Abstract: The invention relates to an operating method for a high-pressure discharge lamp which comprises a transparent discharge vessel (1), enclosing a substantially cylindrical discharge chamber (10), in which electrodes (2, 3) and an ionizable charge, for generating a light-emitting gas discharge, are arranged, whereby the aspect ratio is higher than 0.86. According to said invention, the high-pressure discharge lamp is operated by means of a substantially sinusoidal current at a preset frequency, lying in a frequency range above 30 kilohertz and free from acoustic resonances.