Famous opera masterpieces | Featuring many great opera singers
Opera is fairly familiar in Japan, even being included in school textbooks.
Still, many people may recognize the melodies without knowing much about the famous opera pieces themselves.
For those readers, we’ve selected a number of renowned opera masterpieces.
In addition to introducing the works, we explain them from various angles—the background of their creation, the appeal of the opera singers performing them, and more—so both regular opera listeners and those less familiar with opera can enjoy the content.
Please take your time and enjoy it to the very end.
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Famous Opera Masterpieces | Many Great Opera Singers Also Featured (11–20)
L’amour est un oiseau rebelleElina Garanca
L’amour est un oiseau rebelle,” a signature piece from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet.
Beginning with the heroine Carmen and gradually shifting to the surrounding chorus, its striking structure brilliantly captures Carmen’s strong-willed character.
This time, we’ve picked the version by Latvian mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča.
Her rich, resonant voice matches Carmen’s personality perfectly—enjoy that synergy as you listen.
Frühlingsstimmen Op. 410Isyana Sarasvati
Johann Strauss II’s masterpiece, Frühlingsstimmen Op.
410.
In Japan, it’s known by the title “Haru no Koe” (“Voices of Spring”), and it’s famous as one of the most technically demanding pieces among all art songs.
This time, we’re featuring the version by Indonesian singer-songwriter Isyana Sarasvati.
Although she’s a pop singer, her overwhelming vocal prowess is on par with top-tier operatic sopranos, which is truly impressive.
O mio babbino caroMontserrat Caballé
Giacomo Puccini’s opera Gianni Schicchi features the especially famous aria O mio babbino caro, known in Japanese as “My Dear Daddy.” Set in medieval Florence—where many works revolve around themes of betrayal and conflict—this opera includes a song that offers gentle solace amid the weight of the story, expressing simple, sincere love.
The atmosphere can change greatly depending on how the singer conveys emotion, so why not compare performances by several different vocalists?
Casta DivaMaria Callas
The opera Norma, composed by Vincenzo Bellini.
Among its numbers, Casta Diva is one of the most popular and a coveted piece for soprano singers.
This time, we’ve picked the version by the great soprano Maria Callas.
The way she renders the most challenging part of the piece—the intense dynamic contrasts—so incredibly smoothly showcases her overwhelming vocal prowess.
Be sure to check it out.
Ave MariaLuciano Pavarotti
Franz Schubert’s song Ave Maria.
This piece is Schubert’s final song and, among the many works bearing the name Ave Maria, it is particularly popular.
It is a celebrated masterpiece that has been sung by numerous tenors, but the one who performs it best is undoubtedly Luciano Pavarotti.
His warm timbre—often described as the voice of the sun—fits this profoundly religious piece perfectly.
Cantique de NoëlEnrico Caruso
The famous piece based on the poem by Placide Cappeau, “Cantique de Noël.” In the English-speaking world it is known as “O Holy Night,” and in Japanese as “Kiyoshi Kono Yoru,” making it one of the most famous Christmas carols in the world.
While familiar in pop music, it has also been covered as an operatic work and has long been performed by many opera singers.
This time, among the oldest surviving recordings, we’ve highlighted a rendition by Enrico Caruso.
Why not savor the depth of this song along with the sound quality of the era?
Gelido in ogni venaCecilia Bartoli
Antonio Vivaldi’s opera Farnace.
Among the pieces that appear in the work, Gelido in ogni vena is particularly well known.
As you would expect from a piece composed by Antonio Vivaldi, one of Italy’s representative Baroque composers, it carries an overall heavy, somber atmosphere.
Not many people may know this, but Klaus Nomi’s Cold Song, by the German singer-songwriter, was likely strongly inspired by this piece.
E lucevan le stelleJonas Kaufmann
E lucevan le stelle, a famous piece composed by Giacomo Puccini.
It is one of the best-known numbers from the opera Tosca, and in Japan it is known under the title Hoshi wa Hikarinu (“The Stars Shone”).
It is a signature piece for tenor singers and pairs especially well with dramatic voices.
This time, we’ve highlighted a performance by Jonas Kaufmann.
His rich, almost baritone-like timbre fits the atmosphere of the piece perfectly.
Una furtiva lagrimaL’Elisir d’Amore
Gaetano Donizetti, a leading Italian musician of the early 19th century.
“Una furtiva lagrima” is a piece from his representative opera L’elisir d’amore, known in Japan as “Hitoshirenu Namida” (A Secret Tear).
The melody is quintessentially “this is an aria!!!” — highly lyrical and beautifully crafted.
Consequently, the work is also famous for how dramatically its quality can vary depending on the singer’s skill.
If you’d like to savor this piece more deeply, why not compare performances by multiple vocalists?
E lucevan le stelleJosé Carreras
I’d like to introduce a slightly unusual piece here.
“En Aranjuez con tu Amor,” known in Japanese as “Aranjuez Concerto,” is generally recognized as a concerto centered on the guitar.
It blends well with popular music and has been covered by jazz musicians such as Miles Davis, and of course, there are song (vocal) arrangements as well.
One example is this video: the Spanish tenor José Carreras delivers vocals that perfectly match the piece’s dramatic atmosphere.
Please give it a listen.