It is always exciting when a vocal student is ready to start studying his or her first operatic aria! One of the best things about being a classical singer is knowing you have so many great years ahead of you. After all, you’re considered in your prime in your forties! That being said, realize that the voice you have now and the repertoire you’ll first study will be very, very different than what you sing later on in your career! It’s absolutely crucial that you sing repertoire that is not too heavy for your young voice, or you may damage it. Fear not- here is a list of several operatic arias that are marvelous starting points for all voice types.
For soprano:
“ L’ho perduta”. This cute little aria is from one of Mozart’s greatest hits, “The Marriage of Figaro”. The character singing it is young Barbarina. Believe it or not, the soprano who first sung this role was twelve..so this is indeed suitable for a young singer with operatic aspirations!
“O mio babbino caro” from Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” .This is another short but wonderful aria that everyone knows and loves. It’s beautiful and perfect for a lighter , lyric voice. Do be careful to avoid dragging the tempo: many sopranos have taken it to slow and sung it too heavily. “ Gianni Schicchi” is a comedy!
For mezzo-soprano:
“ Voi che sapete” from “Marriage of Figaro”. This charming aria, sung by the page boy Cherubino, is a terrific intro to the “trouser roles” often sung by mezzos. With a lilting melody and a chance to show off some chest voice, it’s a true winner.
“Must the Winter Come So Soon?”- from Barber’s “Vanessa” is a gorgeous aria from an American opera which is not performed too often. It may not be a long aria, but the vocal line is gorgeous. It’s also essential that young singers prepare a few arias that are in English.
For baritone:
“ Se vuol ballare”- Let’s face it: “Marriage of Figaro” has an aria for everyone! This aria, sung by Figaro, is solid choice for beginning baritone.
“ Vecchia zimarra” from Puccini’s “La Boheme”. It may be a short aria, but it packs a powerful punch since it’s from a very dramatic opera! This one is a favorite for a reason. Plus, Puccini didn’t write an awful lot for baritones!
For tenor:
“Quanto e bella” from Donizetti’s “ L’elisir d’amore”. This moderate tempo aria is ideal for a light lyric tenor! The character is the lovestruck Nemorino, and he has been sung by many of the greats- including Luciano Pavarotti.
“ Lonely House” from Kurt Weill’s “Street Scene”. Weill’s music may be challenging to learn, but this haunting aria suits a young singer’s voice. This aria will also give a strong actor a chance to set himself apart from other tenors that just want to stand there and sound pretty. Like I said, this IS Weill we’re talking about!
Looking for more? I'd be glad to help you. Book a lesson today and let's see what arias may suit YOU specifically...and once we've found them, let's make them feel and sound spectcular!
Looking for more? I'd be glad to help you. Book a lesson today and let's see what arias may suit YOU specifically...and once we've found them, let's make them feel and sound spectcular!
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