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
Eithne (opera) Eithne (opera) Eithne, also known as "Éan an Cheoil Bhinn" (The Bird of Sweet Music), is considered by many critics to be the first full-scale opera written and performed in the Irish language. It was written by English/Irish composer Robert O'Dwyer. The work saw its first performance at the Round Room in Dublin's Rotunda during the Oireachtas na Gaeilge, a festival of Irish culture, in 1909, conducted by the composer. It was performed again in May 1910 at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin. The opera, based on a Gaeilge libretto written by Galway Reverend Thomas O'Kelly, covers three acts and includes