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

Top opera pieces

Download ''Casta Diva'' on iTunes

Vincenzo Bellini Soloists: Jean-Yves Thibaudet Record label: Decca

Download 'Carmen - Habanera' on iTunes

Georges Bizet Conductor: Michel Plasson Ensemble: Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse Soloists: Angela Gheorghiu Record label: EMI

Download 'Carmen - Toreador's Song' on iTunes

Georges Bizet Conductor: Barry Wordsworth Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra Soloists: Bryn Terfel Record label: Deutsche Grammophon

Pearl Fishers - Duet artwork
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

Download 'Lakmé: The Flower Duet' on iTunes

Léo Delibes

Song to the Moon artwork
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

Features

Washington National Opera leaves Kennedy Center

Washington National Opera ends 55‑year residency at the Trump Kennedy Center, citing financial issues

Exclusive
Sir Bryn Terfel joins Classic FM to host new series on opera villains.

Opera star Sir Bryn Terfel joins Classic FM to host new series

Bryn Terfel

Rotherham opera

More than 2,000 children come together to stage Rotherham’s first ever opera

Protesters storm Met Opera Carmen performance

Protestors storm Carmen stage, bringing Met Opera production to a halt

New York Metropolitan Opera

Sandra Oh makes show-stopping opera debut at the New York Met

Sandra Oh makes show-stopping opera debut at the New York Met

New York Metropolitan Opera

Katie Mitchell has retired as an opera director, saying she has never had a working process free from misogyny.

Opera director Katie Mitchell takes final bow, citing persistent industry misogyny

Latest on Classic FM

Hans Zimmer to compose score for HBO’s new Harry Potter series

Hans Zimmer to compose original score for HBO’s new Harry Potter series

Zimmer

Is Jessie Buckley classically trained?

Did you know ‘Hamnet’ star Jessie Buckley studied piano, clarinet, saxophone, harp and singing?
Anna Lapwood plays newly restored Britton organ

Restored 5,000-pipe organ finally sounds again at sell-out Anna Lapwood concert

Ludwig Göransson won the Best Original Score Golden Globe for 'Sinners'

Outrage as ‘Best Original Score’ award cut from Golden Globes televised broadcast

Hamnet (2026) starring Jessie Buckley

Max Richter’s ‘Hamnet’ soundtrack leaves fans in tears after Jessie Buckley scene

Richter

Listen to the Classic FM Hall of Fame countdown live, 9am-9pm across the Easter weekend.

Vote for your favourite classical music in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2026

Classic FM Hall of Fame

David Bowie Life on Mars

David Bowie’s isolated vocal from ‘Life On Mars’ reveals the true power of his tenor range

Footage resurfaces of Paul Mescal singing in school production of ‘Phantom of the Opera’

Paul Mescal stars in school production of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ in unearthed footage

Lloyd Webber

Rare iron age trumpet unearthed in Norfolk

Rare iron age battle trumpet unearthed in Norfolk

Gustavo Dudamel is one of today’s most celebrated orchestral conductors

Who is Gustavo Dudamel, Grammy-winning Venezuelan conductor?

Gustavo Dudamel

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

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