On 28 January 1916 he created the role of Ned Travers in Ethel Smyth's opera The Boatswain's Mate.

On an archival recording, Debussy accompanies Mary Garden, who created the role of Melisande in the composer's only published opera, singing an extended excerpt from it.

Next, she created the role of the Princess of Monte Carlo in The Grand Duke (1896), Gilbert and Sullivan's last opera.

She created the title role in Lawrance Collingwood's little-known opera The Death of Tintagiles, at its only performance in April 1950.

Grieg is alleged to have created the neopagan neologism Ásatrú in his 1870 opera Olaf Tryggvasson.

He created the role of Dov in Tippett's opera The Knot Garden.

Herold created the role of David in Carl Nielsen's opera Saul og David (Oslo 1902).

In 1893, he created the part of Ford in Verdi's last opera, Falstaff.

She then created the role of Ruth in Gilbert and Sullivan's new opera, The Pirates of Penzance, on 31 December 1879.

She is most remembered today for having created the role of Leïla in Bizet's 1863 opera, Les pêcheurs de perles.