Classic FM

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.

Famous opera plot guides

Top opera pieces

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Download ''Casta Diva'' on iTunes

'Casta Diva' Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835 : Italy) Soloists: Jean-Yves Thibaudet Record label: Decca Catalogue ID: 4757668

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Download 'Carmen - Habanera' on iTunes

Carmen - Habanera Georges Bizet (1838-1875 : France) Conductor: Michel Plasson Ensemble: Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse Soloists: Angela Gheorghiu Record label: EMI Catalogue ID: 5574342

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Download 'Carmen - Toreador's Song' on iTunes

Carmen - Toreador's Song Georges Bizet Conductor: Barry Wordsworth Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra Soloists: Bryn Terfel Record label: Deutsche Grammophon Catalogue ID: 4747032

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Download 'Pearl Fishers - Duet' on iTunes

Pearl Fishers - Duet Georges Bizet Conductor: Paul Bateman Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Soloists: Sol3 Mio Record label: Decca

Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes artwork

Download 'Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes' on iTunes

Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes Benjamin Britten Conductor: Vernon Handley Ensemble: Ulster Orchestra Record label: Chandos Catalogue ID: CHAN 241-2

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Download 'Lakmé: The Flower Duet' on iTunes

Lakmé: The Flower Duet Léo Delibes

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Download 'Song to the Moon' on iTunes

Song to the Moon Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904 : Czechoslovakia) Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda Ensemble: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Soloists: Anna Netrebko Record label: Deutsche Grammophon Catalogue ID: 4742402

Orfeo & Euridice - Che faro Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787 : Germany) Conductor: Roger Norrington Ensemble: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Soloists: Andreas Scholl Record label: Decca Catalogue ID: 4661962

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Who was Luciano Pavarotti? Facts about the legendary Italian tenor

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Introduction to opera

Famous opera plot guides

Top opera pieces

Features

Download Classic FM's Opera Classics

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Opera

Introduction to opera

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Famous opera plot guides

Don Giovanni: A beginner's guide to Mozart's operas

Puccini's Tosca: a beginner's guide

Britten's Peter Grimes: a beginner's guide

The Magic Flute: A beginner's guide to Mozart's operas

Puccini's Madama Butterfly: a beginner's guide

Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro: a beginner's guide

Dido and Aeneas: a synopsis in pictures

Puccini's La Bohème: a beginner's guide

Top opera pieces

'Casta Diva' Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835 : Italy) Soloists: Jean-Yves Thibaudet Record label: Decca Catalogue ID: 4757668

Carmen - Habanera Georges Bizet (1838-1875 : France) Conductor: Michel Plasson Ensemble: Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse Soloists: Angela Gheorghiu Record label: EMI Catalogue ID: 5574342

Carmen - Toreador's Song Georges Bizet Conductor: Barry Wordsworth Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra Soloists: Bryn Terfel Record label: Deutsche Grammophon Catalogue ID: 4747032

Pearl Fishers - Duet Georges Bizet Conductor: Paul Bateman Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Soloists: Sol3 Mio Record label: Decca

Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes Benjamin Britten Conductor: Vernon Handley Ensemble: Ulster Orchestra Record label: Chandos Catalogue ID: CHAN 241-2

Lakmé: The Flower Duet Léo Delibes

Song to the Moon Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904 : Czechoslovakia) Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda Ensemble: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Soloists: Anna Netrebko Record label: Deutsche Grammophon Catalogue ID: 4742402

Orfeo & Euridice - Che faro Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787 : Germany) Conductor: Roger Norrington Ensemble: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Soloists: Andreas Scholl Record label: Decca Catalogue ID: 4661962

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Italian maestro fired for conducting blindfolded, in protest against opera’s ‘political’ staging

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English National Opera is holding its first ‘yard sale’ of costumes and props in a decade

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Singer casually gives astonishing karaoke performance of Mozart’s fiendish ‘Queen of the Night’ aria

Operatic chorus sings Verdi’s thunderous ‘Anvil Chorus’, raising the Royal Albert Hall roof

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14-year-old chorister Malakai Bayoh, signed to Pavarotti’s label, releases first single ‘Pie Jesu’

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Operatic soprano Danielle de Niese performs Bizet’s sultry ‘Habanera’ to captivated Royal Albert Hall

Danielle De Niese on the future of opera: ‘It’s transformative, and worth hanging onto!’

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Who is Roderick Williams, the British baritone and composer at the King’s coronation?

Who is Pretty Yende, the South African soprano performing at the coronation?

Myleene Klass plays five famous opera tunes at the piano – can you guess them all?

Bryn Terfel: who is the Welsh bass-baritone? Age, family, songs and height revealed

13-year-old treble Malakai Bayoh stuns with virtuosic Mozart in Royal Albert Hall debut

Can you guess the opera these cartoon characters are singing?

Classic FM Live 2023 at the Royal Albert Hall: photos from our night of operatic hits

Met Opera ordered to pay Anna Netrebko $200,000 for cancellations over Putin ties

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The 10 most romantic opera duets of all time

Italy’s opera houses hope to save Verdi’s historic home – by singing together

Mezzo stands in last-minute for tenor lead, doubling as Venus and Orpheus in Offenbach opera

15 most famous opera songs and arias

What are the lyrics to the ‘Queen of the Night’ aria?

Glyndebourne cancels 2023 opera tour to England regions following cut in Arts Council funding

John Suchet awarded OBE in New Year Honours alongside leading music figures

Why beloved Christmas film ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ makes the perfect opera

Leading UK opera companies have funding slashed in Arts Council announcement

Powerful footage shows opera singer leading Ukrainian national anthem under Kyiv station

Opera-singing security guard joins organist in moving Queen Elizabeth II tribute at London station

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96-year-old operatic soprano with crystal clear voice sings a miraculous ‘Panis Angelicus’

World-famous tenor Pavarotti posthumously honoured with star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Cape Town Opera singers surprise airplane passengers with unexpected Verdi chorus

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