The History of Opera and Operetta in Britain
From Handel's Italian operas to Gilbert and Sullivan and beyond.
Opera began in Italy around 1600 and soon reached London. Britain added its own comic tradition – from "The Beggar's Opera" to Gilbert and Sullivan – which later led to musical theatre. There is even a famous German connection.
The Story
Opera was born in Italy around 1600. In the early 1700s, Italian opera became fashionable in London, and Handel wrote dozens of operas in Italian for London audiences, starting with "Rinaldo" in 1711. Not everyone liked them: in 1728, John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera" made fun of Italian opera, using popular songs and characters from London's underworld.
Two hundred years later, in 1928, Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill turned "The Beggar's Opera" into "Die Dreigroschenoper" in Berlin. Meanwhile, in Victorian London, the writer W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan created a series of comic operas, including "H.M.S. Pinafore" and "The Pirates of Penzance". Their Savoy Theatre, opened in 1881, was one of the first public buildings in the world to be lit entirely by electric light.
In the 20th century, British opera became internationally important. The Glyndebourne festival opened in 1934, and Benjamin Britten's "Peter Grimes" (1945) became one of the most performed modern operas. Today, the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden and English National Opera present opera to large audiences, while the comic tradition of operetta lives on in musical theatre.
Timeline
The key dates at a glance.
- c. 1600Opera is born in Italy.
- 1711Handel's "Rinaldo" is a big success in London.
- 1728John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera" makes fun of Italian opera.
- 1878Gilbert and Sullivan's "H.M.S. Pinafore" becomes a hit.
- 1881The Savoy Theatre opens with electric lighting.
- 1928Brecht and Weill's "Die Dreigroschenoper" opens in Berlin.
- 1934The Glyndebourne opera festival opens.
- 1945Britten's "Peter Grimes" has its premiere.
Key People
The musicians who shaped this story.
George Frideric Handel
1685–1759Wrote over 40 operas, many of them for London.
John Gay
1685–1732Poet and playwright who wrote "The Beggar's Opera".
W. S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan
1836–1911 & 1842–1900Writer and composer of famous comic operas.
Benjamin Britten
1913–1976The most important British opera composer of the 20th century.
Key Words
Ten essential words with their German meaning and an example sentence.
| English | German | Example |
|---|---|---|
| opera | Oper | We saw an opera by Britten. |
| operetta | Operette | Gilbert and Sullivan's works are often called operettas. |
| comic opera | komische Oper | "The Mikado" is a comic opera. |
| libretto | Libretto | Gilbert wrote the libretto, Sullivan the music. |
| aria | Arie | She sang the famous aria beautifully. |
| recitative | Rezitativ | The story moves forward in the recitatives. |
| to make fun of | sich lustig machen über | The play makes fun of politicians. |
| satire | Satire | Gilbert's words are full of satire. |
| the stalls | das Parkett | We had seats in the stalls. |
| surtitles | Übertitel | The surtitles help you follow the Italian text. |
Useful Phrases
Language for talking about music and its history.
Talking about opera history
- It was first performed in…
- It makes fun of…
- It was a huge success with London audiences.
- It was later adapted as…
Going to the opera
- Are there surtitles?
- How long is the interval?
- We had great seats in the stalls.
- The singing was wonderful, but the staging was strange.
Talk About It
Answer these questions aloud, write a short paragraph, or discuss them with a partner.
- Have you ever been to an opera or operetta? What did you see?
- Do you prefer serious opera or comic opera?
- Why do you think "The Beggar's Opera" was still interesting 200 years later?
- Should operas always be sung in their original language?
Test Yourself
Click a question to see the answer.
1. What is "Libretto"?
The text or words of an opera.
2. Which famous German work is based on "The Beggar's Opera"?
"Die Dreigroschenoper" by Brecht and Weill.
3. What was special about the Savoy Theatre in 1881?
It was lit entirely by electric light.
Explore More
More from the Music History series.
Every song has a history.
Learn the story, learn the words – and share what you discover in English.
Drama, comedy – and music.