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Adventures with an unreliable narrator.

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Jun 14 04: Calling All Opera Buffs

Is there anybody out there who can give me a few choice examples of showpiece arias for the aspiring coloratura megastar? (I’d need to know the title and the opera from which it came.) Or of a good coloratura art song?

Furthermore, if I needed to name an opera that had a ‘very sad song’ for a coloratura to sing, what would you say?

Anyone?

All will be explained in the fullness of time, but until then I can reassure you that I’m not considering any sort of radical change in occupation. (Oh, okay. Here’s a couple of hints.)

Commentary

Will any of these do as a first go for showpieces?

“Casta Diva” from “Norma”
The Mad Scene from “Lucia di Lammermoor”?
The Queen of the Night’s two arias from “The Magic Flute”?
And I think there’s a crazy sleep-walking scene from “La Sonnambula”.

I’ll carry on thinking.

Very sad songs:

How about Dido’s Lament from “Dido and Aeneas”. Not showy, but, oh boy, is it sad.

posted by Robin, Jun 15 04 12:02 PM

“Oops I did it again”

“Total Eclipse of the Heart”

Total Eclipse is totally sad, and like, it is my favorite song.

posted by Sari Pessah, Jun 15 04 10:49 PM

::snort::

posted by Andrew, Jun 15 04 10:55 PM

Now that I’ve read the hints - my recommendation is that you go with something iconic. Not that you want to talk down to your audience - but parents will respond better if they have heard of the opera and the song. Does it need to be coloratura?

If you are talking iconic and audience friendly, you need to stick with Boheme, Butterfly or Traviata.

Brought to you by your director of sponsorship.

posted by Sari (again), Jun 15 04 10:57 PM

Hmmm. That’s a very good point. Must consider.

posted by Andrew, Jun 16 04 8:55 AM

Sad song for a soprano: how about “Vissi d’arte” from “Tosca”? Not at all showy, but definitely sad, and definitely diva material.

Other coloratura possibilities: “Glitter and be gay” from Bernstein’s “Candide”; “Una voce poco fa” from “The Barber of Seville”.

posted by Peter, Jun 18 04 7:40 AM

I can’t fathom that no one has yet suggested the Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd “Magic Helmet” duet.

What has become of our culture?

posted by Grendel, Jun 18 04 12:41 PM

Well…given that I asked for solo works, maybe everybody else felt that said duet (which can be heard here) fell outside the parameters of the request.

posted by Andrew, Jun 18 04 4:07 PM

Did anyone mention the ur-coloratura aria?

QUEEN OF THE NIGHT?

Everyone knows it!

posted by Pablo, Jun 24 04 11:59 AM

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