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.
34 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasCarmen: 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasCavalleria rusticana: synopsis, roles, arias and the Easter plot
Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana for singers: title, roles and voice types, the Easter plot scene by scene, the Siciliana, Easter Hymn and Intermezzo.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasCosì 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasDer 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasDie Fledermaus: synopsis, roles, numbers and diction notes
Strauss's Die Fledermaus: what the title means, premiere, roles and voice types, the plot act by act, the famous numbers, and notes on the spoken dialogue.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasDon 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasDon Pasquale: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Donizetti's Don Pasquale: premiere, voice types, who Malatesta is, the plot act by act, the famous arias by act and character, and Italian diction notes.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasEugene 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasFaust: 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasFidelio: 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasGianni Schicchi: synopsis, roles, arias and O mio babbino caro
Puccini's Gianni Schicchi in one page: the Dante story behind it, voice types, the plot, O mio babbino caro, premiere and Italian diction notes.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasHänsel 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasIl barbiere di Siviglia: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville): Sterbini's libretto, 1816 premiere, voice types, synopsis by act, arias and Italian diction.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasIl 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasL'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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasLa 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasLa 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasLa 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasLe 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, synopsis by act, arias and Italian diction.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasLes 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasLes pêcheurs de perles: synopsis, roles, numbers and diction notes
Bizet's Les pêcheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers): premiere, roles, the story act by act, the Pearl Fishers Duet explained, key numbers and revival history.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasLucia 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasMadama 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasManon: 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasNabucco: synopsis, roles, arias and the Va, pensiero chorus
Verdi's Nabucco in one page: librettist, premiere, voice types, the story act by act, the arias and choruses, Va, pensiero and Italian diction notes.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasNorma: 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasOtello: synopsis, roles, arias and the Boito libretto
Verdi's Otello in one page: Boito's libretto, the 1887 premiere, voice types, the plot act by act, the key arias and the Italian text to prepare.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasPagliacci: synopsis, roles, arias and the play within the play
Leoncavallo's Pagliacci for singers: what the title means, roles and voice types, act-by-act synopsis, Vesti la giubba and the other arias, and history.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasRigoletto: 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasThe Magic Flute: synopsis, roles, arias and diction notes
Mozart's The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) in one page: librettist, premiere, voice types, act-by-act synopsis, the famous arias and German diction notes.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasTosca: 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.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasTurandot: synopsis, roles, arias and history of the unfinished score
Puccini's Turandot for singers: composition history, voice types, act-by-act synopsis, the arias with act and character, Alfano's ending and reception.
Updated 20 October 2026OperasWerther: 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.
Updated 20 October 2026