From: Karen Mercedes
To: VOCALIST <vocalist>
Subject: Re: Opera on the Organ, Anyone?
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

On Tue, 8 Feb 2000 Radiant100-at-aol.com wrote:

> I would like to ask those of you who are knowledgeable on opera for your
> opinion.
>
> An esteemed organization of organists would like to put on a concert
> utilizing singers and do a recital of opera arias and duets.
>
> I am not too keen on the idea - but I was wondering if any of you out there,
> have ideas on repertoire (arias/duets) that would lend itself (tastefully) to
> organ accompaniment. The singers would be a lyrico spinto soprano, lyric
> tenor, & lyric baritone. The organist would be first rate.
>
> Any ideas or BAD IDEA?
>


I think you could get creative with this idea. How about concentrating on
Opera's SACRED music. These are pieces that might sound a bit less
"weird" with organ accompaniment - indeed, adding organ in the place of
orchestra could be revelatory! I've included both prayers and prayer-like
invocations.

Ave Maria - from Verdi's OTELLO (soprano aria)

Casta diva - from Bellini's NORMA (soprano aria)

Sgombra e la sacra selva...Deh! proteggimi, o Dio! - from NORMA (soprano
aria)

Pace, pace, mio Dio! - from Verdi's LA FORZA DEL DESTINO (soprano aria)
(also Sono giunta!...Madre, pietosa Vergine, from the same opera)

Plus de tourments et plue de peine - from Massenet's LE CID (soprano aria)

Almaecht'ge Jungfrau - from Wagner's TANNHAEUSER (soprano aria)

O faend' ich Jubelweisen - from Wagner's LOHENGRIN (soprano aria)

Spunta l'aurora pallida - from Boito's MEFISTOFELE (soprano aria)

Ah! l'ultima preghiera - from Verdi's LUISA MILLER (soprano aria)

Salve Maria - from VErdi's I LOMBARDI ALLA PRIMA CROCIATA (soprano aria)

Deh! Tu di un' umile preghiera - from Donizetti's MARIA STUARDA
(soprano aria, with your organist as the "chorus").

Lavami e saro - from Puccini's LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST (soprano aria)

Tu al cui sguardi onni possente - from Verdi's I DUE FOSCARI (soprano
aria)

Mes plaintes mes plaintes sont vaines - from Verdi's JERUSALEM (soprano
aria)

Sempre all'alba ed alla sera - from VErdi's GIOVANNA D'ARCO (soprano aria)

A te ascenda, O Dio clemente - from Verdi's STIFFELIO (soprano aria)

Und ob die volke sie verhuelle - from von Weber's DER FREUSCHUETZ (soprano
aria) (also Wie nahte mir der SchlummerLeise, leise, fromme Weise)

Son gente risoluta - from Giordano's FEDORA (soprano aria)

Je dis que rien ne m'epouvante - from Bizet's CARMEN (soprano aria)


Lorsque l'enfant revient - from Massenet's WERTHER (tenor aria)

Adieu donc, vains objets - from Massenet's HERODIADE (tenor aria)

O Souverain , O Juge, O Pere - from Massenet's LE CID (tenor aria - and,
if you desire, you can also have your baritone do the voice of St. Jean,
as in the opera score - usually omitted when the aria is done out of
context)

O Roi des Cieux - from Meyerbeer's LE PROPHETE (tenor aria the organist
could have fun being the "chorus" for this one.)

Sotto una quercia parvemi - from Verdi's GIOVANNA D'ARCO (tenor aria)


Avant de quitter ces lieux - from Gounod's FAUST (baritone aria)

Dio di Giuda - from Verdi's NABUCCO (baritone aria)

Hear me, O Lord - from Floyd's SUSANNAH (bass-baritone aria)

O du mein holder Abendstern, from TANNHAEUSER (baritone aria)

Helas! enfant encore, from Massenet's THAIS (baritone aria) (also Toi, qui
mis la pitie)

Spit streleckoe gnezdo (Boyar Shaklovity's aria) - from Mussorgsky's
KHOVANSHCHINA (baritone aria)



KM
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tho' none hear Beside the singer.
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