Opera in German such as opera seria. Some Baroque composers, such as Reinhard Keiser, did try to challenge Italian dominance, and the theatre principal Abel Seyler became an eager promoter of German opera in the 1770s, but it was only with the appearance of Mozart that a lasting tradition of serious German-language opera was established. Mozart took the simple, popular genre of "Singspiel" and turned it into something far more sophisticated. Beethoven followed his example with the idealistic "Fidelio"; and with "Der Freischütz" of 1821, Weber established a uniquely German form of opera under the influence of Romanticism. Weber's innovations were eclipsed by
The Phantom of the Opera (audio drama) The Phantom of the Opera (audio drama) The Phantom of the Opera, an adaptation of the novel of the same title by Gaston Leroux, is an audio drama created by Big Finish Productions for BBC Radio 7, broadcast in December 2007. The story was written and directed by Barnaby Edwards in four half-hour episodes. The four-part dramatization is the first to feature the original operatic sequences described in the novel, which have been freshly recorded and orchestrated by composer Tim Sutton. The play features Anna Massey, Peter Guinness, Alexander Siddig and James D’Arcy. Barnaby Edwards has said it will be