# Roughly...how many operas are there?



## huntsman (Jan 28, 2013)

I realise no-one will know exactly, but as a new opera fan, I'd like as close an idea as possible.

Until I became involved, I would have guessed at 30 or 40, since these were they names I would - disinterestedly - see all over. Now that I have started to look, it's clearly far, far more. :tiphat:


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Recorded - it must be in the thousands.
Non-recorded - who knows?


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

huntsman said:


> I realise no-one will know exactly, but as a new opera fan, I'd like as close an idea as possible.
> 
> Until I became involved, I would have guessed at 30 or 40, since these were they names I would - disinterestedly - see all over. Now that I have started to look, it's clearly far, far more. :tiphat:


Wiki helps a lot and still counting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_important_operas


----------



## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

I believe more operas have now been forgotten than exist.

According to Operabase* there were 2662 different operas performed over the last 5 years. Many languish with a score and performable but neglected. I suspect that could be the equal of the above. I think the total number of operas written (including forgotten or known only by name) is likely to be beyond 10000.

My opera-travelling journal currently shows I've seen 111 _different_ operas live. I've greatly enjoyed many of the rarities I've come across.

* Annoyingly this site barely scratches the surface of UK performances, particularly for small and touring companies, concentrating on the main opera houses only.


----------



## Rangstrom (Sep 24, 2010)

There is a site more extensive than wiki that listed around 18,000 a few years back. The list missed some that I have recordings of (mostly modern) and there are more written every year--so I would suspect more than 22,000.


----------



## Annied (Apr 27, 2017)

The trick I found when I first realised opera had something to offer me, was to find the composers who suited my ear the best and to concentrate on them rather than dipping willynilly into what was on offer. I did it, and still do, by focussing on the singers whose voices I enjoy listening to the most. By and large the composers whose operas make up their repertoires are usually ones that suit me. I would guess there are very few people who can appreciate every composer's works. Good luck and enjoy your voyage of discovery!


----------



## huntsman (Jan 28, 2013)

Soooo....

I was fairly close at 30-40?

Wow! 10k most certainly and maybe double that? I'm almost embarrassed to admit that for the first few months of my new-found passion, I was actually concerned that I would run out of operas to watch before I died. Now I'd better get watching!

Thanks for the help, folks!

quote-The trick I found when I first realised opera had something to offer me, was to find the composers who suited my ear the best and to concentrate on them rather than dipping willynilly into what was on offer. I did it, and still do, by focussing on the singers whose voices I enjoy listening to the most. By and large the composers whose operas make up their repertoires are usually ones that suit me. I would guess there are very few people who can appreciate every composer's works. Good luck and enjoy your voyage of discovery! -unquote

Annied, I'm sure this is good advice. Like any genre or art form, there will be lemons for me that are roses for my neighbour, but dang(!), with that many out there I am really blessed with some great options in my twilight years. :tiphat:


----------



## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

then i find this fellow!!! Leonardo Vinci https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_Vinci
list of his operas


----------



## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

The estimated , approximate number of operas which have been written since the early 17th century , the dawn of the art form, is about 40,0000 ! 
The vast majority have been completely forgotten , but you never know when any of these might be revived . for example when a musicologist goes through the manuscripts which have been gathering dust for ages , or printed copies . 
Most likely, a lot of these operas have been deservedly forgotten .


----------



## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

Just to give you a clue.
Between 1900 and 1915 there were at least 250 new Operas premiered just in Italy with peak of more than 30 Operas per year in 1904, 1905 and 1908.



Rangstrom said:


> There is a site more extensive than wiki that listed around 18,000 a few years back. The list missed some that I have recordings of (mostly modern) and there are more written every year--so I would suspect more than 22,000.


Do you have the link to the site?


----------



## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

Art Rock said:


> *Recorded - it must be in the thousands.*
> Non-recorded - who knows?


It would be very interesting to list every Opera for which exists at least a recorded excerpt.
I'm quite sure that any attempt done until now would be under counted and not just because of lesser known Countries contributions.
Even renowned Country like Italy would have missing records due to them being available only in national sound archives or in the hands of a handful of collectors.


----------



## Rangstrom (Sep 24, 2010)

Bardamu said:


> Just to give you a clue.
> Between 1900 and 1915 there were at least 250 new Operas premiered just in Italy with peak of more than 30 Operas per year in 1904, 1905 and 1908.
> 
> Do you have the link to the site?


try http://opera.stanford.edu


----------



## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

Rangstrom said:


> try http://opera.stanford.edu


Thank you.
At a quick glance (with some little known italian composers) it looks quite a good list though with some misses but that's inevitable as I've written above.


----------



## Scopitone (Nov 22, 2015)

superhorn said:


> The estimated , approximate number of operas which have been written since the early 17th century , the dawn of the art form, is about 40,0000 !


Florestan probably has multiple CD and DVD copies of most of them.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Scopitone said:


> Florestan probably has multiple CD and DVD copies of most of them.


He's not alone


----------

