Opera

Opera

From Baroque masterpieces by Monteverdi and Handel, through to hummable songs by Mozart, Verdi's works of Italian genius, Puccini, Wagner... with over 400 years of history, it's no surprise opera makes up some of the most famous classical music in the world.

What is opera?

Opera, put simply, is a play set to music. Singers, orchestral musicians, actors, costume designers, stage managers, and a whole host of people behind-the-scenes go to create these dramatic stage performances, which are often packed with the highest and lowest emotions. Expect love, tragedy, heartbreak, confusion, humour, and almost everything in-between - and everyone's so overwhelmed with their feelings they simply HAVE to break into song.

Introduction to opera

The 20 best operas of all time, according to Classic FM presenters.

The 20 greatest operas ever written

The greatest opera singers of all time

25 best opera singers of all time

Incredible black opera singers

11 black opera singers you should know about

Greatest opera venues in the world

12 of the best opera venues around the world

Famous opera plot guides

MADAME BUTTERFLY Poster for Puccini's opera

Giacomo Puccini: Madame Butterfly – short opera summary

Puccini

Bizet composing 'Carmen' at the piano French composer, 1838-1875

Georges Bizet: Carmen – short opera summary

Features

Austrian artist JJ won the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest with his song, "Wasted Love."

Austrian Eurovision winner JJ is a countertenor who sang with the Vienna Opera

The fascinating history of the opera glove – which originated in the 16th century

Opera gloves: what’s the history of the fashion items that originated in the 16th century?

11 greatest uses of opera in Hollywood films

11 most memorable uses of opera in films

Soprano Lesley Garrett sings Bizet’s ‘Habanera’ in dramatic shopping centre flashmob

Soprano Lesley Garrett sings Bizet’s ‘Habanera’ in dramatic shopping centre flashmob

Lesley Garrett

Ralph Fiennes to direct his first opera in Paris' magnificent Palais Garnier

Ralph Fiennes to direct his first opera in Paris’ magnificent Palais Garnier

Tchaikovsky

Young penguin steals the show with Puccini in Happy Feet Two

When a tiny penguin sang Puccini’s impassioned ‘E lucevan le stelle’ in Happy Feet Two

Puccini

Latest on Classic FM

UK’s only string instrument-making degree set to close

UK’s last surviving string instrument-making degree set to close

Curious baby boy playing toy piano at home

Does classical music really make babies smarter?

Unseen footage reveals Dick van Dyke singing ‘Mary Poppins’ with THE Richard Sherman on piano

Unseen footage reveals Dick van Dyke singing ‘Mary Poppins’ with THE Richard Sherman on piano
Who is Anna Lapwood? The trailblazing organist and conductor’s age, biography and performances

Who is Anna Lapwood? The trailblazing organist and conductor’s age, biography and performances
Netflix releases series inspired by Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’

What classical music is featured in Netflix’s The Four Seasons, and how is it inspired by Vivaldi’s masterpiece?

Vivaldi

Young audience members can enjoy classical concerts at a low price across the UK

15 cheap classical music concert ticket schemes for young audiences

‘Sinners’ composer Ludwig Göransson breaks down his movie soundtrack

‘Sinners’ composer Ludwig Göransson breaks down his movie soundtrack

87-year-old pianist moves judges with original composition

87-year-old veteran moves ‘The Piano’ judges to tears with original composition

Videos

10 of the best pieces of classical music written in the 20th century

10 incredible 20th-century classical works that would change music forever

Wales v Australia

Welsh national anthem: what are the English and Welsh lyrics to ‘Land Of My Fathers’?

Best classical music

See more Best classical music

The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

Best symphonies: Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonin Dvorak and Florence Price

The 15 greatest symphonies of all time

4 eras of classical music

The 4 eras of classical music: a quick guide

A young Marin Alsop, Sir Simon Rattle, and Seiji Ozawa conduct their respective orchestras.

The 25 greatest conductors of all time

Hildegard von Bingen, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Edward Elgar among the greatest composers in classical music history.

The 30 greatest classical music composers of all time

More Periods and Genres

See more More Periods and Genres

Baroque

Classical

Romantic

Film & TV

Opera

Video Games