In classical singing, is it harder to sing legato or staccato?
Yes, it is. Well it depends on what it is. Legato singing can be very difficult if you have to sustain a very long phrase on one breath, or sing a wide interval between notes smoothly without resorting to any glissandos or portamentos that aren't supposed to be there. Staccato notes can be difficult if they are a rapid series of staccato notes of varying pitches (because you can go off pitch)--for example, the triplets in the Queen of the Night's aria. So it depends. Example of legato singing--this is Kiri Te Kanawa in rehearsal so you can see how hard it is for even one of the best opera singers in the world. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jinhJOE_0... Diana Damrau--"The Magic Flute" start around 2:50 for example of those triplets I mentioned earlier http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvuKxL4LO...
Some good arias for intermediate opera soprano?
Okay, so I'm 15 and I have been singing since I was little, but I have just been in choirs and have no idea what songs to work on with my new voice teacher. Can anyone help me find some good arias? They don't have to be well known, in fact I like obscure jewels. My range is about from low E-flat to high A-flat. Thanks!
In Die Zauberflöte, Der Hölle Rache aria, was "Alle Bande Der Natur" supposed to be performed legato, staccato, or tenuto (see details)?
That could be the artist’s choice. Different performers may approach this a bit differently, and different conductors may request the singer to do things differently.If you check the score from an urtext edition, there may or may not be a legato line. If there are no markings, then different articulations are not strictly right or wrong and there may not be one right answer. There may not be markings, because singers in that era knew the style and it wasn't necessary to mark things that were granted.In addition to conductor’s musical vision, chosen articulation may be related to character and expression singer wants to have in those phrases (legato=smooth manipulation vs portato=more direct threat).However, mostly I have heard this particular passage done in legato. Since there are no staccato markings on the score, singing in staccato would probably not be authentic.Even when sung in legato there may be some variation in how many notes are tied together: some singers tie the whole phrase, some separate the triplets a bit.Personally I find that some legato gives a nice contrast to the many staccato notes in the aria.The articulation on the YouTube example is not staccato but portato (between staccato and legato, notes are articulated separately but not as short as staccati). It may be the singer’s personal choice or the conductor may have requested her to do that. It sounds a bit unconventional to me, but probably isn't strictly wrong.
I'm singing Lascia Ch'io Pianga for NYSSMA? Please some advice?
Even though Haendel was a genius at setting his text so that it was always easy to sing, there might be a syllable or two that you are not pronouncing well. This will get in the way of singing easily. So, speak your way through your aria, in rhythm, to see if you can achieve ( for lack of a better term) a sing-song type of legato in your speech. Pay attention especially to those words where you feel you have some difficulties. Once you are satisfied that your speech and enunciation are correct and flowing, sing the whole song on one note only,( fairly medium register) again keeping the voice flowing and even. This should give you an insight as to where or how you are fighting yourself for the eventual high notes. If you notice jaw or tongue tension at this stage, you know what to work on. Now sing on one note only, but a third higher.Always pay attention for tongue and jaw tension. Then you can try again at the original key and melody. This is a very painstaking, but very efficient method for learning any new piece of music. Rhythm and text monotone original key. Reduces the number of problems to one or two very quickly.
What is an easy aria to sing for a tenor voice?
You can never go wrong by checking out the "24 Italian Songs and Arias" 24 Italian Songs & AriasIt includes the previously mentioned "Caro mio ben" and the following:Alma Del CoreAmarilli, Mia Bella (Caccini G)Caro mio benChe Fiero CostumeComme Raggio Di Sol (Caldara A)Danza, Danza, Fanciulla GentileGia Il Sole Dal GangeIl Mio Bel Foco (Marcello B)Lasciatemi MorireLe VioletteNel Cor Piu Non Sento (PaisielloNinaNon Posso DisperarO Cessate Di PiagarmiO Del Mio Dolce ArdorPer La Gloria D'AdorarviPieta, Signore (Stradella A)Pur Dicesti, O Bocca BellaSe Florindo E FedeleSe Tu M'amiSebben, CrudeleTu Lo SaiVergin, Tutto AmorVittoria, Mio Core
Easy, shortish, soprano aria to learn in a week?! Help!?
You should just sing what you know you can sing. "O Mio Babbino Caro" is often sung rather badly because people don't pay attention to what the song is actually about (nor they seem to even care) and because there seems to be an awful lot of little girl sopranos out there pipping away like newly hatched operatic chickens. Make sure you pay attention to things like dynamic markings and ties (keep those phrase nice and legato) and support your breath properly throughout the song. Just doing those simple things can turn a mediocre rendition into a beautiful and memorable one. Well, I don't know what is easy for YOU, though I will tell you a lot of lyric coloratura repertoire requires a much higher usable range than a C6 (and even that note should be sung with ease). A lot of lyric sopranos arias might take you up into some lofty heights, and believe me if you leave those notes out, "they" will notice. If you are auditioning for a masterclass, you will be singing in front of very knowledgeable musicians and you will be going up against a lot of tough competition. This isn't the time to pull out something new. Nevertheless here are some short arias (I'll leave it to you to determine how easy they are). I like Mozart, so I'll give you a few of his arias. "Ach ich fuhls "(sorry about the missing umlauts, I have no idea how to put them in from my keyboard) " Un Moto di Gioja" "Ridente la Calma" "Deh Vieni Non Tardar" "Ave Maria" (Verdi's "Otello") "Adieu, notre petite table"-Jules Massenet "When I am Laid "(Dido's Lament) Henry Purcell "Care Selve" or "Ombra Mai Fui" both by George Frideric Handel and pretty much the same song "Gebet der Elisabeth" Richard Wagner Don't forget art songs and folk songs as well, as well as any arias from operettas and oratorios.
Where can I find the sheet music to the Doll Aria from the Tales of Hoffman online?
The song is called Les Oiseaux Dans La Charmille (or the Doll Song/Aria) from Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach. (It's an opera.) I love the song and I would love to sing it for a recital or something, but I need to find the sheet music online first. Anybody know of a specific place where I could find it? Thanks!
Would the arias "Quando Men'vo" and Rusalka's "Song to the Moon" be suitable for a young soprano (14-19)?
Suitable repertoire is quite individual and should be discussed with the vocal teacher. Usually it will take a few years of lessons before a young singer is technically ready to tackle real opera arias, so definitely neither of those are suitable for a teenaged singer who has had only year or two of training. Young singers don't start with arias from romantic era that usually require ability to carry long phrases and sustained high notes. The first opera arias are often from baroque (Händel etc) or classical era (Mozart and his contemporaries).Then there's the question of what is age appropriate story-wise. There's quite a big age range in the question: a 14 year old singer has very different maturity both vocally and as a person compared to a 19 year old. If you check the lyrics and the character, I don't think Musetta's aria "Quando m'en vo" is appropriate for an underaged singer. A 19-year-old who has both the technique and stage personality to pull it off could sing it. However, not a beginner's choice.A bigger-voiced young soprano who has the technique to sustain the phrases and can do the end with low and high notes could sing Rusalka's aria (forget about the rest of the role though). Not a beginner's choice either.
What are some recommended arias for a mezzo-soprano?
Recommendations depend much on the phase of development, and also the type of voice because there are many kinds of mezzos: low ones, lyric and agile, heavier big voices etc. Pant roles fit some better than others due to their physical build.I’ll throw a few opera/operetta arias, for a more beginner the old Italian “Arie antiche” are a good starting point.For younger/developing mezzi for example these:Che faró senza Euridice from Gluck’s Ordeo ed EuridiceHändel arias, for example “Verdi prati” for legato singing, or some others for coloratura…there are plentyAnnio’s aria “Torna di Tito a lato” by Mozart from La clemenza di TitoFor higher mezzi Cherubino’s ariasAlso for higher mezzi Siebel’s “Faites-lui mes aveux” from Faust.The “tipsy aria” “Ah, quel diner” from Offenbach’s La périchole (also translated) is a fun piece for certain gigsOrlofsky’s couplet from the FledermausFor a bit more advanced singer, Charlotte’s “Va! laisse couler mes larmes” from Werther is a popular choice for auditions because it’s short but still shows a lot of expression and dynamicsIn general Carmen’s Habanera is a popular hit for concert gigs and every mezzo will sing it at some point (the whole role is a different story then). However, considering younger singers, one needs certain maturity to pull it off convincingly performance-wise.The best thing to find recommendations for you personally would be to ask your vocal teacher what is suitable for your voice, age, personality and current phase of development.