Libretti
Opera libretti: how to read them, where to find them
A libretto is the first document a singer should master and the one most often skimmed. These pages explain how libretti are built, where the original texts can be read legally for free, how literal and singing translations differ, and which word-by-word translation series coaches rely on.
5 pages in this section
How to read an opera libretto: layout, cast list, stage directions and translation
How to read an opera libretto: what it contains, how an 1816 libretto is laid out, how verse and acts work, and where to find a text with translation.
Updated 20 October 2026LibrettiNico Castel: Met diction coach, tenor and creator of the IPA libretti series
Nico Castel (1931-2015) was a Met comprimario tenor, staff diction coach for three decades and the translator behind the IPA libretti series.
Updated 20 October 2026LibrettiOpera terms glossary: forms, genres, voices, technique and theater roles
A working glossary of opera terms for singers: aria, recitative, cadenza, coloratura, opera buffa, voice types, periods and the people in a production.
Updated 20 October 2026LibrettiPublic-domain opera libretti: where to find free texts and what copyright allows
Where to find free public-domain opera libretti: Wikisource, IMSLP, Gutenberg, librettidopera.it and library scans, and what copyright still limits.
Updated 20 October 2026LibrettiSinging translation vs literal translation: what opera singers need to know
The difference between a literal translation you study and a singing translation you perform: purpose, trade-offs, singability, surtitles, word-by-word texts.
Updated 20 October 2026