World of Opera's Hit Singles http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15846888&ft=1&f=15846888 Nearly every opera is both a continuous drama and a collection of great songs. Sometimes the best of those songs become as popular, or even more popular, than the operas themselves. Here, <em>World of Opera</em> presents a collection of opera's biggest hits. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:27:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif World of Opera's Hit Singles http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15846888&ft=1&f=15846888 The Death of Bajazet Placido Domingo sings the key scene from one of the first great tenor roles ever composed — Bajazet, in Handel's <em>Tamerlano</em>. Bajazet's death is among the most dramatic solo scenes in all of Baroque opera. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:27:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97023049&ft=1&f=15846888 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97023049&ft=1&f=15846888 Placido Domingo sings the key scene from one of the first great tenor roles ever composed — Bajazet, in Handel's Tamerlano. Bajazet's death is among the most dramatic solo scenes in all of Baroque opera.

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]]> Monteverdi's 'Tu se morta ...' Orfeo reacts to the news that his wife, Euridice, has died of a poisonous snakebite, in the aria "Tu se' morte, mia vita, ed io respiro?" — "You are dead, my life, yet I still breathe?" Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:39:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88067418&ft=1&f=15846888 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88067418&ft=1&f=15846888 Orfeo reacts to the news that his wife, Euridice, has died of a poisonous snakebite, in the aria "Tu se' morte, mia vita, ed io respiro?" — "You are dead, my life, yet I still breathe?"

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]]> Verdi's 'O patria mia' In the moving aria "O patria mia," the title character in Verdi's <em>Aida</em>, an Ethiopian princess held captive in Egypt, longs for her homeland and fears that she'll never see it again. Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16534097&ft=1&f=15846888 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16534097&ft=1&f=15846888 In the moving aria "O patria mia," the title character in Verdi's Aida, an Ethiopian princess held captive in Egypt, longs for her homeland and fears that she'll never see it again.

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]]> Rossini's 'Non piu mesta' In <em>La Cenerentola</em>, Rossini's take on the familiar story of Cinderella, the title character forgives her abusive family and rejoices at her own good fortune, in the aria "Non piu mesta" — "No longer sad." Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:44:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16359073&ft=1&f=15846888 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16359073&ft=1&f=15846888 In La Cenerentola, Rossini's take on the familiar story of Cinderella, the title character forgives her abusive family and rejoices at her own good fortune, in the aria "Non piu mesta" — "No longer sad."

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]]> Mozart's 'Catalog Aria' In <em>Don Giovanni</em>, the title character's manservant, Leporello, bluntly describes his boss's prodigious love life to Elvira, one of Giovanni's recent conquests, in the frank but witty "Catalog Aria." Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:02:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15897704&ft=1&f=15846888 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15897704&ft=1&f=15846888 In Don Giovanni, the title character's manservant, Leporello, bluntly describes his boss's prodigious love life to Elvira, one of Giovanni's recent conquests, in the frank but witty "Catalog Aria."

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]]> Puccini's 'O mio babbino caro' At a crucial moment in Puccini's <em>Gianni Schicchi</em>, Lauretta sings "O mio babbino caro," a tender appeal to Schicchi, her father, to assist her boyfriend's greedy family, so the two of them can finally marry. Amanda Squitieri sings it at the Washington National Opera. Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:47:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15891416&ft=1&f=15846888 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15891416&ft=1&f=15846888 At a crucial moment in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, Lauretta sings "O mio babbino caro," a tender appeal to Schicchi, her father, to assist her boyfriend's greedy family, so the two of them can finally marry. Amanda Squitieri sings it at the Washington National Opera.

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]]> 'Un bel di,' by Giacomo Puccini It woud be difficult for a single tune from <em>Madame Butterfly</em> to be more popular than the opera itself, but there's one that comes close: Cio-cio-San's poignant aria, "Un bel di" — "One fine day." Tue, 04 Sep 2007 14:44:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15855063&ft=1&f=15846888 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15855063&ft=1&f=15846888 It woud be difficult for a single tune from Madame Butterfly to be more popular than the opera itself, but there's one that comes close: Cio-cio-San's poignant aria, "Un bel di" — "One fine day."

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]]> Rossini's 'Largo al factotum' Rossini's "Largo al factotum " — sometimes called "The Figaro Aria" — is the boastfully buoyant number sung by Figaro to explain exactly why he's the most famous barber in Seville. Fri, 03 Aug 2007 17:59:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15901438&ft=1&f=15846888 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15901438&ft=1&f=15846888 Rossini's "Largo al factotum " — sometimes called "The Figaro Aria" — is the boastfully buoyant number sung by Figaro to explain exactly why he's the most famous barber in Seville.

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