The operas of Austria and Germany have sometimes had an unfair reputation for being less attrative than their Italian counterparts. In 2010/11 WNO celebrates the operas of these two countries with our Eternal Light Series.

But we would like to know, what you think is the greatest of all German opera?

Also, vote in our poll, click on WNO Poll above.

Greatest German Opera
Having just seen Fidelio in Oxford I would think the Germans will do all in their power to prevent WNO ever doing it again. It was terrible.

favourite vs best
I cannot believe that no-one has replied to this question.
Skipping over Mozart - arguably the best in any genre - and Fidelio I believe the Golden Age of German Opera ran from the mid 19th to mid 20th Centuries.
For me the early operas of Strauss, Salome and Elektra are right up there amongst the greatest in any language. The WNO production of Salome was excellent and Erika Sunnegard gave a powerful performance with both the looks and the voice to capture the essence of the piece. My personal favourite amongst the many stars that have taken on the Princess of Judah is Teresa Stratas in the Bohm version, though other productions have been more visceral and perhaps alluring, the intensity of the Stratas Salome is electrifying.
Elektra has also been well served by the great sopranos and though I have many on DVD including Nilsson and Marton I still await the definitive performance combining dramatic tension, voice, mise en scene and atmosphere.
Any of the Wagner masterworks might be included in this list and perhaps even ranked best by many for any number of reasons and it would perhaps need a seperate thread to argue which of his operas should even rank best amongst its siblings with Tristan, Parsifal and Walkure slugging it out - Die Walkure being my probable favourite with Gwyneth Jones.
But then one must consider Berg with Wozzeck (discussed in another thread) and my own favourite Lulu - again in the flawless and tragic performance by Stratas (though Petibon's recent amoral and conniving Lulu will gain a lot of support).
The much underrated and underperformed Dr Faustus by Busoni should also get a special mention and must rate as the one opera that I would love to see in live performance. As should the operas of Kurt Weill.
But, my favourite? ohhh, Salome, for a number of reasons; best - German opera, mmmm Die Walkure