The Top Opera Companies that Focus on Sacred Music

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Looking for an opera company that specializes in sacred music? Here are some of the top companies to check out.

The Top 5 Opera Companies

Did you know that there are actually opera companies that focus on sacred music? This type of music is not as popular as it once was, but there are still a few companies out there that are dedicated to performing it. Here are the top 5 opera companies that focus on sacred music.

The Royal Opera

The world-renowned The Royal Opera is based in the heart of London’s Covent Garden. It is a company that presents operas in a traditional manner with an array of well-known soloists. The company also has an abundance of chorus members who often play a vital role in the success of the productions. The chorus members provide the volume and energy needed to bring the music to life and give it an emotional edge.

The English National Opera

The English National Opera is an opera company based in London, England. It was founded by Dame Peggy Ashcroft, Colin Graham, John Barron, and Bernard Frischmann in 1946 as the National Opera Company, a private company with no arts council funding. It gave its first performance of Pagliacci at the Phoenix Theatre in London on 10 June 1947. The company’s philosophy was to present operas in English, with a commitment to the works of 20th-century composers such as Benjamin Britten. From this beginning the company expanded rapidly, giving seasons not only in London but also at other theatres around the UK such as Manchester and Birmingham and becoming a resident opera company of The Birmingham Royal Ballet.

The ENO gave its first performances at the Royal Opera House (then still known as Covent Garden) in 1955, where it shared the house with The Royal Ballet. Following this it became increasingly associated with Glyndebourne Festival Opera with which it co-produced several operas each season from 1971 until 2005.esitate to buy them!

The Opéra National de Paris

The Opéra National de Paris is a French opera company founded in 1669 by King Louis XIV as the Académie Royale de Musique, making it the oldest working opera company in the world. The company’s primary venue is the Palais Garnier, located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. Although known for its historical patronage of the arts, under Louis-Philippe I the opera became increasingly associated with sacred music.

Other renowned composers such as Giacomo Meyerbeer, Hector Berlioz, and Georges Bizet worked with the Opéra National de Paris at various points in their careers. However, it was not until 1896 that Jules Massenet’s opera Les Érinnyes was performed at the Opéra National de Paris. This was followed by a production of his oratorio La Vierge in 1897.

The Opéra National de Paris has remained one of the leading companies specializing in sacred music. In recent years, it has also been active in commissioning new works from contemporary composers such as Henri Dutilleux and Kaija Saariaho.

The Bayerische Staatsoper

1. The Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera) is a leading German opera company that is particularly well-known for its focus on sacred music.

2. The company was founded in 1864, making it one of the oldest continuously operating opera companies in the world.

3. The Bayerische Staatsoper has its home in Munich, at the National Theatre, which was rebuilt after World War II and reopened in 1963.

4. The Bayerische Staatsoper has a strong commitment to contemporary opera and has premiered works by some of the most important living composers, including Hans Werner Henze, Wolfgang Rihm, and Luciano Berio.

5. The company also frequently stages operas by Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, three of the most important composers in the history of opera.

The Metropolitan Opera

The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The company is operated by the non-profit organization Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager. As of 2018, the company’s current music director is Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

The Met was founded in 1880 as an alternative to the previously established Academy of Music opera house, which suffered from damaging riots on opening night in 1849 and had burning down in 1866. It presented its first season of Italian opera in 1883 and presented a varying repertoire thereafter. Although most operas are presented in their original languages, the Met has also staged works created by its own staff, such as Susannah and Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha; these works often received their NYC premiere at the Met.

What They’re Known For

Prevented from operating for much of the 20th century by the country’s atheist Communist regimes, these ensembles are now some of the most forward-thinking, exciting contemporary music groups in the world.

The Royal Opera- their productions of classic operas

The Royal Opera is a world-renowned opera company that produces some of the most classic operas. They are known for their grandiose productions and their use of traditional methods. The company strives to maintain the highest possible standards in all aspects of their performances.

The English National Opera- their productions of modern operas

The English National Opera (ENO) is an opera company based in London, England, which is devoted to producing operas in English. Since its foundation in 1947, it has been housed at the London Coliseum in St. Martin’s Lane. Along with The Royal Opera, Covent Garden and the Scottish Opera, it is a constituent company of the ENO/British Council International Music Programme which was set up to promote British opera around the world.

ENO productions throughout its history have taken particular pride in their modernity: a 1961 production La bohème updated Puccini’s tragic love story to mid-20th century Soho; in 1973 The Marriage of Figaro relocated Beaumarchais’s play from 18th century Seville to Bourbon Spain on the eve of the French Revolution; Jonathan Miller’s 1983 production of Verdi’s Falstaff was set among the Edwardian demi-monde; and Nicholas Hytner’s 1995 production of Britten’s Billy Budd updated that composer’s parable of good and evil at sea from 1797 to World War II.

The Opéra National de Paris- their productions of French operas

The Opéra National de Paris is a world-famous opera company that is known for their productions of French operas. Some of their most popular operas include Carmen,The Tales of Hoffmann, and Faust. The company was founded in 1669 by King Louis XIV, and it is the oldest continually operating opera company in the world.

The Bayerische Staatsoper- their productions of German operas

The Bayerische Staatsoper is a world-renowned opera house based in Munich, Germany. The company focuses primarily on German operas, and is especially well-known for their productions of Wagner’s operas. Other notable composers whose works are often performed by the Bayerische Staatsoper include Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss.

The Metropolitan Opera- their productions of American operas

The Metropolitan Opera, located in New York City, is one of the most prestigious opera companies in the world. They are known for their productions of American operas, as well as their commitment to new works and young artists. The company’s current music director is James Levine.

Why They’re the Best

Few opera companies around the world focus on staging sacred music. The top three companies – Himmelpfortgrund, Vienna and L’Opéra Sacré – are known for their excellent productions. Here’s a look at why they’re the best in the business.

The Royal Opera- their world-renowned opera singers

The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply “Covent Garden”, after a previous use of the site of the opera house’s original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Originally called the Theatre Royal, it served primarily as a playhouse for the first hundred years of its history. In 1734, the first ballet was presented. A year later, Handel’s first season of operas began. Many of his operas and oratorios were specifically written for Covent Garden and had their premieres there.

The current building is a Grade I listed structure with a capacity of 2,256 seats, making it the third-largest theatre in London after the Coliseum and Drury Lane. The theatre was originally designed by Edward Chambers And jonathan Coleman, and built by Robert Smirke; however it was gutted by fire in 1808 and remodelled by Thomas Harris in 1809; it reopened in 1812 with a performance of Macbeth followed by several other Shakespeare plays. In 1833, Edward Smirke redesigned it for Wylde; he added a large portico at the entrance supported by four Corinthian columns which remain today[citation needed], making it one of London’s best known buildings when seen from Strand or Wellington Avenue.

The English National Opera- their cutting-edge productions

The English National Opera is one of the top companies that focuses on sacred music. Their cutting-edge productions are world-renowned, and they frequently commission new works from contemporary composers. The company has a strong commitment to community engagement, and their performances are often accompanied by workshops, talks, and other educational events. In addition to their work in the operatic repertoire, the English National Opera also maintains a highly active chorus and orchestra.

The Opéra National de Paris- their lavish productions

The Opéra National de Paris is one of the world’s most venerable and grandiose opera companies. It is also one of the few that still keep sacred music as an important part of their repertoire. The company was founded in 1669 by King Louis XIV, and it has been performing at the Palais Garnier since its opening in 1875. The company presents a wide variety of opera, from early Baroque to contemporary works, but it is perhaps best known for its lavish productions of French grand operas from the 19th century.

The company has a long history of commissioning new works, and recent years have seen the premiere of operas by Philippe Boesmans, Pascal Dusapin, Kaija Saariaho, and George Benjamin. But it is perhaps best known for its revivals of classics by Claude Debussy, Jules Massenet, and Charles Gounod. The company has an excellent orchestra and chorus, and its singers are among the best in the world. If you want to experience opera at its grandest, you won’t find a better company than the Opéra National de Paris.

The Bayerische Staatsoper- their history and tradition

The Bayerische Staatsoper is one of the world’s leading opera companies. Located in Munich, Germany, it is known for its annual performance of Richard Wagner’s Ring cycle, which draws visitors from all over the globe. The company also has a long tradition of focusing on sacred music.

Founded in 1818, the Bayerische Staatsoper is one of the oldest opera companies in the world. It has been based in its current home, the Nationaltheater, since 1854. The company encompasses five resident ensembles: the Bayerisches Staatsorchester (Bavarian State Orchestra), the Bavarian State Opera Chorus, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Munich Radio Orchestra.

The company’s dedication to sacred music is evident in its programming. In addition to standard operatic repertoire, the Bayerische Staatsoper regularly presents oratorios and masses by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Anton Bruckner, and Gustav Mahler. The company has also been at the forefront of reviving forgotten works by Baroque masters such as Marc-Antoine Charpentier and Luigi Rossi.

Under the direction of General Music Director Kirill Petrenko, who took up his post in 2013, the company has continued its commitment to sacred music with performances of Bach’s Mass in B Minor and Mozart’s Requiem. Upcoming seasons will see further exploration of this repertoire with productions of Johann Nepomuk Hummel’s oratorio The Creation of Light and Franz Schubert’s Mass in E-flat Major.

The Metropolitan Opera- their Broadway-like productions

The Metropolitan Opera

The Metropolitan Opera is one of the most well-known and respected opera companies in the world. Based in New York City, this company is known for their grand, Broadway-like productions. They often stage popular operas, such as Verdi’s Aida and Puccini’s Turandot, but they also perform a significant amount of sacred music.

The Met has a long tradition of featuring sacred music in their performances, dating back to their very first season in 1883. In recent years, they have continued this tradition with performances of Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Mass in B Minor, and Mozart’s Requiem. They have also commissioned new works of sacred music, such as John Adams’ grand oratorio The Gospel According to the Other Mary.

The Metropolitan Opera is one of the best companies in the world for experiencing sacred music performed at the highest level. If you’re looking for an awe-inspiring performance of religious opera or oratorio, this is the company for you.

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