Opera's greatest love stories

Oil panting of Eurydice gazing at Orpheus

Operas based on myths and legends

Thanks to opera’s origins in the preservation of Greek drama, it’s no surprise that one of operas founding fathers, Claudio Monteverdi, chose Greek tragedy as his first opera’s starting point. Take a look at some of these best known operas based on myths and legends.
Male cast members from Jack the Ripper: The Women of Whitechapel dressed in black coats and top hats looking earnest

Operas based on real people and events

From murderers to monarchs, historic moments and famous faces have inspired operas throughout the centuries. We’ve chosen six of the best known operas which have done just that.