Guide to the Aria Repertoire

A long-awaited resource for the young operatic singer, this annotated guide brings together many sources to start the journey toward powerful, informed performance. An extensive discussion of fach and audition repertoire is followed by more than 400 arias organized by voice type, including canonical, contemporary, and obscure works from different languages. Each entry includes level of difficulty, voice/character type, special techniques, tessitura, and accompaniment. Full of detailed and insightful commentary from internationally renowned singers, directors, coaches, and other professionals--Regina Resnik, Sherrill Milnes, Carol Vaness, and Warren Jones, to name a few--this volume will be invaluable to the performer, student, and teacher of operatic repertoire throughout their developing careers.

"Clark, director of opera and musical theater at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and author of 'Singing, Acting, and Movement in Opera' (CH, Mar'03, 40--3914), has compiled a guide to opera repertory for solo voice. The arias are grouped by voice type (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), with further subdivisions by character (spinto, dramatic, etc.). Each entry gives the title of the aria and its location within the work, along with the vocal range and duration. Clark discusses each briefly, touching on the dramatic setting and context, with interpretative suggestions for the performer. The location of the aria in a common piano--vocal score is given, e.g., p. 135 (Schirmer), but this telegraphic reference to just one score is unsatisfactory, since not all singers will have the same score, and even the referenced score is not fully identified. Separate indexes for locating arias by title, opera, language, and historical period aid readers in locating works that fit certain repertory requirements. This work can be compared to Berton Coffin's 'Singer's Repertoire' (2nd ed., 1962), which covers the art song in much the same manner. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower--level undergraduates through graduate students; professionals/practitioners. --CHOICE December 2007" --C. A. Kolczynski, Boston Public Library Indiana University Press Indiana University Press

"Clark... has compiled a guide to opera repertory for solo voice.... This work can be compared to Berton Coffin's Singer's Repertoire (2nd ed., 1962), which covers the art song in much the same manner.... Recommended." --Choice Indiana University Press

An invaluable guide to some of the most demanding aria excerpts

Mark Ross Clark is Director of Opera and Musical Theatre at the University of Louisiana-Monroe and directs the Louisiana Lyric Opera. He is author of Singing, Acting, and Movement in Opera (IUP, 2002).

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part I. Soprano Arias

1. Lyric Coloratura Nos. 114

2. Soubrette Nos. 1525

3. Lyric Nos. 2658

4. Dramatic Coloratura Nos. 5973

5. Full Lyric Nos. 7487

6. Spinto Nos. 8895

7. Dramatic Nos. 96106

Part II. Mezzo-Soprano Arias

8. Lyric Coloratura Nos. 118

9. Lyric Nos. 1954

10. Dramatic Nos. 5587

11. Contralto Nos. 8899

Part III. Tenor Arias

12. Leggiero Nos. 120

13. Lyric Nos. 2181

14. Spinto Nos. 82100

15. Dramatic Nos. 101102

Part IV. Baritone and Bass Arias

16. Lyric Baritone Nos. 139

17. Dramatic Baritone Nos. 4064

18. Bass-Baritone Nos. 6583

19. Bass Nos. 8499

Index A. Arias Listed Alphabetically

Index B. Arias by Opera

Index C. Arias by Language

Index D. Arias by Historical Period