"A Night at the Opera" is the fourth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 28 November 1975 by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and Elektra Records in the United States. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Queen, it was reportedly the most expensive album ever recorded at the time of its release.
Named after the Marx Brothers' film of the same name, A Night at the Opera was recorded at various studios over a four-month period in 1975. Due to management issues, Queen had received almost none of the money they earned from their previous albums. This frustration led the band to end their contract with Trident Studios and not use their facilities for the album, with the exception of "God Save the Queen," which had been recorded the previous year. The album's production was complex, utilizing multitrack recording, and the songs incorporated a wide range of styles, such as ballads, music hall, sea shanties, dixieland, hard rock, and progressive rock. Aside from their usual instruments, Queen also employed a diverse range of instruments, including a double bass, harp, ukulele, and more.
Upon release, A Night at the Opera became Queen's first number-one album in the UK, topping the UK Albums Chart for four non-consecutive weeks. It peaked at number four on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart and became the band's first platinum-certified album in the United States. The album produced their most successful single in the UK, "Bohemian Rhapsody," which became their first number-one song in the country. Despite its length—being nearly twice as long as the average single of the time—the song became immensely popular worldwide.
Contemporary reviews for A Night at the Opera were positive, with praise for its production and diverse musical themes, and recognition that it helped establish Queen as global superstars. At the 19th Grammy Awards, "Bohemian Rhapsody" received nominations for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus and Best Arrangement for Voices. The album has since been hailed as Queen's best work and one of the greatest albums of all time. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked it number 128 on its list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018.
The band's previous album, Sheer Heart Attack (1974), had garnered commercial success, with the single "Killer Queen" reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart. Despite this, the band was financially struggling due to a contract with Trident Studios, which had resulted in them receiving little of the money earned from their albums. The situation became critical when bassist John Deacon was denied a cash advance to purchase a house. This frustration led to Freddie Mercury writing "Death on Two Legs," the opening track of A Night at the Opera.
In December 1974, the band hired Jim Beach as their lawyer and began negotiations to break free from Trident. They continued touring, including a successful first tour of Japan in April 1975, before finally freeing themselves from the contract. The band signed directly with EMI Records in the UK and Elektra Records in North America, regaining control of their back catalog. However, they were required to pay a hefty buyout fee to Trident and continue to owe them royalties from their next six albums. The cancellation of a scheduled American tour in September 1975, which had been organized by Trident, further delayed their ability to regain finances.
With funds running low, Queen searched for new management, eventually contacting Peter Grant, who managed Led Zeppelin. Grant suggested that the band tour while he worked on their finances, but the band was hesitant to sign with Swan Song, Led Zeppelin’s label. They eventually contacted John Reid, who had managed Elton John, and Reid agreed to manage Queen after learning it was them. He advised the band to focus on making their best album yet.
Recording for A Night at the Opera took place with producer Roy Thomas Baker, who had also split from Trident, and engineer Mike Stone. It was reportedly the most expensive album ever made at the time, with a budget of £40,000. The band worked at seven different studios over a period of four months. They began with a month of rehearsals in a barn at Ridge Farm Studio in Surrey before moving on to several other studios, including Rockfield in Monmouthshire, Lansdowne, Sarm Studios, Roundhouse, Scorpio Sound, and Olympic Sound Studios. Trident Studios was not used during the recording, with the only exception being the recording of "God Save the Queen," which was done the previous year.
For the album's complex vocal harmonies, the band utilized multitracking, which allowed for May to sing lower registers, Mercury to take the middle parts, and Taylor to handle the higher vocal lines. The album was recorded using 24-track tape, a step up from the 16-track used on previous albums. The song "Bohemian Rhapsody" is particularly known for its elaborate opera section, which featured multitracked vocals. Similarly, "The Prophet's Song" contains an a capella middle section with Mercury's vocals delayed for dramatic effect.
In addition to their usual equipment, Queen used a variety of instruments on the album. Mercury played a grand piano, contributing a jangle piano on "Seaside Rendezvous," while Taylor used timpani and a gong on "Bohemian Rhapsody." Deacon played double bass on "'39" and Wurlitzer electric piano on "You're My Best Friend." May played a number of instruments typically not found in Queen songs, including an acoustic guitar and harp on "Love of My Life" and a toy koto on "The Prophet's Song." May also recreated a Dixieland jazz band on "Good Company" using his Red Special guitar.
The album's elaborate production and wide-ranging musical influences, from opera to rock to jazz, made it a landmark in Queen's career and a defining moment in 1970s rock music.
