Famous opera masterpieces | Featuring many great opera singers

Opera ‘L’Arlésienne’ Ordinary Story Salvatore LicitraFrancesco Cilea

Opera 'L'Arlésienne' — An Ordinary Story — Salvatore Licitra

Born in 1866, this is “Federico’s Lament” from the opera L’Arlesiana by the Italian composer Francesco Cilea.

Francesco Cilea studied at the Naples Conservatory and, due to his outstanding performance, was awarded a gold medal by the Ministry of Public Education.

L’Arlesiana is a short story from Letters from My Windmill and a three-act play based on it.

Cold handsFrancisco Araiza

Francisco Araiza “Che gelida manina” La Bohème Puccini

Rodolfo’s aria from Act 1 of Puccini’s La Bohème.

It’s a killer piece that includes the high C—a make-or-break moment for tenors—but the melody is intensely passionate and sweet.

Even without performing the entire opera, this aria is so famous among opera fans that it’s often featured on its own in concerts.

Put on your costume.Franco Corelli

Ruggero Leoncavallo, Pagliacci: “Vesti la giubba” — Franco Corelli

From Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, Canio’s aria.

Opera, which began around 1600, evolved in many ways and, on the brink of the 20th century, developed into verismo.

Pagliacci can be called the very emblem of verismo opera, in which real human emotions and everyday life transcend the music that had traditionally been the main focus of opera.

Ranko Edogawa (soprano) Lehár: from the operetta “The Merry Widow,” “The Merry Widow Waltz” (“Vilja Song”/“On the High, High Mountain”)Franz Lehar

Ranko Edogawa (soprano) Lehár: from the operetta “The Merry Widow,” “The Merry Widow Waltz” (“Vilja Song”/“On the High, High Mountain”)

This is the Waltz from The Merry Widow, a work by Franz Lehár, a composer born in 1870 who was active mainly in Austria and Germany.

The Merry Widow is a three-act operetta and a highly popular piece performed around the world.

Its waltz melody is particularly beautiful and has also been arranged for wind ensemble.

From the opera ‘Carmen’: ‘Toreador Song’ by G. Bizet — ‘I gladly accept your toast’ (Akiyama Takanori) Bizet: Carmen — Toreador Song ‘Votre toast’Georges Bizet

From the opera “Carmen” — Toréador Song (G. Bizet) “Your toast, I can accept with pleasure.” Vocalist Takayoshi Akiyama, active in bel canto, graduate of Tokyo College of Music. Bizet: Carmen

Born in 1838, French 19th-century composer Georges Bizet’s work, Toreador Song, from the opera Carmen.

The opera Carmen was praised by composers such as Tchaikovsky and Debussy.

In Japan, it is one of the opera works famous enough to be included in school textbooks.

Pavarotti: Nessun dorma (Puccini: from the opera Turandot)Giacomo Puccini

G. Puccini - Turandot “Nessun dorma” None shall sleep

Nessun dorma from Turandot by the Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, born in 1858.

Turandot was left unfinished due to Puccini’s death in 1924, but his friend Franco Alfano completed it in 1926.

G. C. MENOTTI | Amelia al Ballo: FinaleGian Carlo Menotti

G. C. MENOTTI | Amelia al Ballo: Finale

The work is The Consul’s Ball (La festa a la americana) by Gian Carlo Menotti, an opera composer and librettist born in Italy in 1911 who was active in the United States.

This was Menotti’s first opera, and it was so well received that NBC commissioned him to write two operas for radio.