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.
4 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 a 1816 libretto is laid out, how it differs from a synopsis, and where to find a text with translation.
LibrettiPublic-domain opera libretti: where to find free texts and what copyright allows
Where to find free public-domain opera libretti: Wikisource, IMSLP, librettidopera.it and Library of Congress scans, and what copyright still limits.
LibrettiNico 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.
LibrettiSinging 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, surtitles and word-by-word texts.