '' ( Giacomo Puccini ). Debussy is alleged to have said, as a result of La bohème, that no one had detailed Paris at that time better than had Puccini.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1897 '' Königskinder '' ( Engelbert Humperdinck ). Originally a melodrama that blended song and spoken dialogue, the composer adapted the work into an opera proper in 1907.Amanda Glauert, writing in Grove
- 1898 '' Fedora '' ( Umberto Giordano ). Giordano's second most popular opera.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1898 '' Sadko '' ( Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov ). The Viking Trader's song from this opera has become extremely popular in Russia.Richard Taruskin, writing in Grove
- 1899 '' Cendrillon '' ( Jules Massenet ). An immediate success at the time of the premiere, the opera enjoyed 50 performances in 1899 alone.Rodney Milnes, writing in Grove
- 1899 '' The Devil And Kate '' ( Antonín Dvořák ) The lack of a love interest makes the plot of this work almost unique among Czech comic operas.Jan Smaczny, writing in Grove
- 1900 '' Louise '' ( Gustave Charpentier ) An attempt to provide a French equivalent for Italian Verismo , ''Louise'' is set in a working-class district of Paris.Viking p.203
- 1900 '' Tosca '' ( Giacomo Puccini ). ''Tosca'' is the most Wagnerian of Puccini's operas, with its frequent use of ''leitmotif''.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1901 '' Rusalka '' ( Antonín Dvořák ) Dvořák's most successful opera with international audiences, based on a folk tale about a water sprite. Oxford Illustrated p.269
- 1902 '' Adriana Lecouvreur '' ( Francesco Cilea ). Unique among Cilea's operas in that it has remained in the international repertory up to the present time.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1902 '' Pelléas Et Mélisande '' ( Claude Debussy ) Debussy's elusive Symbolist drama is one of the most significant operas of the 20th century.Oxford Illustrated pp.281-7
- 1902 '' Saul Og David '' ( Carl Nielsen ) This Biblical tragedy was the first of Nielsen's two operas.Viking p.728
- 1904 '' Jenůfa '' ( Leoš Janáček ) Janáček's first great success, a naturalistic depiction of Czech peasant life.Oxford Illustrated p.304
- 1904 '' Madama Butterfly '' ( Giacomo Puccini ). The first performance of Puccini's now-popular opera was a disaster involving accusations of plagiarism.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1905 '' The Merry Widow '' ( Franz Lehár ) One of the most famous Viennese operettas.Viking p.559
- 1905 '' Salome '' ( Richard Strauss ) A scandalous success at its premiere, Strauss's "decadent" opera is still immensely popular with today's audiences.Viking p.1026
- 1906 '' Maskarade '' ( Carl Nielsen ) Nielsen's high-spirited comedy looks back to the world of '' The Marriage Of Figaro '' and has become a classic in the composer's native Denmark.Viking p.729
- 1907 '' A Village Romeo And Juliet '' ( Frederick Delius ) A tragedy of unhappy love set in Switzerland; the most famous music is the interlude "The Walk to the Paradise Garden".Viking p.256
- 1907 '' Ariane Et Barbe-bleue '' ( Paul Dukas ) Dukas's only opera, based like Debussy's ''Pelléas'', on a Symbolist drama by Maeterlinck . Oxford Illustrated p.285
- 1907 '' The Legend Of The Invisible City Of Kitezh And The Maiden Fevroniya '' ( Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov ) A mystical retelling of an old national legend. Sometimes called the Russian '' Parsifal ''.Viking p.871
- 1907 '' Destiny '' ( Leoš Janáček ). An important transitional work in Janáček's career as the composer began to look beyond the traditional themes of Czech opera.Viking p.502
- 1909 '' Elektra '' ( Richard Strauss ) This dark tragedy took Strauss's music to the borders of Atonality . It was the composer's first setting of a libretto by his long-term collaborator Hugo Von Hofmannsthal .Viking p.1028
- 1909 '' Il Segreto Di Susanna '' ( Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari ) A comic intermezzo. Susanna's secret is that she smokes.Viking p.1241
- 1909 '' The Golden Cockerel '' ( Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov ) Often considered Rimsky's greatest work, this satire on military incompetence got the composer into trouble with the censors after Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese War .Viking p.872
- 1910 '' Don Quichotte '' ( Jules Massenet ) Massenet's last great success is a gentle comedy inspired by Cervantes's '' Don Quixote ''.Viking p.635
- 1910 '' La Fanciulla Del West '' ( Giacomo Puccini ). Described by Puccini as his best work.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1911 '' Der Rosenkavalier '' ( Richard Strauss ) Strauss and Hofmannsthal's most popular work, this comedy is set in 18th century Vienna.Viking p.1029
- 1911 '' L'heure Espagnole '' ( Maurice Ravel ) Ravel's first opera is a bedroom farce set in Spain.Viking p.849
- 1912 '' Ariadne Auf Naxos '' ( Richard Strauss ) A mixture of comedy and tragedy with an opera within an opera.Viking p.1031
- 1912 '' Der Ferne Klang '' ( Schreker ). The success of this work established Schreker's reputation as an opera composer.Peter Franklin, writing in Grove
- 1913 '' La Vida Breve '' ( Manuel De Falla ) A passionate Spanish drama influenced by Verismo .Viking p.314
- 1914 '' The Immortal Hour '' ( Rutland Boughton ) Boughton's Celtic fairy tale opera enjoyed great popularity in Britain between the world wars.Viking p.137
- 1914 '' The Nightingale '' ( Igor Stravinsky ) Stravinsky's style changed radically during the composition of this short opera, moving away from the influence of his teacher Rimsky-Korsakov towards the spiky modernism of the '' The Rite Of Spring ''.Viking p.1045
- 1916 '' Savitri '' ( Gustav Holst ) Holst's interest in Hinduism led him to set this episode from the '' Mahabharata ''.Viking p.485
- 1917 '' Arlecchino '' ( Ferruccio Busoni ) Busoni drew on the tradition of Italian puppet theatre for this one-act piece.Viking p.168
- 1917 '' Eine Florentinische Tragödie '' ( Alexander Von Zemlinsky ) Zemlinsky's "decadent" one-acter is based on a short play by Oscar Wilde .Viking p.1251
- 1917 '' La Rondine '' ( Giacomo Puccini ). Not an initial success, Puccini heavily revised the opera twice.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1917 '' Palestrina '' ( Hans Pfitzner ) A Wagnerian drama exploring the clash between innovation and tradition in music.Viking p.773
- 1918 '' Bluebeard's Castle '' ( Béla Bartók ) Bartok's only opera, this intense psychological drama is one of his most important works.Oxford Illustrated p286-7
- 1918 '' Gianni Schicchi '' ( Giacomo Puccini ). One act in structure, Puccini's work is based on an extract from Dante's ''Inferno''.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1918 '' Il Tabarro '' ( Giacomo Puccini ). The first of the operas that make up ''Il trittico'' - along with ''Gianni Schicchi'' and ''Suor Angelica''
- 1918 '' Suor Angelica '' ( Giacomo Puccini ). Described by the composer as his favourite among the three operas that comprise ''Il trittico''.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1919 '' Die Frau Ohne Schatten '' ( Richard Strauss ). The third full collaboration between Strauss and the librettist Hofmannsthal gestated for six years before completion, and another two years passed before the first performance.David Murray, writing in Grove
- 1920 '' Die Tote Stadt '' ( Erich Wolfgang Korngold ). Korngold's most well-renowned work for the stage.Christopher Palmer, writing in Grove
- 1920 '' The Excursions Of Mr. Broucek On The Moon And In The 15th Century '' ( Leoš Janáček ) A comic fantasy set on the moon and in 15th century Bohemia .Oxford Illustrated p.269
- 1921 '' Káťa Kabanová '' ( Leoš Janáček ) The first of the great operas of Janáček's late maturity, based on an Ostrovsky play about religious fanaticism and forbidden love in provincial Russia.Viking p.505
- 1921 '' The Love For Three Oranges '' ( Sergei Prokofiev ) A comic opera based on a fairy tale by Carlo Gozzi .Oxford Illustrated p.306
- 1922 '' Der Zwerg '' ( Alexander Von Zemlinsky ) Another short Zemlinsky opera inspired by a work by Oscar Wilde . The composer personally identified with the dwarf of the title.Viking p.1252
- 1924 '' Erwartung '' ( Arnold Schoenberg ) An intense Atonal monodrama.Viking p.953
- 1924 '' Hugh The Drover '' ( Ralph Vaughan Williams ) A Ballad Opera , much of which is based on Folksong s.Michael Kennedy, writing in Grove
- 1924 '' Intermezzo '' ( Richard Strauss ). A light operetta-style work based on an incident from the composer's own marriage.David Murray, writing in Grove
- 1924 '' The Cunning Little Vixen '' ( Leoš Janáček ) One of the composer's most popular works, the story is based on a cartoon strip about animals in the Czech countryside.Viking p.506
- 1925 '' Doktor Faust '' ( Ferruccio Busoni ) Busoni intended this opera to be the climax of his career, but it was left unfinished at his death.Oxford Illustrated p.297,297
- 1925 '' L'enfant Et Les Sortilèges '' ( Maurice Ravel ). Originally conceived of as a fairy ballet, the plot of the opera is that of children's fairy-tale.Roger Nichols, writing in Grove
- 1925 '' Wozzeck '' ( Alban Berg ). One of the key operas of the 20th century. Based on a strikingly unheroic plot, Berg's work blends Atonal techniques with more traditional ones.Orrey p.218
- 1926 '' Cardillac '' ( Paul Hindemith ) An opera in Hindemith's neo-classical style about a psychopathic jeweller. Viking p.477
- 1926 '' Háry János '' ( Zoltán Kodály ). János's ''singspiel'' incorporated many Hungarian folksongs and dances.Tibor Tallián, writing in Grove
- 1926 '' King Roger '' ( Karol Szymanowski ) One of the most important Polish operas, this piece is full of Oriental harmonies.Viking p.1076
- 1926 '' The Makropulos Affair '' ( Leoš Janáček ). The first performance of ''The Makropulos Affair'' was the last that Janáček survived to see among his operas.John Tyrrell, writing in Grove
- 1926 '' Turandot '' ( Giacomo Puccini ). Puccini's last opera was left unfinished at his death.Julian Budden, writing in Grove
- 1927 '' Oedipus Rex '' ( Igor Stravinsky ) Set to a Latin libretto by Jean Cocteau , this highly stylised piece fuses opera and Oratorio . Oxford Illustrated p.310-11
- 1927 '' Jonny Spielt Auf '' ( Ernst Krenek ) A "jazz opera" which enjoyed tremendous success in its day.Viking p.542
- 1928 '' The Threepenny Opera '' ( Kurt Weill ). A modern adaptation of Gay and Pepusch's '' The Beggar's Opera ''.Stephen Hinton, writing in Grove
- 1929 '' The Nose '' ( Dmitri Shostakovich ) Gogol 's strange short story provided the plot for this grotesque satire.Viking p.980
- 1930 '' Rise And Fall Of The City Of Mahagonny '' ( Kurt Weill ) The composition of this opera was problematic, due to tension between the composer and his librettist, Bertolt Brecht.Stephen Hinton, writing in Grove
- 1930 '' From The House Of The Dead '' ( Leoš Janáček ). Janáček's last opera inspired by Dostoyevsky 's account of life in a Russian prison camp.John Tyrrell, writing in Grove
- 1932 '' Moses Und Aron '' ( Arnold Schoenberg ). Left unfinished at his death, Schoenberg's opera frequently employs Serialist techniques.Orrey p.220
- 1933 '' Arabella '' ( Richard Strauss ). This opera was the last that Strauss set to a libretto by Hugo Von Hofmannsthal .David Murray, writing in Grove
- 1934 '' Lady Macbeth Of The Mtsensk District '' ( Dmitri Shostakovich ). An attack on the music and subject matter of the opera in the Soviet Union's government journal '' Pravda '' meant that this work was Shostakovich's last opera.Laurel E. Fay, writing in Grove
- 1935 '' Die Schweigsame Frau '' ( Richard Strauss ) A comic opera based on a play by Ben Jonson .Viking p.1039
- 1935 '' Porgy And Bess '' ( George Gershwin ). Initially a financial failure, a 1941 production that replaced the work's recitatives with spoken dialogue was a success.Richard Crawford, writing in Grove
- 1937 '' Lulu '' ( Alban Berg ). Berg's second opera was unfinished at his death, but a completion by Friedrich Cerha was successfully performed in 1979.Orrey p.219
- 1937 '' Riders To The Sea '' ( Ralph Vaughan Williams ) Often rated as Vaughan Williams's finest opera, this short, fatalistic tragedy is set on the Aran Isles in the west of Ireland .Viking p.1120
- 1938 '' Daphne '' ( Richard Strauss ) A mythological opera with lyrical, pastoral music.Viking p.1041
- 1938 '' Julietta '' ( Bohuslav Martinů ) This dreamlike work set in a town where people have lost their memory is "Martinu's operatic masterpiece".Viking p.613
- 1938 '' Mathis Der Maler '' ( Paul Hindemith ) Hindemith's most highly regarded opera is a parable about an artist surviving in a time of crisis, reflecting the composer's own experience under the Nazis.Viking p.480
- 1941 '' Paul Bunyan '' ( Benjamin Britten ) Britten's first venture into opera was a light piece about an American folk hero with a libretto by W.H.Auden .Viking p.143
- 1942 '' Capriccio '' ( Richard Strauss ) Strauss's final opera is a conversation piece about the genre itself.Oxford Illustrated p.316
- 1943 '' Der Kaiser Von Atlantis '' ( Viktor Ullmann ) Written in the Nazi concentration camp Theresienstadt and not performed until 1975. The composer and his librettist died in Auschwitz .Viking p.1115
- 1945 '' Peter Grimes '' ( Benjamin Britten ) A landmark in the history of British opera, this work marked Britten's arrival on the international music scene.Viking p.144
- 1945 '' War And Peace '' ( Sergei Prokofiev ) Prokofiev returned to the tradition of Russian historical opera for this epic work based on Tolstoy 's novel.Viking p.803
- 1946 '' Betrothal In A Monastery '' ( Sergei Prokofiev ) A romantic comedy with music drawing on the '' Opera Buffa '' style of Rossini .Viking p.802
- 1946 '' The Medium '' ( Gian Carlo Menotti ). Considered by many to be Menotti's finest work.Bruce Archibald, writing in Grove
- 1946 '' The Rape Of Lucretia '' ( Benjamin Britten ). Britten's first Chamber Opera .Arnold Whittal, writing in Grove
- 1947 '' Albert Herring '' ( Benjamin Britten ). Britten's comic opera is heavily based upon use of the ensemble.Arnold Whittall, writing in Grove
- 1947 '' Dantons Tod '' ( Gottfried Von Einem ) Einem's opera is a compressed setting of Georg Büchner 's play about the "Reign of Terror" during the French Revolution .Viking p.307
- 1947 '' Les Mamelles De Tirésias '' ( Francis Poulenc ) Poulenc's first opera is a short Surrealist comedy based on the play by Guillaume Apollinaire .Viking p.793
- 1947 '' The Telephone, Or L'Amour à Trois '' ( Gian Carlo Menotti ). An ''opera buffa'' just 22 minutes in length.Bruce Archibald, writing in Grove
- 1949 '' Il Prigioniero '' ( Luigi Dallapiccola ). Much of the music for this opera is based on 3 12-note tone rows, which represent the themes of prayer, hope and freedom that dominate the opera.Anthony Sellors, writing in Grove
- 1950 '' The Consul '' ( Gian Carlo Menotti ). This opera contains some of Menotti's most dissonant music.Bruce Archiblad, writing in Grove
- 1951 '' Amahl And The Night Visitors '' ( Gian Carlo Menotti ) This Christmas story was the first opera specifically written for television. Viking p.649
- 1951 '' Billy Budd '' ( Benjamin Britten ). The plot for Britten's large-scale opera was based on a story by Herman Melville .Arnold Whittall, writing in Grove
- 1951 '' The Pilgrim's Progress '' ( Ralph Vaughan Williams ). Set to his own libretto, Vaughan Williams's work was inspired by John Bunyan 's famous allegory of the same name.Michael Kennedy, writing in Grove
- 1951 '' The Rake's Progress '' ( Igor Stravinsky ) Stravinsky's most important operatic work looks back to Mozart musically and has a Libretto by W.H. Auden inspired by the engravings of William Hogarth . Viking p.1050
- 1952 '' Boulevard Solitude '' ( Hans Werner Henze ) Henze's first full-length opera is an updating of the story of '' Manon Lescaut '', also the source for important operas by Massenet and Puccini.Viking p.462
- 1953 '' Gloriana '' ( Benjamin Britten ) Composed for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II , this opera looks back to the relationship between her namesake Elizabeth I and the Earl Of Essex .Viking ref.152
- 1954 '' The Fiery Angel '' ( Sergei Prokofiev ). Prokofiev never saw what is often regarded as his most ''avant-garde'' composition performed on the operatic stage.Richard Taruskin, writing in Grove
- 1954 '' The Turn Of The Screw '' ( Benjamin Britten ) A chamber opera based on the ghost story by Henry James . It is remarkable for its tightly laid out key scheme and active orchestral role.Arnold Whittall, writing in Grove
- 1954 '' Troilus And Cressida '' ( William Walton ) Walton's opera about the Trojan War was initially a failure.Viking p.1208
- 1955 '' The Midsummer Marriage '' ( Michael Tippett ). Tippett's first full-scale opera was set to his own libretto.Geraint Lewis, writing in Grove
- 1956 '' Candide '' ( Leonard Bernstein ). Based on Voltaire, the soprano aria "Glitter and Be Gay" is a parody of Romantic-era jewel songs.Jon Alan Conrad, writing in Grove
- 1957 '' Dialogues Of The Carmelites '' ( Francis Poulenc ) Poulenc's major opera is set in a convent during the French Revolution .Viking p.794
- 1958 '' Vanessa '' ( Samuel Barber ). ''Vanessa'' won its composer a Pulitzer Prize in 1958.Barbara B. Heyman, writing in Grove
- 1959 '' La Voix Humaine '' ( Francis Poulenc ) A short opera with a single character: a despairing woman on the telephone to her lover.Viking p.795
- 1960 '' A Midsummer Night's Dream '' ( Benjamin Britten ). Set to a libretto adapted from the Shakespeare play by himself and his partner Peter Pears , Britten's work is rare in operatic history in that it features a Countertenor in the male lead role.Arnold Whittall, writing in Grove
- 1961 '' Elegy For Young Lovers '' ( Hans Werner Henze ). Henze asked his librettists, W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman , for a scenario that would inspire him to compose "tender, beautiful noises".Andrew Clements, writing in Grove
- 1962 '' King Priam '' ( Michael Tippett ). Tippett's second opera, set to another of his own "recondite" libretti, Orrey p.234 was inspired by Homer's ''Iliad''.Geraint Lewis, writing in Grove
- 1964 '' Curlew River '' ( Benjamin Britten ). A modern liturgical "church opera" intended for performance in an ecclesiastical setting.Arnold Whittall, writing in Grove
- 1965 '' Der Junge Lord '' ( Hans Werner Henze ). The last composition produced during Henze's dwelling in Italy is considered to be the most Italianate of his dramatic works.Andrew Clements, writing in Grove
- 1965 '' Die Soldaten '' ( Bernd Alois Zimmermann ). The first version of the opera was rejected by Cologne Opera as impossible for them to stage: Zimmermann was required to reduce the orchestral forces required and to cut some of the technical demands previously required.Andrew Clements, writing in Grove
- 1966 '' Antony And Cleopatra '' ( Samuel Barber ). The first version of the opera was set to a libretto consisting entirely of the words of Shakespeare and deemed a failure.Barbara B. Heyman, writing in Grove Later it was revised by Menotti and became a success.
- 1966 '' The Bassarids '' ( Hans Werner Henze ). Henze's opera is set to a libretto by Auden and Kallman, who required that the composer listen to '' Götterdämmerung '' before starting to compose the music.Andrew Clements, writing in Grove
- 1967 '' The Bear '' ( William Walton ). The libretto for Walton's extravaganza was based on Chekov.Andrew Clements, writing in Grove
- 1968 '' Punch And Judy '' ( Harrison Birtwistle ). Birtwistle's first opera was commissioned by the English Opera Group .Andrew Clements, writing in Grove
- 1968 '' The Prodigal Son '' ( Benjamin Britten ). The third of Britten's parables for church performance.Adrian Thomas, writing in Grove
- 1969 '' The Devils Of Loudun '' ( Krzysztof Penderecki ). Penderecki's first opera is also his most popular.Adrian Thomas, writing in Grove
- 1970 '' The Knot Garden '' ( Michael Tippett ). Tippett created his own modern scenario for the libretto of this work, his third opera.Geraint Lewis, writing in Grove
- 1971 '' Owen Wingrave '' ( Benjamin Britten ) Britten's anti-war opera was written especially for BBC television.Viking p.159
- 1972 '' Taverner '' ( Peter Maxwell Davies ) Davies was one of the most significant figures to emerge in British music the 1960s. This opera is based on a legend about the 16th century composer John Taverner .Viking p.243
- 1973 '' Death In Venice '' ( Benjamin Britten ). Britten's last opera was first performed three years before his death.Orrey p.234
- 1978 '' Le Grand Macabre '' ( György Ligeti ). First performed at Stockholm in 1978, Ligeti heavily revised the opera in 1996.Paul Griffiths, writing in Grove
- 1978 '' Lear '' ( Aribert Reimann ) An Expressionist opera based on Shakespeare's tragedy. The title role was specifically written for the famous Baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau .Viking p.854
- 1980 '' The Lighthouse '' ( Peter Maxwell Davies ). Davies's second chamber opera was set to his own libretto.Andrew Clements, writing in Grove
- 1983 '' Saint-François D'Assise '' ( Olivier Messiaen ) 120 orchestral players are required for this opera, as well as a sizable chorus.Paul Griffiths, writing in Grove
- 1984 '' and Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter .David Osmond-Smith, writing in Grove
- 1984 '' Akhnaten '' ( Philip Glass ). Unlike his first opera '' Einstein On The Beach '', the writing and style are more conventional and lyrical and much of the music of ''Akhnaten'' is some of the most dissonant that Glass has composed.Tim Page, writing in Grove
- 1986 '' The Mask Of Orpheus '' ( Harrison Birtwistle ) Birtwistle's most ambitious opera examines the myth of Orpheus from several different angles.Viking p.108
- 1987 '' A Night At The Chinese Opera '' ( Judith Weir ) This piece is based on a Chinese play of the Yuan Dynasty .Viking p.1232
- 1987 '' Nixon In China '' ( John Adams ) Musically Minimalist in style, this "news opera" recounts Richard Nixon 's 1972 meeting with Mao Zedong .Viking p.18
- 1991 '' Gawain '' ( Harrison Birtwistle ). Birtwistle's opera is based on the medieval English poem '' Sir Gawain And The Green Knight ''.Andrew Clements, writing in Grove
Operas not included in the above list, but which were important milestones in operatic history.
This list was compiled by consulting nine lists of great operas, created by recognized authorities in the field of opera, and selecting all of the operas which appeared on at least five of these (i.e. all operas on a majority of the lists). The lists used were:
# 1
# "The Standard Repertoire of Grand Opera 1607-1969", a list included in Norman Davies 's ''Europe: a History'' (OUP, 1996; paperback edition Pimlico, 1997) ISBN 0-7126-6633-8.
# Operas appearing in the chronology by Mary Ann Smart in ''The Oxford Illustrated History of Opera'' (OUP, 1994) ISBN 0-19-816282-0.
# Operas with entries in ''The New Kobbe's Opera Book'', ed. Lord Harewood (Putnam, 9th ed., 1997) ISBN 0-370-10020-4
# 2 by Matthew Boyden. (2002 edition) ISBN 1-85828-749-9.
# Operas with entries in ''The Metropolitan Opera Guide to Recorded Opera'' ed. Paul Gruber (Thames and Hudson, 1993) ISBN 0393034445 and/or ''Metropolitan Opera Stories of the Great Operas'' ed. John W Freeman (Norton, 1984) ISBN 0393018881
# List of operas and their composers in ''Who's Who in British Opera'' ed. Nicky Adam (Scolar Press, 1993) ISBN 0 859 67 894 6
# Entries for individual operas in 3
# Entries for individual operas in ''Who's Who in Opera: a guide to opera characters'' by Joyce Bourne (Oxford University Press, 1998) ISBN 0192100238
- The 93 operas included in all nine lists cited are: ''Adriana Lecouvreur, Aida, Arabella, Ariadne auf Naxos, Un Ballo in Maschera, The Barber of Seville, The Bartered Bride, Billy Budd, Bluebeard's Castle, La bohème, Boris Godunov, Capriccio, Carmen, Cavalleria rusticana, La cenerentola, La clemenza di Tito, Les contes d'Hoffmann, Così fan tutte, The Cunning Little Vixen, Dido and Aeneas, Don Carlos, Don Giovanni, Don Pasquale, Elektra, L'elisir d'amore, L'enfant et les sortilèges, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Eugene Onegin, Falstaff, Faust, Fidelio, The Flying Dutchman, La forza del destino, Der Freischütz, Giulio Cesare, The Golden Cockerel, Götterdämmerung, L'heure espagnole, Les Huguenots, Idomeneo, L'incoronazione di Poppea, L'Italiana in Algeri, Jenůfa, Káťa Kabanová, Lakmé, The Marriage of Figaro, Il matrimonio segreto, Lohengrin, Louise, Lucia di Lammermoor, Macbeth, Madama Butterfly, The Magic Flute, Manon, Médée, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Mignon, Moses und Aron, Nabucco, Norma, Orfeo, Orfeo ed Euridice, Otello, Pagliacci, Parsifal, Les pêcheurs de perles, Pelléas et Mélisande, Peter Grimes, Prince Igor, I puritani, The Queen of Spades, The Rake's Progress, Das Rheingold, Rigoletto, Roméo et Juliette, Der Rosenkavalier, Salome, Samson and Delilah, Semiramide, Siegfried, Simon Boccanegra, La sonnambula, Tannhauser, Tosca, La traviata, Tristan und Isolde, Il trovatore, Les Troyens, Turandot, The Turn of the Screw, Die Walküre, Werther, Wozzeck
- Various entries on operas, composers and genres from: '' Grove Music Online '' ed. L. Macy (Accessed 19 January 2007), grovemusic.com , subscription access.
- ''The Viking Opera Guide'' (1993) ISBN 0-670-81292-7 Contributions are by noted specialists in their fields.
- 4
- 5
- 6
- ''Encyclopedia Britannica: Macropedia Volume 24, 15th edition.'' "Opera" in "Musical forms and genres". ISBN 0-85229-434-4
- 7
- ''The Penguin Guide to Opera on Compact Discs '' ed. Greenfield, March and Layton (1993 edition) ISBN 0-14-046957-5.
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