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Lists that rank the greatest works, composers, and musicians by instrument. 

Opera

Lucia di Lammermoor

List of the best operas of all time - a comprehensive greatest opera list that includes work that includes works from all over the world by Italian, French, German, Austrian, Russian, Czech, and American composers, and many more. This list features a variety of operatic genres and styles, including opera seria, opera buffa, opera comique, as well as bel canto and Singspiel styles of singing. Be sure to vote for the famous operas you believe are the greatest of all time, and vote down any you don't like. You can also re-rank this list in any order you want.What makes a great opera so great? A compelling storyline is certainly important, but it's the music that keeps us enraptured. Some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-opera-songs/bustermcdermott" target="_blank">best opera songs</a> of all time are included in these operas listed here, including &quot;Habanera&quot; from 'Carmen,' &quot;Nessun dorma&quot; from <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/giacomo-puccini-operas/reference" target="_blank">Giacomo Puccini's</a> 'Turandot' and &quot;Celeste Aida&quot; from <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/giuseppe-verdi-operas/reference" target="_blank">Guiseppe Verdi's</a> 'Aida.' The operas listed here are classics. Many have been enjoyed by opera lovers for centuries, in fact. Some are tragedies, and they'll <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/operas-that-will-bring-tears-to-even-the-driest-of-eyes/sarahmarie" target="_blank">bring tears to even the driest of eyes</a> (Puccini's 'La boheme' comes to mind, as does his 'Madame Butterfly' and Verdi's 'La traviata'). Wipe those tears away, and start voting for the best operas, right here and right now.

Classical

What are the best opera songs of all time? With so many possibilities and choices, it's hard to come up with a definitive list, but that's exactly what's going on here. This list includes some of the most popular opera arias from <a href="/list/best-operas/bustermcdermott" target="_blank">the best operas</a> ever, complete with videos, wherever possible. Vote for the opera songs you love the most, vote down any you don't like and please, do add any choices that might be missing. You can also re-rank this list of the best opera songs any way you like. From classic opera to Italian operatic songs, this list has them all!&nbsp;If you're an opera aficionado, most if not all of these great opera songs will be instantly familiar to you. If you're sitting there thinking, &quot;I don't know the first thing about opera,&quot; you might be wrong. Many of the most famous opera arias are used in popular culture. Some are used as background music for commercials and certainly for movie trailers.One big example of an opera song used in pop culture is &quot;The Flower Duet,&quot; from the <a href="/list/french-operas/reference" target="_blank">French opera</a>&nbsp;Lakme. This song can be found in several commercials and movies, including ads for British Airways and the films The Hunger, The American President and Meet the Parents, among others. And <a href="/list/richard-wagner-operas/reference" target="_blank">Richard Wagner's</a> &quot;Ride of the Valkyries,&quot; from his famous opera Die Walk&uuml;re, can be heard in several major films, including Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now.See? Even if you think you don't know opera, you do, sort of. You will after perusing this list and watching some of the videos, too.No list of the best opera songs would be complete without songs from one of the most famous operas ever, George Bizet's Carmen. Of those songs, &quot;Habanera&quot; is probably the most well-known, but there are many others. If your favorite Carmen aria isn't listed, again, feel free to add it.A truly outstanding opera song is memorable, emotional and very personal. Not everyone likes the same things – that's part of what makes music so wonderful, after all. Everyone has differing opinions, so enjoy giving yours with your votes here.

Jussi Björling

Opera isn’t a genre with which the average person is very familiar. In modern entertainment, opera and theatrical drama has drawn smaller audiences than it once did years ago. However, opera can be a beautiful experience, there’s nothing quite the raw power of the skilled human voice filling an entire room, communicating <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-romance-drama-movies/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">drama and romance</a>. It takes an incredibly well-trained voice to sing opera, but the musicians on this list have mastered the craft.Who are the best opera <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/rolling-stones_-100-greatest-vocalists-of-all-time/rolling-stone-lists?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">singers of all time</a>?&nbsp;The opera singers on this list are history’s all time best performers. They come from a variety of backgrounds and time periods, but the effect they had on the world of music and opera is incredible. An opera singer is a finely-tuned, highly skilled musician who has a unique, powerful voice, and can deliver a breathtaking live performance.This list features the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/notable-opera-singer_s)/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best opera singers</a> in the world's history, ranked by the community. Some of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-operas/bustermcdermott?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the great opera</a> singers on this list include Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Maria Callas, Pl&aacute;cido Domingo, and Mario Lanza. Vote up the best opera singers in history below, or add a talented opera singer who isn't already on the list.

Anna Netrebko

While modern entertainment is drastically different than it was in history, art forms like ballet, theatre, and the opera are still some of the most moving experiences in live entertainment. Opera is a powerful performance that typically combines incredible singing and drama. It is still a popular form of entertainment today, and there are many highly skilled performers singing opera for modern audiences.Who are the best living opera singers?&nbsp;This list features the most popular current opera singers in the world, ranked by the community. Some of the great, modern opera singers on this list are also among the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-opera-singers-of-all-time/bustermcdermott">best opera singers of all time</a>.The best living opera singers on this list range every voice type and include talented musicians like Roberto Alagna, Pl&aacute;cido Domingo, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Angela Gheorghiu, Kathleen Battle, Jessye Norman, and Cecilia Bartoli. Vote up the best living opera singers below or add an opera singer you think is great, who is still alive, but isn't already on the list.

Composers

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

The best classical composers of all time ranked from best to worst. These classical composers are some of the best musicians in history, and are responsible for some of the greatest works of classical music the world has ever heard. Though these were men of a classical era of music, their concertos, sonatas, and movements are present in everything from rock concerts to blockbuster movies and are some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/classical-music-most-popular-top-100/kickassclassical">most popular classical songs</a>.These top classical composers have written some of the most relaxing music, the most inspirational music, and the most beautiful music in the world. They are the greatest composers who ever have lived. Who are the greatest classical composers? What are the characteristics of the best classical composers? Who wrote the best classical music? This list of the top classical composers aims to answer these questions and others that have to do with determining who the best composers of classical music were and are. If your favorite classical composer isn't on the list of the best If classical music is your thing (and you're checking out a list of the best classical composers, so it probably is), check out the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/hottest-male-classical-musicians/barbara-gaston">hottest men in classical music</a> and the hottest <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/hottest-female-classical-musicians/dude?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">women in classical music</a>.

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Elisabeth Swarzkopf

When a soprano sings, it is so elegant, yet powerful, that it’s hard to imagine anything sounding more incredible. Soprano is the highest of the four standard singing voices. It is a rare ability to not only have the talent to become an opera singer, but to also have such a high singing range. Sopranos are highly sought after and are some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-female-singer-of-the-year?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">most famous female singers</a> in history – and true divas in the world of opera. Who are the best sopranos of all time?&nbsp;The greatest sopranos of all time are featured on this list, and all had such unique voices that they have helped shape opera as we know it.This list has been ranked by the community and includes the best sopranos of all time such as&nbsp;Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Victoria De Los Angeles, Leontyne Price, Birgit Nilsson, Montserrat Caball&eacute;, Lucia Popp, and Margaret Price.Vote up the best sopranos of all time below, or add the opera singing soprano you think is the greatest if she isn't already on the list.

Nicolai Gedda

When a tenor sings, it sounds so crystal clear and powerful it’s hard to imagine anything sounding more profound. Tenor is the singing voice between baritone and alto, and is the highest voice of the ordinary adult male range. Since it is such a rare gift to not only have the ability to become an opera singer, but to also have such a high singing range, tenors are highly sought after and are some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-opera-singers-of-all-time/bustermcdermott">greatest opera singers in history</a>.Who are the best tenors of all time?&nbsp;This list features the greatest tenors of all time, and they have all forever shaped the world of opera. Many of them also ended up recording music other than just opera and some of them have bestselling records as well.The great and famous tenors on this list have been ranked by the community and include Pl&aacute;cido Domingo, Enrico Caruso, Luciano Pavarotti, Fritz Wunderlich, Jussi Bjorling, Lauritz Melchior, and Beniamino Gigli.Vote up the top operatic tenors you think are the best below or add a tenor who isn't already on the list.

Leontyne Price

While opera isn't the most popular for of modern entertainment, it is still a significant cultural staple in many countries, and can be an incredibly moving experience. An opera singer is skilled in the art of singing, acting, and most importantly, projecting their voice in a powerful way to a live audience, filling the entire theatre with music. <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-female-opera-singers/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Female opera singers</a> can hit the high notes with ease.Who are the best female opera singers of all time?&nbsp;The talented women featured on this list have made a significant impact in the world of opera, and are incredibly talented. Female opera singers are usually sopranos or altos. If you’re interested in opera and want to see these female singers in action, but can't afford to attend, there are many operas available on DVD as well.The greatest female opera singers on this list include Maria Callas, Renee Fleming, and Anna Gottlieb. Vote up the best of the best below or add the top female opera singers you think are the best if they aren't already on the list.

Anton Rubinstein

Is there any sound more beautiful than a piano composition? Almost every piece from composers in early classical music featured this powerful instrument to strike the perfect chords. The piano is extremely versatile, and unlike the guitar, cello, or violin, the strings on the piano are located inside and played with the keys. Many musicians have some knowledge of the piano, even if it isn't their primary instrument. But who are the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-pianists-of-all-time/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest pianists of all time</a>? Classical and Baroque periods of music history definitely increased the popularity of the piano and almost every genre of music in today’s culture also uses it! It’s no wonder that mastering the art of playing the piano is such a desirable goal. It is also an instrument that once learned, makes it easier to learn other instruments and is popular among young music students. This list features the all time greatest piano players, includin, Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Chopin, Franz Liszt, and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Vote up the best pianists below, and see where the musicians you think are the greatest of all time rank!

While opera isn’t a genre too many people are very familiar with, opera can be the most amazing experience of in the world; there’s nothing quite like the passion of the well-trained human voice filling an entire room such a powerful way. Some great, well-known operas are in Italian, but what are the best Italian operas of all time? &nbsp; The operas on this list include some of history’s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-operas/bustermcdermott?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest operas of all time</a>. Many well-known composers wrote these incredible Italian operas, including Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, and Vincenzo Bellini. All of these composers were of Italian birth and forever changed the course of music history in their time periods. In fact, their works are still being celebrated and performed across the globe today. &nbsp; This list features the best Italian operas, ranked by voters, including: Aida, Cavalleria Rusticana, Il Barbiere De Siviglia, La Gioconda, La Traviata, L’elisir D’amore, Madama Butterfly, La boh&egrave;me, and Turandot. Vote up the best Italian operas below.

The world of opera isn’t a world that the average person is too familiar with. In the modern world of musicals and movies, singing and modern dance, entertainment like opera and ballet have become less popular than they were decades ago. Still, an opera can be the most beautiful experience of a lifetime; there’s just nothing like the power of the mastered human voice filling an entire room in such an elegant way. France is a country known for great operas, but what are the best French operas?The operas on this list range in genre – some are romance, others drama, and there are even a few comedies featured here. These are the best French operas, and they have been ranked by voters. Even if you haven’t had the luxury of experiencing an opera in person there are several ways to see them online.This list features the best French operas including The Tales of Hoffman, Carmen, Faust, Le Devin Du Village, Guillame Tell, Cadmus Et Hermione, Iphigenie En Tauride, Rom&eacute;o et Juliette, de la Haine &agrave; l'Amour, and Hippolyte Et Aricie. Vote up the best French operas below.

Robert Alexander Schumann

The Romantic Era was a cultural and artistic revival that started in the early 1800s and lasted until the early 20th century (right before WWl). There was a fascination with the past, particularly the Middle Ages and legends of medieval chivalry. This movement was extremely evident in not only literature and painting but also music, with more of an emphasis on originality then tradition and pieces with more of a fantasy theme. This era also produced the great majority of well known and great composers. This list includes the top famous composers of the Romantic period. Upvote your favorite musicians based on their bodies of work from this time.

A list of absolute best symphonies of all time, ranked as the best by music lovers and the Ranker community. Featuring some of the best pieces of classical music ever written, this list hass the best symphonies of all time, with video of great performances of each symphony. What are the absolute best symphonies of all time?This list features the best symphonies from history’s <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/my-favorite-classical-composers-of-all-time">greatest classical composers</a>, such as Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Mozart, and Sibelius. Musicians such as <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-violinists-of-all-time/ranker-music"></a><a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-classical-violinists-of-all-time/ranker-music">great violinists</a> and the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-classical-pianists-of-all-time/ranker-music">best classical pianists</a> have performed these symphonies, including&nbsp;Beethoven's 9th (Choral) Symphony, Dvorak's 9th (New World) Symphony, Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony, Mozarts 40th (Great) Symphony, and Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony. Vote up the best symphonies in music history below, or add any famous or popular symphony you think is great if it isn't already on the list.

Frédéric Chopin

These are the greatest Romantic composers ranked from best to worst by user votes. Musicians that changed the music world forever. And not just the world of Classical music. It goes without saying that the best Romantic composers did their finest work in many time periods, and their influence and legacy can still be found to this day all over the world. And that is truly the mark of a great Composer.So, what musical geniuses can one expect to find on a list like this? Any collection of great romantic composers must include Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Chopin. He composed many beautiful sonatas, preludes and concertos during the romantic era. Another incredibly talented composer who wrote music in the romantic period was Ludwig van Beethoven.Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, both of which are still performed by orchestras all over the world. Other <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/dead-musicians-2015-famous-musician-deaths/ranker-death-lists?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous musicians</a> who appear on this <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-romantic-era-composers?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">top romantic composers</a> list include Johannes Brahms, Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt.Which romantic composer do you think deserves the top spot on this list? Vote up the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-musical-artists-of-all-time/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best musicians</a> to the top of this list!

Martha Argerich

Classical music forever shaped the future of music. Most of contemporary music has influences from classical music in some way. Becoming a professional pianist is much more than just hitting the right note. It involves comprehensive music theory, having an ear for rhythm, and the passion for music that simply can't be taught. &nbsp; The piano is one of the most powerful instruments in the music world. Classical composers like Bach and Beethoven used the piano to build the parts for all of the other instruments in their symphonies and other works. Who are the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-pianists-of-all-time/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest classical pianists of all time</a>? &nbsp; This list features the all time greatest classical pianists, ranked by the community's votes and including Aaron Copland, Jacques Abram, Johann Sebastian Bach, Lang Lang, and George Frideric Handel. Vote up the best classical pianists below or add one you think is the greatest who isn't already on the list.

Francis Poulenc

Who are the greatest French composers of all time? This list is ranked from best to worst by Classical music fans all over the world. The best French composers hail from all walks of life and lived during various time periods. When it comes to some of the more famous composers on this list, they gained popularity during the Renaissance. Others gained notoriety during the Romantic period. A few of them even wrote music that is still popular today.&nbsp;What are some of the names you'll find on this French composers list? Claude Debussy's impressionist style made him a favorite of classical music fans in the 1890s and beyond. The flowing riffs of “Clair de Lune” still make for enchanting orchestrations all over the world. Hector Berlioz is another one of the most talented composers from France. When it comes to avant-garde French composers it doesn't get much better than the “Gymnop&eacute;dies” writer Eric Satie. Other good musicians that appear on this top French composers list include <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/jules-massenet-operas/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Jules Massenet</a>, Jean-Phillipe Rameau and Marc-Antoine Charpentier.Which of these composers do you think wrote the best pieces? Give your <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/my-favorite-classical-composers-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">favorite composers</a> a thumbs up and please add any <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-musical-artists-of-all-time/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">great Classical musicians</a> you think belong on this list.

Beethoven's nine symphonies are the greatest and most majestic collection of work in history and here is me trying to rank them.

Barbara Strozzi

These are the greatest B<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-baroque-composers/zachthemusicmage?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">aroque composers</a> ranked from best to worst by classical music fans and just music lovers in general. When it comes to the best Baroque composers, they came from various backgrounds and from countries all over the world. Some of these musicians, a couple of the more <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-baroque-composers/zachthemusicmage?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous Baroque composers</a> have even written music that is still popular to this day.What names will you find on this best Baroque composers list? Johann Sebastian Bach is a composer synonymous with the baroque period. He was famous for incorporating four part harmonies and modulations into his <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-most-popular-broadway-musicals-ever/constance-bennet?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous musical</a> masterpieces. Henry Purcell is another one of the most famous baroque composers who appears on this list. George Frideric Handel is best known for his famous Messiah, which is still performed by orchestras all over the world. Other talented baroque composers featured on this list include Antonio Vivaldi, Domenico Scarlatti and Jean-Baptiste Lully.Which baroque composer do you think wrote the most beautiful music? Take a look at this list and get in on the conversation in the comments section.

Béla Bartók

Opera artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good opera bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups’s label and what albums they've put out. This list of the top opera <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-famous-rock-bands-right-now/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">bands in the world</a> includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Opera groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. If available, you can also see information about where all opera bands on this list got started. These are truly the greatest opera bands of all time, since the most famous opera artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-opera-songs/bustermcdermott?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best opera music</a>. You can click on the opera band names to see more information about that particular notable opera group. If they're near the top of the best opera artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top opera bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the opera band names themselves. This list includes Leonard Bernstein, Luciano Pavarotti and more artists. Vote for the best artists on the list to see them rise to the top. The most fun part of this is deciding to vote on artists like George Gershwin and Samuel Barber.All important, significant and iconic names in opera music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list. The list includes all new opera bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of opera, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into opera music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good opera bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent opera bands.This list answers the questions "who are the best opera bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest opera musician ever?"If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular opera bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.Re-rank this entire page then share it to see what your friends think. {#nodes}

Krystian Zimerman

The piano is one of the most popular and most diverse musical instruments in the world. The instrument has permeated through dozens of genres of music, lending itself to help create some of the most moving and emotional pieces of music in history. The people on this list are masters of the piano and are considered giants in the musical world.&nbsp;&nbsp;Whether you recognize these musicians or not, they've all carved a place out for themselves in the classical music world and have become influential and prominent figures in the industry. If you love geeking out on music, we definitely recommend finding some of their music.&nbsp;This list is votable and rerankable, so take a look through and vote up your favorite <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-classical-pianists/stevie-wonder-on-a-keytar">famous classical pianists</a> in the world. If you don't see someone on here who should be, feel free to add them, but this list is for living musicians only.

Classical Music & Opera

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List of the most famous Opera in one act operas, listed alphabetically with photos when available. This list contains popular examples of operas of the genre Opera in one act, and contains information such as what language the opera was composed in. If you want to know more about these historic Opera in one act operas you can click on their names for even more information. Any notable operas in the Opera in one act genre should be listed below, so if you're an opera lover use this list to find a few that you've never heard of. List features items like Suor Angelica, Bluebeard's Castle, and many more This list helps answer the questions, "<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-opera-seria-operas/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">What is Opera</a> in one act?" and "What are <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-operas/bustermcdermott?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the best Opera</a> in one act operas?"

Opera in one act | List of Opera in one act Operas

List of Opera in one act Operas

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A Little Nightmare Music

A Little Nightmare Music is an opera in "one irrevocable act" by Peter Schickele under the pseudonym he uses for parodies and comical works P. D. Q. Bach. The title of the work refers to the English translation of Mozart's famous Eine kleine Nachtmusik. The opera is described as being "based on a dream he had December 4, 1791, the night that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died and Antonio Salieri didn't." The opera was "newly exhumed" at Carnegie Hall on December 27, 1982. It was later recorded with the premiere cast and released on CD by Vanguard Records in 1983. The album also includes two other works by P. D. Q. Bach: an octet and a parody of Handel's Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks, Royal Firewater Musick.

Abu Hassan

Abu Hassan is a comic opera in one act by Carl Maria von Weber to a German libretto by Franz Carl Hiemer, based on a story in One Thousand and One Nights. It was composed between 11 August 1810 and 12 January 1811 and has set numbers with recitative and spoken dialogue. The work is a Singspiel in the then popular Turkish style.

Adina

Adina is an operatic farsa in one act by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Marchese Gherardo Bevilacqua-Aldobrandini. The opera develops the popular theme of the "abduction from the seraglio". The première took place on 22 June 1826 at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Lisbon.

Aleko

Aleko is the first of three completed operas by Sergei Rachmaninoff. The Russian libretto was written by Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko and is an adaptation of the poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin. The opera was written in 1892 as a graduation work at the Moscow Conservatory, and it won the highest prizes from the conservatory judges that year. It was first performed in Moscow 19 May 1892.

Amahl and the Night Visitors

Amahl and the Night Visitors is an opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti with an original English libretto by the composer. It was commissioned by NBC and first performed by the NBC Opera Theatre on December 24, 1951, in New York City at NBC studio 8H in Rockefeller Center, where it was broadcast live on television from that venue as the debut production of the Hallmark Hall of Fame. It was the first opera specifically composed for television in America.

Ariadne auf Naxos

Ariadne auf Naxos, Op. 60, is an opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Bringing together slapstick comedy and consummately beautiful music, the opera's theme is the competition between high and low art for the public's attention. Music critic and author Matt Dobkin wrote that, while Ariadne auf Naxos is "not as well loved as Der Rosenkavalier or as important as Salome, it is nevertheless staged all the time, thanks in large part to sopranos' attraction to the vocal and dramatic grandeur of the title role and to the compelling spitfire Zerbinetta character."

Ariane

Ariane is a one-act opera by Bohuslav Martinů to a French libretto by the composer drawn from a play by Georges Neveux,.

At the Boar's Head

At the Boar's Head is an opera in one act by the English composer Gustav Holst, his op. 42. Holst himself described the work as "A Musical Interlude in One Act". The libretto, by the composer himself, is based on Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2.

Bertha

Bertha is an opera in one act, with music by Ned Rorem to an English libretto by Kenneth Koch, an original work parodying Shakespeare's histories. Rorem wrote the work originally at the request of the Metropolitan Opera Studio in the 1960s, intended as an opera for children. However, the Met studio rejected the work. The work was premiered at Alice Tully Hall in New York City on November 25, 1973 with Beverly Wolff in the title role.
Bertha is still sporadically performed. It received a performance by The Golden Fleece in New York City in 1981. In the UK, the New World Opera Company produced the work in London in February 2001.

Bluebeard's Castle

Bluebeard's Castle is a one-act opera by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók. The libretto was written by Béla Balázs, a poet and friend of the composer, and is written in Hungarian, based on the French literary tale "La Barbe bleue" by Charles Perrault. The opera lasts only a little over an hour and there are only two singing characters onstage: Bluebeard, and his new wife Judith; the two have just eloped and Judith is coming home to Bluebeard's castle for the first time.
Bluebeard's Castle was composed in 1911 and first performed on 24 May 1918 in Budapest. Universal Edition published the vocal and full score. The Boosey & Hawkes full score includes only the German and English singing translations while the Dover edition reproduces the Universal Edition Hungarian/German vocal score. A revision of the UE vocal score in 1963 added a new German translation by Wilhelm Ziegler, but seems not to have corrected any errata. Universal Edition and Bartók Records has published a new edition of the work in 2005 with new English translation by Peter Bartók, accompanied by extensive errata list.

Capriccio

Capriccio, Op. 85, is the final opera by German composer Richard Strauss, subtitled "A Conversation Piece for Music". The opera received its premiere performance at the Nationaltheater München on 28 October 1942. Clemens Krauss and Strauss wrote the German libretto. However, the genesis of the libretto came from Stefan Zweig in the 1930s, and Joseph Gregor further developed the idea several years later. Strauss then took on the libretto, but finally recruited Krauss as his collaborator on the opera. Most of the final libretto is by Krauss.
The opera originally consisted of a single act lasting close to two and a half hours. This, in combination with the work's conversational tone and emphasis on text, has prevented the opera from achieving great popularity. However, at Hamburg in 1957, Rudolf Hartmann, who had directed the opera at its premiere in Munich, inserted an interval at the point when the Countess orders chocolate, and other directors have often followed suit, including performances at Glyndebourne Festival Opera. The final scene for Countess Madeleine can often be heard as an excerpt. Capriccio received its American Premiere at The Santa Fe Opera in 1958.

Comedy on the Bridge

Comedy on the Bridge is an opera in one act by Bohuslav Martinů to a Czech libretto by the composer, based on the comedy by Václav Kliment Klicpera.

Daphne

Daphne, Op. 82, is an opera in one act by Richard Strauss, subtitled "Bucolic Tragedy in One Act". The German libretto was by Joseph Gregor. The opera is based loosely on the mythological figure Daphne from Ovid's Metamorphoses and includes elements taken from The Bacchae by Euripides. The opera premiered at the Semperoper in Dresden on 15 October 1938, originally intended as a double bill with Strauss' Friedenstag, but as the scale of Daphne grew, that idea was abandoned. The conductor of the first performance was Karl Böhm, to whom the opera was dedicated.

Daphnis et Eglé

Daphnis et Eglé is an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau. It was due to appear on 30 October 1753 at Fontainebleau, but the performance was cancelled. It takes the form of a pastorale héroïque in one act. The librettist was Charles Collé.

Das Nusch-Nuschi

Das Nusch-Nuschi is an opera in one act by Paul Hindemith, with a German libretto by Franz Blei.
Subtitled A Play for Burmese Marionettes it is in fact a fully staged work with both singers and dancers, the second in a triptych of expressionist influenced one-act operas, the others being Mörder, Hoffnung der Frauen op. 12, and Sancta Susanna op. 20.

Das Rendezvous

Das Rendezvous, op.78, is an opera in one act by Giselher Klebe. His wife, Lore Klebe, wrote the libretto based on a work by Michail Zoščenko.
The opera premiered in 1977 in Hannover, Germany.

Das Rheingold

Das Rheingold, WWV 86A, is the first of the four operas that constitute Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen. It was originally written as an introduction to the tripartite Ring, but the cycle is now generally regarded as consisting of four individual operas.
Das Rheingold premiered at the National Theatre Munich on 22 September 1869, with August Kindermann in the role of Wotan, Heinrich Vogl as Loge, and Karl Fischer as Alberich. Wagner wanted this opera to premiere as part of the entire cycle, but was forced to allow the performance at the insistence of his patron King Ludwig II of Bavaria. The opera was first performed as part of the complete cycle on 13 August 1876, in the Bayreuther Festspielhaus.

Der Mond

Der Mond is an opera in one act by Carl Orff based on a Brothers Grimm fairy tale with a libretto by the composer. It was first performed on 5 February 1939 by the Bavarian State Opera in Munich under the direction of Clemens Krauss. The composer describes it not as an opera but as Ein kleines Welttheater; the performance lasts for about one hour and is usually paired with Orff's Die Kluge.

Der Zwerg

Der Zwerg, Op.17 is an opera in one act by Austrian composer Alexander von Zemlinsky to a libretto by Georg Klaren, freely adapted from the short story "The Birthday of the Infanta" by Oscar Wilde.

Die Ermordung Cäsars

Die Ermordung Cäsars, Op. 32, is an opera in one act by Giselher Klebe who also wrote the libretto based on the translation by August Wilhelm von Schlegel of Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.
It premiered on 20 September 1959 at the Grillo-Theater, Essen, with Gustav König conducting. It is dedicated to the German composer Wilhelm Maler. The opera is scored for piccolo flute; soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones; contrabassoon; bass trumpet; tenor tuba; timpani; piano; cellos; double basses; several tapes. A performance takes about 50 minutes.

Die glückliche Hand

Die glückliche Hand, is a Drama mit Musik by Arnold Schoenberg in four scenes. It was composed between 1910 and 1913. Like Erwartung, composed a year earlier, it was heavily influenced by Otto Weininger's book Sex and Character. Unlike Erwartung, Schoenberg wrote the libretto for Die glückliche Hand himself. The first performance took place in Vienna on 24 October 1924. The underlying message of the piece is the idea that man continues to repeatedly make the same mistakes, and the plot is developed from events in Schoenberg’s personal life.

Die schwarze Maske

Die schwarze Maske is an opera by composer Krzysztof Penderecki using a German libretto by the composer and Harry Kupfer which is based on a 1928 play by Gerhart Hauptmann. The opera premiered at the Salzburg Festival on 15 August 1986, after which there were productions mounted at the Vienna State Opera and the Great Theatre, Warsaw during the following opera season. The work had its United States premiere on July 30, 1988 at the Santa Fe Opera with a cast that included Mark Lundberg.

Die toten Augen

Die toten Augen is an opera with a prologue and one act by Eugen d'Albert to a libretto in German by Hanns Heinz Ewers and Marc Henry after Henry's own 1897 play Les yeux morts.

Don Sanche

Don Sanche, ou Le château de l'amour, S.1, is an opera in one act composed in 1824-25 by Franz Liszt, with French libretto by Théaulon and de Rancé, based on a story by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian. For 30 years it was believed to be lost until it was rediscovered in 1903. The first modern performance took place in 1977, 74 years after its rediscovery.

Eight Songs for a Mad King

Eight Songs for a Mad King is a monodrama by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies with a libretto by Randolph Stow, based on words of George III. The work was written for the South-African actor Roy Hart and the composer's ensemble the Pierrot Players, and premiered on 22 April 1969. Lasting half an hour, it is scored for a baritone, with an extraordinary command of extended techniques covering more than five octaves, and six players:
flute
clarinet
percussion: railway whistle/Snare drum/ 2 susp.cymbals /foot cyms/ 2 wood blocks / Bass drum/chains/ratchet/tom-toms/tamtam/tambourine/rototoms/toy bird-calls/2tpl.bl/ wind chimes/crotales/sleigh bells/glockenspiel/steel bars/crow/didgeridoo
piano
violin
cello
The songs derive from tunes played by an extant mechanical organ owned by George III, tunes that he attempted to train bullfinches to sing:
The Sentry
The Country Walk
The Lady-In-Waiting
To Be Sung On The Water
The Phantom Queen
The Counterfeit
Country Dance
The Review
The action unfolds as a soliloquy by the king, the players being placed on stage in large birdcages, and climaxes in his snatching and smashing the violin.

List of the most famous Opera in one act operas, listed alphabetically with photos when available. This list contains popular examples of operas of the genre ...