Creepy Opera Music for Your Next Movie

Looking for some creepy opera music to score your next horror film? Look no further than these five eerie tracks.

The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera is a 1925 American silent horror film adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, directed by Rupert Julian and starring Lon Chaney in the title role of the deformed Phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House, causing murder and mayhem in an attempt to make the woman he loves a star. The Phantom of the Opera was released on November 25, 1925, Universal Pictures’ most expensive production up to that time. The film was a critical and commercial success upon its release. It grossed $1.4 million at the box office and is noted for having some of the best special effects sequences for its time. These include the celebrated unmasking scene, which has been often referenced and parodied since.

The Ring

The Ring is a 1992 American psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski, starring Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox, and Daveigh Chase. It is a remake of the 1998 Japanese film Ring, based on the novel by Koji Suzuki. The Ring was released theatrically on October 18, 2002, and became a box-office hit. It grossed over $249 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing horror remakes of all time as well as one of the biggest box office successes of 2002. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Watts.

The Ring tells the story of a mysterious videotape that kills whoever watches it after seven days. Investigative journalist Rachel Keller (Watts) finds out about the tape from her ex-boyfriend Noah (Henderson), who has been investigating the death of his niece Katie Embry (Chase). Rachel watches the tape with her son Aidan (Dorfman), after which she receives a phone call informing her that she will die in seven days unless she shows the tape to someone else and makes them watch it. Rachel enlists Noah’s help to try to figure out who or what is behind the tape before time runs out.

Throughout the film, musical ideas associated with operatic tragedy are evident. For example, leitmotifs are used to represent key characters and concepts such as death, fate, fear, and love. The score makes use of atonal strings and woodwinds to create an unsettling atmosphere which amplifies the horror on screen.

Don Giovanni

Don Giovanni is a classic example of operatic horror. The story, based on the legend of Don Juan, follows the corrupt title character as he preys on innocent women and is ultimately brought to justice by the ghosts of his victims. Mozart’s score heightens the suspense and fear with its eerie melodies and dark harmonies.

La Bohème

Puccini’s La Bohème is a tragic opera about young love and death, set against the backdrop of the bohemian underground in Paris. The story follows a group of friends – including a struggling artist, a poet, and a musician – as they grapple with poverty, disease, and heartbreak. While the opera is often lighthearted and funny, it ultimately ends in tragedy, making it the perfect choice for your next creepy movie soundtrack.

Carmen

Carmen is an opera in four acts by Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on a novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed on 3 March 1875, at the Opéra-Comique in Paris.

Set in Seville and Lillas Pastia’s tavern in Act 2, the opera tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a naïve soldier who is seduced by the wiles of the fiery gypsy Carmen. José abandons his childhood sweetheart Micaëla and deserts from his military duties, yet loses Carmen’s love to the glamorous toreador Escamillo. The depictions of proletarian life, immorality, and lawlessness, and the tragic death of the main character on stage, shocked audiences at its premiere and caused a riot during one performance.Bizet died suddenly after the 33rd performance, unaware that Carmen would achieve lasting success and become one of the most popular operas in history