Opera guides
Opera guides for singers: plot, roles, arias and diction
Every guide is written for the singer preparing the piece rather than the audience member reading a programme: who sings what, which voice type each role needs, where the arias fall, how the text sits in the language, and which vocal score editions to study from.
28 pages in this section
Aida: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Verdi's Aida: librettist, Cairo premiere, premiere cast and voice types, synopsis by act, the famous arias with first lines, and diction notes for singers.
OperasCarmen: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Bizet's Carmen in one page: librettists, premiere, voice types, synopsis by act, the Habanera, Seguidilla and Toreador Song, editions, French diction.
OperasCavalleria rusticana: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana in one page: what the title means, premiere, voice types, the Easter plot, Intermezzo, numbers and Italian diction notes.
OperasCosì fan tutte: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Mozart and Da Ponte's Così fan tutte: premiere cast, voice types, synopsis by act, the famous arias with first lines and Italian diction notes.
OperasDer Rosenkavalier: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier in one page: librettist, premiere, voice types, the silver rose plot act by act, key musical numbers and German diction notes.
OperasDon Giovanni: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Mozart and Da Ponte's Don Giovanni: premiere cast, voice types, synopsis by act, the famous arias with first lines, the Vienna version, diction notes.
OperasEugene Onegin: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin in one page: premiere, voice types, the three acts, famous arias with first lines in Russian and notes for singers.
OperasFaust: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Gounod's Faust: premiere cast, voice types, synopsis by act, the Jewel Song, Golden Calf and other famous numbers with first lines, and French diction notes.
OperasFidelio: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Beethoven's only opera in one page: its three versions, librettists, voice types, the prison story, the main numbers and German diction notes.
OperasHänsel und Gretel: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel: premiere cast, voice types, synopsis, the Abendsegen and other famous numbers with first lines, and German diction notes.
OperasIl barbiere di Siviglia: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) in one page: Sterbini's libretto, 1816 premiere, voice types, famous arias and Italian diction.
OperasIl trovatore: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Verdi's Il trovatore in one page: librettists, premiere, voice types, act-by-act highlights, the famous arias and Italian diction notes.
OperasL'elisir d'amore: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore: premiere cast, voice types, synopsis by act, the famous arias with first lines, and Italian diction notes for singers.
OperasLa bohème: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Puccini's La bohème in one page: composer, librettists, premiere, voice types, act-by-act synopsis, the famous arias and Italian diction notes.
OperasLa Cenerentola: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Rossini's La Cenerentola in one page: librettist, premiere, voice types, act-by-act synopsis, the famous numbers and Italian diction notes.
OperasLa traviata: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Verdi's La traviata in one page: librettist, premiere, Violetta and Alfredo, act-by-act synopsis, the famous arias with Italian first lines and diction notes.
OperasLe nozze di Figaro: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) in one page: Da Ponte's libretto, premiere, voice types, the famous arias and Italian diction notes.
OperasLes contes d'Hoffmann: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffmann in one page: librettist, premiere, voice types, the three tales, famous numbers and French diction notes.
OperasLucia di Lammermoor: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: premiere cast, voice types, synopsis by act, the mad scene and other famous arias with first lines, and Italian diction notes.
OperasMadama Butterfly: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Puccini's Madama Butterfly in one page: librettists, 1904 premiere, voice types, act-by-act synopsis, the famous arias and Italian diction notes.
OperasManon: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Massenet's Manon in one page: librettists, premiere, voice types, act-by-act synopsis, the famous numbers and French diction notes.
OperasNorma: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Bellini's Norma in one page: librettist, premiere, voice types, the story of the druid priestess, Casta Diva and other arias, and Italian diction notes.
OperasPagliacci: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Leoncavallo's Pagliacci in one page: what the title means, premiere, voice types, the play-within-a-play plot, Vesti la giubba and Italian diction notes.
OperasRigoletto: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Verdi's Rigoletto in one page: librettist, premiere, voice types, the story of the Duke, the jester and Gilda, the famous arias and Italian diction notes.
OperasThe Magic Flute: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Mozart's The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) in one page: librettist, premiere, voice types, the famous arias and German diction notes for singers.
OperasTosca: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Puccini's Tosca in one page: librettists, premiere, voice types, who the villain is, the famous arias and Italian diction notes for singers.
OperasTurandot: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Puccini's Turandot in one page: librettists, unfinished score, premiere, voice types, the riddle plot, Nessun dorma and Italian diction notes for singers.
OperasWerther: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Massenet's Werther in one page: Goethe source, Vienna premiere, voice types, the four acts, arias with French first lines and diction notes for singers.