Do you want to learn about the best famous operas in 2022? In this list, we are going to discuss the names of the best operas of all time.
Finding the ‘best’ operas in 2022 is like finding a needle in a haystack. The term ‘best’ is a relative term because for everyone the meaning of popular operas is different.
Maybe our idea of what was the best opera of 2022 may not appeal to everyone. But we have tried to be as genuine as we could and have prepared a list of Opera musical concerts that is fair and just for all.
List of the Best Famous Operas in 2022
Let’s learn about the most popular operas of 2022 by the greatest composers of all time.
1. Dido and Aeneas
Dido and Aeneas is an opera consisting of a series of three acts. It was written by composer Henry Purcell. Although it is not known when this opera was performed because accurate dates were not mentioned back then.
However, historians say that the dates were before July 1688. Dido and Aeneas was first performed at Josias Priest’s girls’ school in London by the end of 1689.
The opera highlights the love of Dido, Queen of Carthage, for the Trojan hero Aeneas. However, Aeneas never marries her and her heartbreak and despair is the crux of this opera.
2. L’Orfeo
L’Orfeo, also called as La favola d’Orfeo, is a late Renaissance opera by Claudio Monteverdi.
The opera is based on a Greek legend about Orpheus. It tells the story of Hades who wanted to bring back his dead bride Eurydice back to life.
The opera was written in 1607 and was first performed at the annual Carnival at Mantua. It is also considered one of the earliest operas that are still being performed in theatres.
3. Serse (Xerxes)
Serse is another opera comprising three acts. It was written by George Frideric Handel and was first performed in London on 15 April 1738.
The opera is very loosely based upon Xerxes I of Persia and tells about the tale of Xerxes adventures for a plant lover named Romilda. It is usually sung by a female mezzo-soprano.
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4. Idomeneo
Idomeneo is an Italian language opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The context of the play was adapted from French text by Antoine Danchet. The origins of Idomeneo go back to 1705 where it was first played by Crébillion père.
Later in the 1780s, Mozart and Varesco were commissioned by Karl Theodor, who was the Elector of Bavaria, for a court carnival.
The work first officially premiered in operas on 29 January 1781 in Munich, Germany. It is now considered as one of the finest operas that were ever created.
5. Die Zauberflöte
Die Zauberflöte opera is the story of a mythical land present between the sun and the moon. Here a prince by the name Prince Tamino lives. The story is about Prince Tamino and a Queen’s daughter named Pamina. Pamina is taken by a serpent and the Queen requests the Prince to save her.
The work first premiered on 30 September 1791 at Schikaneder’s theatre. After two months, the composer of the opera died prematurely. This particular opera is still being played around the world on a regular basis and is one of the best operas of 2022.
6. Le Nozze di Figaro
Another great opera of 2022 is Le nozze di Figaro also called as the Marriage of Figaro. The opera is segmented into four sections. It was first played in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Le Nozze di Figaro was the first opera to be premiered at the Burg theater in Vienna on 1 May 1786.
The story of the opera revolves around two servants, Figaro and Susanna, who succeed in getting married, foiling the efforts of their employer.
Le Nozze di Figaro tells about poverty in Italy and how servants were limited to obey and had no thoughts of their own. The opera of Figaro tells about liberty and freedom in a comic way.
7. Guillaume Tell (William Tell)
Guillaume Tell aka William Tell is a French-language opera that has been played around for over three centuries. The play was first composed by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini. It tells about the legend of William Tell.
Tell was a marksman who rebelled against the House of Austria, the kingdom of that time, and started a revolt.
The opera tells about the March of the Swiss Soldiers and often-performed in four different segments. Each segment features a depiction of a storm and a vivacious finale.
8. Norma
Norma tells the tragic tale of Norma, the high priestess of the Druid temple. Norma had two children and was married to the Roman proconsul of Gaul. She broke her wedlock after finding out that her lover was in love with her best friend, the young Druid priestess Adalgisa.
The opera is played in two parts and was written by Vincenzo Bellini. The opera was first produced at La Scala in Milan in 1831.
Norma is considered as one of the finest operas produced by bel canto repertoire. Many experts consider it as the finest work of Bellini as it challenges the soprano and pushes them to the next level.
9. Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia di Lammermoor is another tragic drama that is played in three different segments. The opera was first played by Soprano Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote this Italian-language masterpiece and it is based on the historical novel called The Bride of Lammermoor.
The Bride of Lammermoor explains the story of emotionally fragile Lucy Ashton, who was stuck in a feud between her own family and that of the Ravenswood. She fell in love with Edgardo, a member of the Ravenswood family. However, she was forced to marry another person.
Frequently Ask Questions
Here are a few frequently asked questions about the famous operas of 2022.
Q: What is considered the greatest opera of all time?
A: Dido and Aeneas is undoubtedly considered the best opera of all time because of the story it entails. Humans by nature are drawn towards heartbreak, tragedy, and despair. Dido and Aeneas is a perfect mixture of all this.
Q: Who’s better: Beethoven or Mozart?
A: Until 2016, Mozart was considered as the best music composer of all time because he had 16 compositions in the top 300. However, in 2016, Beethoven took over him with 19 compositions in the top 300, 3 in top 10. So, Beethoven is the better music composer.
Final Words – Best Famous Operas
We hope that you are now aware of all the best famous operas, we have compiled the greatest famous operas of all time.
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