VOICE OVER: Matt Campbell
Script written by George Cimurt

It's been said that an opera is musical scenery, a musical atmosphere in which the characters move and talk. Join as we count down our picks for the masters of this art, the top 10 opera singers.

For this list, we're taking a look at those singers whose musical work almost completely subsists of this dramatic musical art form. So as powerful of Andrea Bocelli's voice is, he will not be considered for this list.

Special thanks to our users jkellis, Robert, Alexander Perez and others for submitting the idea at

Script written by George Cimurt

Top 10 Opera Singers

It’s been said that an opera is musical scenery, a musical atmosphere in which the characters move and talk. Welcome to Watchmojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the masters of this art, the top 10 opera singers.

For this list, we’re taking a look at those singers whose musical work almost completely subsists of this dramatic musical art form. So as powerful of Andrea Bocelli’s voice is, he will not be considered for this list.

#10: Nicolai Gedda
1925 -

Born in Stockholm, Sweden, it didn’t take long for this former bank teller to become one of the most extensively recorded tenors of all time. After being tutored by a well-known Swedish tenor, he made his Royal Swedish Opera debut at 26, where he aced one of the most challenging tenor arias in existence. Before long, he was appearing in operas halls from La Scala in Italy to the Royal Opera House in London. This brilliant tenor, renowned for his work in Palestrina and I puritani, continued performing well into his 70’s.

#9: Renée Fleming
1959 -

Born in Pennsylvania to two music teachers, Fleming showed an interest in music at an early age, gradually moving into a musical education that also included studying at the prestigious Juilliard School. It was while still a student there that she began to sing opera professionally, later winning the Metropolitan Opera Auditions at the age of 29. Since then, this award-winning lyric soprano has appeared all over the United States and the world performing in operatic roles ranging from German to Russian to French, and she has been praised for her singing in the works of Mozart, Strauss, and others.

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#8: Jussi Björling
1911 - 1960

Known as the “Swedish Caruso”, this tenor was taught to sing by his father and making his first public appearance when only four years old. Though his career was tragically short, dying at the age of 49 due to heart problems, he left a legacy that inspired many men to come after him, including Luciano Pavarotti. Known mostly for his shows at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, he was so dedicated to he still performed La bohème at the Royal Opera House despite suffering a heart attack just hours before.

#7: Kirsten Flagstad
1895 - 1962

Born in Norway to a conductor and pianist, Flagstad received training in the capital, Oslo, and made her debut there at age 18 at the National Theatre. Her vocal flexibility and eagerness to take on new roles progressed her quickly, and while touring in Scandinavia, caught the attention of the chairman of the Metropolitan Opera and was soon invited to New York, where her popularity shot through the roof. Known for her performance in Tristan und Isolde among others, this beauty and virtuoso in line and tone has been called the voice of the century.

#6: Enrico Caruso
1873 - 1921

Born to a poor family in Naples, Italy, this man, who originally sang on the street to raise money for his family, ended up becoming one of the most famous celebrities of his time. Debuting at the Teatro Nuovo in Naples, it wasn’t long before Caruso found himself at the Metropolitan Opera, where he showcased his powerful voice which could hit high C with confidence, even in his later years. Having toured through Europe and the Americas, the success and talent of this singer long surpassed his short life.

#5: Joan Sutherland
1926 - 2010

Born in Sydney, Australia, Sutherland was drawn to music after hearing and attempting to copy her mother’s singing at an early age. Although she made her concert debut in Sydney and studied music in several institutes, her breakthrough performance was in singing Lucia di Lammermoor at the Royal Opera House. Touring the world and with the likes of Pavarotti, her dramatic soprano voice and incredible intonation, staccatos, and unique trill earned her the respect of audiences everywhere and the nickname La Stupenda, or The Stunning One.

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#4: José Carreras
1946 -

Born in Barcelona, to a working class family, he developed a love for singing early on and first sang publicly at the age of 8 in a broadcast on Spanish National Radio. After receiving an extensive musical education and support from the renowned soprano Montserrat Caballé, he progressed as an acclaimed tenor speedily. Known for his appearances in the works of composers like Verdi and Puccini, Carreras was said to have one of the most beautiful tenor voices of his time and grew to even greater fame as one of The Three Tenors.

#3: Plácido Domingo
1941 -

This nine-time Grammy Award winner, tenor, and conductor was born to zarzuela performers that encouraged him to likewise pursue a musical career in Mexico. Known for his incredible versatility in voice, having performed some of the most difficult baritone musical pieces, as well as in role, with 147 roles to date, this multi-talented performer has also appeared in television, film, and the Olympics closing ceremonies. One of the best-rounded tenors in history, his performances as one of The Three Tenors and solo have been described as “monumental” and “unforgettable.”

#2: Luciano Pavarotti
1935 - 2007

Born in Northern Italy to a poor family, this former schoolteacher who allegedly never learned to read music later became one of the most commercially-successful tenors in history. First appearing internationally in Belgrade, Serbia, his talent took him to greater places, and his debut at the Metropolitan Hall in 1972 was so impressive that he received seventeen curtain calls. Touring far and wide, both on his own and as a member of The Three Tenors, his performances of the classic “Nessun Dorma” are perhaps some of his most memorable.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

1925 - 2012

Fritz Wunderlich

1930 - 1966

Leontyne Price

1927 -

Natalie Dessay

1965 -

Emma Calvé

1858 - 1942

#1: Maria Callas
1923 – 1977

Hailed as the greatest soprano of all time and considered an influence on countless musical artists, Callas was born in Manhattan, studied music in Greece, and launched her career in Italy. Though her life was marred by a difficult childhood, strained relationships with family members, weight problems, scandals, love affairs, rivalries with other singers, and personal tragedies, her vocal and dramatic gifts always outshone the negative. Though she was severely visually challenged she brought life, humanity, and beauty to nearly every role she took on, and for this, she has been called La Divina- the Divine One.

Do you agree with our list? What opera singers do you think deserve to be on our list? For more entertaining top 10’s published every day, be sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com.