Stage works by Franz Schubert
's best-known music for the theatre is his incidental music for Rosamunde. Less successful were his many Opera and Singspiel projects. On the other hand, some of his most popular Lieder, like "Gretchen am Spinnrade," were based on texts written for the theatre.
Incidental music and overtures for the theatre
Overture for ''Der Teufel als Hydraulicus''
D 4, Overture to the vocal comedy Der Teufel als Hydraulicus for orchestra''Die Zauberharfe''
D 644, Music for Zauberspiel Die Zauberharfe for tenor, six spoken roles, mixed choir and orchestra''Rosamunde''
D 797, Music for Schauspiel Rosamunde, Fürstin von Zypern for alto, mixed choir and orchestraGerman-language operas and ''Singspiele''
''Der Spiegelritter''
D 11, Singspiel Der Spiegelritter for five sopranos, three tenors, four basses, mixed choir and orchestra''Des Teufels Lustschloß''
D 84, Singspiel Des Teufels Lustschloß for three sopranos, two tenors, three basses, one spoken role, mixed choir and orchestra''Adrast''
D 137, Singspiel Adrast for soprano, tenor, bass, men's choir and orchestra''Der vierjährige Posten''
D 190, Singspiel Der vierjährige Posten for soprano, three tenors, bass, one spoken role, mixed choir and orchestra''Fernando''
D 220, Singspiel Fernando for two sopranos, tenor, two basses, one spoken role and orchestra''Claudine von Villa Bella''
D 239, Singspiel Claudine von Villa Bella for two sopranos, two tenors, two basses, mixed choir and orchestra''Die Freunde von Salamanka''
D 326, Singspiel Die Freunde von Salamanka for three sopranos, three tenors, six basses, mixed choir and orchestra''Die Bürgschaft''
Die Bürgschaft, D 435, is an opera for four sopranos, three tenors, three basses, two baritones, mixed choir and orchestra''Die Zwillingsbrüder''
D 647, Singspiel Die Zwillingsbrüder for soprano, tenor, three basses, mixed choir and orchestra''Sakuntala''
D 701, Opera Sakuntala for fourteen sopranos, three altos, five tenors, nine basses, mixed choir and orchestraDuet and Aria for ''Das Zauberglöckchen''
D 723, Duet and Aria for Hérold's Das Zauberglöckchen for two tenors, bass and orchestra''Alfonso und Estrella''
D 732, Opera Alfonso und Estrella for two sopranos, two tenors, bass, two baritones, mixed choir and orchestra''Die Verschworenen''
D 787, Singspiel Die Verschworenen for four or five sopranos, two altos, two or three tenors, two basses, mixed choir and orchestra, Der häusliche Krieg''Rüdiger''
D 791, Opera Rüdiger for two tenors, men's choir and orchestra''Fierabras''
D 796, Opera Fierabras for three sopranos, three tenors, three basses, baritone, one spoken role, mixed choir and orchestra''Der Graf von Gleichen''
D 918, Opera Der Graf von Gleichen for four sopranos, two tenors, six basses, mixed choir and orchestra''Der Minnesänger''
D 981, Singspiel Der Minnesänger''Sophie'' (?)
D 982, Opera "?" for two sopranos, tenor, bass and orchestraSettings of German plays
Plays by Goethe
- From Goethe's Faust:
- * "Gretchen am Spinnrade", D 118
- * "Scene from Faust", D 126: in 1814 Schubert set "Wie anders, Gretchen, war dir's" as a Lied for voice and piano and as a Duet for voices and piano, also possible as a Cantata for voice, choir and piano or as a Cantata for two voices, choir and piano.
- * "Der König in Thule", D 367, Op. 5, No. 5
- * "Chor der Engel", D 440
- * "Gretchen im Zwinger", D 564
Plays by Schiller
- "Des Mädchens Klage" from Friedrich Schiller's Wallenstein
- "Amalia" from Die Rauber
Plays by Christian Wilhelm von Schütz
- Op. posth. 124 – D 857, Two songs Zwei Szenen aus dem Schauspiel "Lacrimas" for voice and piano :
Settings of Italian libretti
Libretti by Metastasio
When a student of Salieri Schubert set several excerpts of Italian libretti by Metastasio.| pub. | AGA | NSA | Name | Incipit | Date | Additional info | |
| 17 | Composition exercises, D 17 | 1812? | From Isacco I, "Aria dell' Angelo" — Nine settings, corrections by Salieri | ||||
| 33 | Composition exercises, D 33 | Sept-Oct 1812 | From Isacco II, "Aria di Abramo" — Six settings and an Allegretto, corrections by Salieri | ||||
| 34 | Composition exercises, D 34 | 5/11/1812 | From Betulia liberata II, "Aria di Achior" — Two settings, corrections by Salieri | ||||
| 35 | Composition exercises, D 35 | Oct-Dec 1812 | From La clemenza di Tito I, 5 — Three settings, corrections by Salieri | ||||
| 42 | Aria di Timante | 1813? | From Demofoonte III, 5 — Two settings; first setting two variant fragments | ||||
| 76 | Aria di Fronimo | 13 and 7 Sept. 1813 | From Alcide al bivio, 1st scene — Two versions | ||||
| 78 | Aria di Venere | 18/9/1813 | From Gli orti esperdi, I |