Buzz
Bugs Bunny: the clever trickster, explosive aficionado, and surprisingly, a Chopin admirer? Gather the kids for a Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies binge, and soon they’ll be whistling classical melodies faster than you can say, “Th-th-that’s all, folks!” These cartoons seamlessly wove in everything from operatic tunes to grand symphonies. This wasn’t just background filler—Warner Brothers, the creators of both Looney Tunes and its lesser-known counterpart Merrie Melodies, strategically used music to elevate some of the most iconic comedic moments in animation history. So, relax, grab some carrots, and let’s dive into these timeless comedy gems.
1. Tales from the Vienna Woods, Op. 325 by Johann Strauss II (1868)
Featured In: A Corny Concerto (1943)
Sometimes, director Bob Clampett couldn’t resist poking fun at Disney. "A Corny Concerto" cleverly parodies Fantasia (1940) and delivers laughs at every turn. At “Corny-gie Hall,” Elmer Fudd introduces the first segment, highlighting the "wythm of the woodwinds." The scene shifts to Porky Pig and his trusty hunting dog chasing Bugs Bunny, all set to the lively strains of the Waltz King’s famous waltz.
2. The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II (1866)
Featured In: A Corny Concerto (1943)
In the second act, a mother swan guides her cygnets through a melodic adaptation of this concert hall classic. Daffy Duck interrupts with his offbeat quacking, much to her annoyance—until he unexpectedly becomes the hero. This comedic twist on Strauss’s most famous work is a standout, though fans of The Simpsons might still favor its zero-gravity version from the '90s.
3. Dance of the Comedians from The Bartered Bride by Bedrich Smetana (1866)
Featured In: Zoom and Bored (1957)
As usual, Wile E. Coyote engages in a battle of wits with his arch-enemy, the Road Runner. This particular episode reaches its peak with the accompaniment of what many consider the most cherished Czech opera of all time.
4. Minute Waltz in D-Flat by Frédéric Chopin (1847)
As Heard In: Hyde and Hare (1955)
Bugs Bunny notices a piano in Dr. Jekyll’s home and, being the refined rabbit he is, begins playing it with expert skill. Unfortunately, Mr. Hyde arrives to spoil the moment.
5. Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna by Franz von Suppé (1844)
Featured In: Baton Bunny (1959)
Taking a rare break from his usual mischief, Bugs Bunny delivers a surprisingly skilled performance as he conducts Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna. While von Suppé, the composer, was also known as a conductor, he certainly didn’t share Bugs’ habit of chasing pesky flies during a performance.
6. The Barber of Seville Overture by Gioachino Rossini (1816)
As Heard In: The Rabbit of Seville (1950)
Elmer pursues Bugs across a local stage when, unexpectedly, the curtain lifts to reveal a performance of Rossini’s operatic masterpiece. Without skipping a beat, the clever rabbit takes on the lead role and embarrasses Fudd in a single, swift move.
7. Beethoven’s 7th Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven (1811-12)
Featured In: A Ham in a Role (1949)
A refined dog dreams of performing Shakespearean drama, but his aspirations are thwarted by the mischievous antics of the two Goofy Gophers. One gopher dresses as a skeleton just as the dog, oblivious and reciting lines, reaches a spooky ghost scene in Hamlet. Pay attention, and you’ll catch a fragment of the symphony that once baffled 19th-century critics, who speculated whether Beethoven was intoxicated while composing it.
8. Träumerei (“Dreaming”) by Robert Schumann (1838)
Featured In: Hare Ribbin’ (1944)
A brief, 38-second snippet of Schumann’s soothing melody plays as Bugs’ latest adversary—a clumsy dog—believes him to be dead. The resulting joke was so controversial that censors demanded its removal, leading to a heavily edited version for theatrical release. Even this version is considered too intense for today’s viewers and hasn’t been aired outside of a 2000 episode of The Bob Clampett Show on Cartoon Network. The original, uncensored version is now accessible on the DVD collection.
9. Largo al Factotum from The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini (1816)
As Heard In: The Long-Haired Hare (1949)
In The Long-Haired Hare, opera star Giovanni Jones practices at home with this aria (famous for its “Figaro! Figaro!” refrain). Meanwhile, Bugs noisily plucks his banjo nearby. An irritated Jones destroys Bugs’ banjo, harp, tuba, and eventually ties him up by his long ears. Moments later, Bugs vows revenge, proving that a scorned rabbit is a force to be reckoned with.
10. Johannes Brahms’ Hungarian Dances (1869)
Featured In: Pigs in a Polka (1943)
Brahms composed 21 individual dances inspired by Hungarian folk tunes, completing them in 1869. This comedic adaptation of the “Three Little Pigs” story is accompanied by selected highlights from these lively pieces.
11. The William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini (1829)
As Heard In: Bugs Bunny Rides Again (1948)
Despite living to the age of 76, Rossini retired from composing operas at 37. His final work, William Tell, features one of the most iconic overtures in music history. Over a century later, Warner Brothers incorporated this melody into a thrilling horseback chase scene starring the hot-tempered Yosemite Sam (visible at 1:55 in this clip).
12. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Franz Liszt (1847)
Featured In: Rhapsody Rabbit (1946)
This piece’s comedic appeal has certainly been well-explored. In Rhapsody Rabbit, Bugs performs it for an enthusiastic audience, only to be disrupted by a mouse who decides to join in by dancing on the piano keys. Over the years, Mickey Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, and Tom & Jerry have all performed similar acts with this very composition. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 even makes an appearance in 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, during Daffy and Donald Duck’s piano duel.
13. The Overture from The Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner (1843)
Featured In: What’s Opera, Doc? (1957)
What’s Opera, Doc? is a timeless masterpiece. The Library of Congress recognized its significance: in 1992, it became the first animated short to be preserved in the National Film Registry. The story opens with the overture from The Flying Dutchman, the work that established Wagner’s fame. As the music builds, a small Viking resembling Elmer Fudd summons a powerful storm, reminiscent of Fantasia’s Night on Bald Mountain scene.
14. “Pilgrim’s Chorus” from Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner (1845)
As Heard In: What’s Opera, Doc? (1957)
Later, Elmer sings a duet with Brünnhilde (actually Bugs in disguise). “Oh, Bwünnhilde,” he sighs, “you’re so wovely!” “Yes, I know,” Bugs replies, “I can’t help it!” Their conversation is set to a melody from Tannhäuser, where pilgrims journeying to Rome contemplate divine mercy.
15. Ride of the Valkyries from Die Walküre by Richard Wagner (1870)
Featured In: What’s Opera, Doc? (1957)
Die Walküre is the second part of Wagner’s Ring cycle, a series of four operas that together narrate a grand, 15-hour tale of gods, humans, and power. Act III opens with the “Ride of the Valkyries,” where divine beings unleash their fierce war cry. In What’s Opera, Doc?, Elmer Fudd introduces new lyrics, famously singing, “Kill da wabbit, Kill Da Wabbit, KILL DA WABBIT!”
