Music

Despite popular misconceptions and its aristocratic origins, for part of its history opera was inextricably linked with popular culture – no more so than in the 1920s. 

The songwriter was born on June 9th, 1891.

The 'father of the symphony' came to London on January 1st, 1791.

Wagner's opera was first performed in Munich on June 10th, 1865.

The recently opened Sam Wanamaker Theatre marks an intriguing step forward in the revival of baroque opera, says Mark Ronan. 

Owain Edwards writes about the sea change in classical music composition - and listenership - as the galant music of the Bachs reached London.

Beethoven's only opera was performed for the first time on May 23rd, 1814.

Joanna Richardson describes how after he had moved to Paris, Jacques Offenbach, the son of a cantor at the synagogue in Cologne, created an operatic epitome of the Second Empire.

The history of the Bayreuth Festival, the annual celebration of the music of Richard Wagner, is mired in controversy and scandal, as Mark Ronan reports.

J.S. Curtis charts the development of stringed keyboard instruments from the virginal and spinet, to the ‘forte-piano’.