I would recommend watching some opera blu rays since it will help you follow what’s going on. The Royal Opera House, the Met Opera and Glyndebourne issue their own performances. You can also try the Met Opera streaming app for access to their entire catalogue.
That said, if you just want to listen, I’d start off with some of the shorter Italian operas that are easier to digest.
Mozart: Don Giovanni, the Marriage of Figaro, Cosi fan Tutte
Verdi: Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata
Donizetti: L’Elisir d’Amore, Don Pasquale
Bizet’s Carmen is also a great choice as other have mentioned.
I would recommend watching some opera blu rays since it will help you follow what’s going on. The Royal Opera House, the Met Opera and Glyndebourne issue their own performances. You can also try the Met Opera streaming app for access to their entire catalogue.
That said, if you just want to listen, I’d start off with some of the shorter Italian operas that are easier to digest.
Mozart: Don Giovanni, the Marriage of Figaro, Cosi fan Tutte Verdi: Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata Donizetti: L’Elisir d’Amore, Don Pasquale
Bizet’s Carmen is also a great choice as other have mentioned.