Opera is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful musical genres ever made. It’s not only about the music but also about the beautiful stories behind them. If you are new to opera, firstly, you need to know that there are many different types of operas with different musical styles and stories. Here are 10 top opera songs that will win your heart forever.
Why Everybody Loves Opera
Opera is an art that is popular all around the world.
It has been around for centuries, and it remains one of the most powerful forms of storytelling even today. More than 20 million people enjoy opera each year, and many of them are under the age of 25.
The popularity of opera is likely due to its ability to tell stories with emotion and quality through music, drama, visual arts, and more. Opera has influenced many other art forms over time as well.
Overture #1: The Barber of Seville
The overture to the Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini is one of the most popular pieces of music in the world. It has been used in many TV shows, movies, advertisements, and commercials.
The overture begins with an orchestral introduction that introduces the following five themes:
– A fast theme for strings or brass that is played twice.
– A slower theme for woodwinds, often played as a counterpoint to the first theme.
– A short jovial motif for horns and trumpets that is repeated three times.
– A brief minor chord that closes off sections of music.
– An ascending melody for strings played twice with a cadenza (a showy solo passage) between them
Overture #2: Les Contes D’Hoffmann
Les Contes D’Hoffmann is an operetta in three acts by Jacques Offenbach. The libretto was written by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on a text by Alexandre Dumas.
Les Contes D’Hoffmann is the middle part of Les Contes D’Hoffmann. It is an introduction to the opera that provides a quick summary of who the main character is, what he has done in the past, and what he will do in this opera.
Overture #3: The Marriage of Figaro
What makes this production so special?
This product was created to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The Marriage of Figaro is performed by a 38-piece orchestra, a 24-voice choir, and four soloists. The chorus consists of singers from the Duke University College of Arts and Sciences.
Overture #4-Rosenkavalier Waltz
The Rosenkavalier Waltz is the fourth waltz in an orchestral suite by Richard Strauss. The composition was completed in 1911, after two years of intermittent work, and is the composer’s best-known waltz.
The waltz is scored for 2 piccolos, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in B-flat major or A-flat major, 4 horns in F or E-flat major, 2 bassoons; 4 horns in Eb or D minor; 3 trombones; tuba; timpani; percussion (side drum, cymbals); celesta; harp and strings.
Finale from “The Barber of Seville” Act II-Arietta and Chorus of the Spanish Rogues “Fahrt Wohl”
The finale is one of the most beloved, popular, and well-known pieces of music in all of opera. The Arietta is the only vocal solo in the entire act. It is traditionally sung by a baritone or bass.
Fahrt Wohl (roughly translated as “farewell” in English) is an old German drinking song. The chorus sings this song to convince their boss, Count Almaviva to let them leave for their homeland Spain before he changes his mind about letting them go.