The few operas I return to, mainly for the music

[Uhor]

This time is for Opera. I'll vote for the ones I really listen often. Be Friendly.

[bhodges]

Nice to see Written on Skin on your list. I think that will end up being a classic. And on an unrelated note, why doesn't the Met Opera do more Rimsky-Korsakov (seeing Kitezh mentioned)? They did ten performances of Le Coq d'Or in the first few decades of the 20th century, and three performances of Sadko around that time -- otherwise, nothing! 

--Bruce

[Brian]

Top five operas I love for the music (chronological):

Don Giovanni
Le damnation de Faust (okay, technically not an opera but a "dramatic legend")
Falstaff
Le coq d'or
Jenufa
Kat'a Kabanova (if Faust is rejected as non-opera)

[Daverz]

The Cunning Little Vixen was the last opera I listened to all the way through (last week).  I have 4 recordings of it on CD and 3 on DVD.
Also have several recordings of the music in suite form.

[Symphonic Addict]

Puccini (almost all of his operas, I truly love them), Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana, All Wagner, except Die Meistersinger (it's just too long and there is much singing), all Schreker, Korngold, Martinu, Janácek, some Weber, Respighi, Verdi, Dvorák... That's some really important stuff to me.

[Mountain Goat]

I don't know a lot about opera in general, but here are a few I listen to at least occasionally, for the music:

Falvetti: Il Diluvio Universale
Mozart: Don Giovanni
Beethoven: Fidelio
Berlioz: Les Troyens
Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage

[Uhor]

Lots of love for Mozart but poor Idomeneo has 0 votes.

I seriously recommend the Hosokawa's, the music is just so dark, light, brooding, dramatic, mysterious and colourful all at the time.

[springrite]

I picked Lulu, Wozzeck, Figaro and Palestrina.

[Mirror Image]

Bizarre list. No Strauss, Janáček, Puccini, Mascagni, Verdi, Martinů, Britten, Szymanowski, Saint-Saëns, Dvořák, Stravinsky, Korngold et. al.?

[springrite]

Bizarre list. No Strauss, Janáček, Puccini, Mascagni, Verdi, Martinů, Britten, Szymanowski, Saint-Saëns, Dvořák, Stravinsky, Korngold et. al.?

Can't list every opera or opera composer, can we?

At least you got your Bluebeard!!!

[Uhor]

Strauss - dislike,
Janáček - should explore
Puccini - used to like, now too much sacharin
Mascagni - who?
Verdi - does nothing to me
Martinů has always sound wack to me, Britten - should return more often,
Szymanowski - He composed operas?
Saint-Saëns - same as Verdi,
Dvořák - same as Verdi
Stravinsky - don't think it's his better side, Korngold - too syrupy

[Mirror Image]

At least you got your Bluebeard!!!

And Debussy, Ravel, Berg and Schoenberg!

[T. D.]

Interesting list, particularly with respect to chronology (excellent range). I voted for 7.
Voted for L'Orfeo, but the relative scarcity of Italian opera (1 by Monteverdi, 2 by Mozart with Italian libretti) stands out. Didn't select any of the 3 Mozart works, but would have gone for Don Giovanni.

[Uhor]

Top 10 voted are so far:

Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen
Mozart - The Magic Flute
Mozart - The Marriage of Figaro
Debussy - Pelléas et Mélisande
Wagner - Tristan und Isolde, Wagner - Parsifal, Bartók - Bluebeard's Castle, Scoenberg – Erwartung, Berg – Wozzeck
Monteverdi – L'Orfeo

[Crudblud]

I went with Meistersinger and Die glückliche Hand. I would have voted for Ravel if it had been L'heure espagnole.

[Mandryka]

This time is for Opera. I'll vote for the ones I really listen often. Be Friendly.

The problem is the bit where you say that you return mainly for the music, that makes it hard. For me these operas have outstanding music pretty well all the way through, as opposed to some wonderful moments/scenes.

Walkure
Tristan
Peter Grimes
Pagliacci
La Boheme
Don Giovanni
Turandot
Elektra
Rosenkavelier
Die Frau ohne Schatten
Otello
Incoronazione
Moses und Aaron
Wozzek
St Matthew Passion