Your favourite light operas

[Hornspieler]

Mine is F von Flotow's "Martha". A delightful and tender work.

But what's yours, guv?

There are many composers to choose from:

Franz von Suppé. Jacques Offenbach, Edward German, Raff, Balfe, J Strauss, G & S, Franz Lehar, Robert Stolz, Wolf Ferrari, Reznicek?

I suppose that one might even include some of Mozart and Rossini's lighter works.

Many music lovers have been introduced to opera and classical music for the first time through those light hearted musical stage shows.


What about you?

Let's hear it for ......

HS

[salymap]

Mine is G&S Trial by Jury Short, snappy, with marvellous songs and none of the dialogue which always seemed a bit dated and laboured when I watched G&S in the Savoy Theatre in the 1950s.

[Richard Tarleton]

Mine is F von Flotow's "Martha". A delightful and tender work.

Mine too, HS - look no further. I've only heard it once live, in a cut-down performance, but the Rothenberger/Fassbender/Gedda/Prey version was, believe it or not, the very first complete opera I bought on LP. The Last Rose of Summer never heard to better effect

[Serial_Apologist]

Menotti's "The Telephone"

[hafod]

There are many composers to choose from:
Franz von Suppé. Jacques Offenbach, Edward German, Raff, Balfe, J Strauss, G & S, Franz Lehar, Robert Stolz, Wolf Ferrari, Reznicek?
I suppose that one might even include some of Mozart and Rossini's lighter works. HS

Could someone kindly explain the difference between light opera and operetta please and where does comic opera fit in?

[Pianoman]

Wozzeck

[Serial_Apologist]

Wozzeck

Is that the "light" half of this operatic equation then?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Could someone kindly explain the difference between light opera and operetta please and where does comic opera fit in?

I think:

"Comic Opera" is an Opera (no spoken dialogue) based on a comedy: nobody dies and everybody who deserves to be is happy at the end.
"Light Opera" is an Opera with a whistful, gentle topic and with sentimental moments.
"Operetta" is a Musical written by a European composer in the 19th Century - spoken dialogue to keep the story moving, with Arias as soliloquys and Duets, choruses, dance numbers etc.

[gradus]

Imv Die Fledermaus wins above anything else I've heard in this genre however defined but The Merry Widow is a close second. Absurdities abound in operetta but there are some lovely things, Im chambre separee (sorry no accents) springs to mind.

[Colonel Danby]

Sullivan's 'Rose of Persia' certainly, but anything by G&S gets my vote. And 'Hugh the Drover' by Ralph Vaughan Williams too...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

How about "The Batsman's Bride"?

Otherwise it has to be "The Merry Widow"

[LeMartinPecheur]

Isn't there a rather lengthy Light Opera by that Stockhausen chappie?

[Petrushka]

Imv Die Fledermaus wins above anything else I've heard in this genre however defined but The Merry Widow is a close second.

[MrGongGong]

Isn't there a rather lengthy Light Opera by that Stockhausen chappie?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Do you mean the Electric Light Orchestra?