If you aren't averse to including some arias on your programme (and it
sounds like you aren't), there are some in English and German that might
be worth considering. I also suspect that you aren't feeling quite up to
taking on Zerbinetta's aria from ARIADNE, despite your screen name?
20th Century
Benjamin Britten: Be kind and courteous, from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM -
Tytania's aria
Kirke Mechem: Fair Robin I Love (from TARTUFFE) - charming, funny, and
very melodious (inspired by 17th century music)
Lee Hoiby: Ariel's vocalise, from THE TEMPEST. Ariel has a number of
arias in the opera, but this is the most vocally dazzling.
Douglas Moore: Always through the changing of sun and shadow, from THE
BALLAD OF BABY DOE. I personally think this is the most powerful of Baby
Doe's five arias, and it's done much less often in concert than the
ubiquitous "Dearest Mama". Also consider the other arias: the Willow
Song, the Gold Aria, and Fine ladies walk with their heads.
Michael Tippett: Yes, Prince Hector will want his bath...Do I
deceive myself?, from KING PRIAM. The reason to include this aria, sung
by Andromache in the opera, is to leave no one in any doubt at all about
your musicianship. Anyone who can master a Tippett aria deserves an
award, IMO.
19th Century
Michael Balfe: I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls (from THE BOHEMIAN GIRL) -
Romantic, with lots of opportunities for showy cadenza work.
Victor Herbert: I list the trill of golden throat, from NATOMA, OR THE
MAID OF THE MOUNTAINS. This used to be a show-off standard for coloratura
sopranos early in the last century.
Arthur Sullivan: The hours creep on apace, from H.M.S. PINAFORE. One of
the more interesting G&S soubrette arias, IMO - more of a "scena" than
simply an aria, with a lot of dramatic contrast.
Lortzing: Auf des lebens, from DER WILDSCHUETZ. I personally find Lortzing
rather boring, but this is one of his best known works. His other is ZAR
UND ZIMMERMANN, which might also have possibilities for you.
von Weber: Der Mai bringt frische Rosen clar, from EURYANTHE. I
personally think von Weber's two "other" operas, EURYANTHE and OBERON, are
sadly underperformed. And, of course, there are Aennchen's arias from DER
FREISCHEUTZ.
Beethoven: O waer' ich schon mit dir vereint, from FIDELIO (Marzelline's
soubrette turn)
Otto Nicolai: Nein, das ist wirklich doch zu keck!, from DIE LUSTIGEN
WEIBER VON WINDSOR - This is a hilarious, delightful aria!
17th/18th Century
Thomas Arne: Where the bee sucks, from THE TEMPEST. Arne wrote some of the
most dazzling coloratura work in the repertory. Also consider arias from
his Artaxerxes (there are about a dozen for the various lyric coloratura
and leggero characters, but the most impressive are for Artaxerxes - e.g.,
The soldier tir'd of war's alarms; the role was originally sung by a
soprano castrato). Also, arias from his COMUS - e.g., Fame's an echo; Not
on beds of fading flow'rs
Thomas Boyce: Consider arias from his CORYDON AND MIRANDA or PELEUS AND
THETIS. Like Arne, Boyce was big on coloratura fireworks.
Henry Purcell: I attempt from love's sickness to fly, from THE INDIAN
QUEEN. A "standard" for leggero soprano.
Purcell: Hark the echoing air, or Thrice happy lovers (Epithalamium), or
one of the other soprano arias from THE FAIRY QUEEN; also consider
Belinda's arias from DIDO AND AENEAS; others by Purcell from his odes and
welcome songs: From silent shades, from Z.370 "Bess of Bedlam"; Music for
a while, from Z.583 "Oedipus"; Be welcome then, great sir, from Z.324
"Fly, bold rebellion"; With sick and famish'd eyes, Z.200; Now that the
sun hath veiled his light, from Z.193 "Evening Hymn on a Ground"; The
fatal hour comes on apace, Z.421; O solitude, my sweetest choice, Z.406
W.A. Mozart: Bester Juengling, from DER SCHAUSPIELDIREKTOR - Mme
Silberklang's showpiece
W.A. Mozart: Durch Zaehrtlichkeit und Schmeicheln, and also Welch Wonne,
welche Lust, from DIE ENTFUEHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL. Blondchen's arias are
both great fun!
W.A. Mozart: How about one of Bastienne's arias from BASTIEN UND
BASTIENNE?
Or how about one of Mozart's German concert arias for soprano: Schon lacht
der holde Fruehling, K.580; Nehmt meinen Dank, K.383; Der Liebe
himmlisches Gefuehl, K.119; Kommet her, ihr frechen Suender, K.146?
Some other possibilities in art song rep:
Arthur Bliss: "Angels of the Mind" - a cycle of seven songs, settings of
poems by Kathleen Raine for soprano and piano
Liza Lehmann: Four Cautionary Tales and a Moral - a charming, funny cycle
of settings of Victorian "morality" stories (ostensibly for children) by
Hilaire Belloc; and remember, you get Brownie points for performing a work
by a woman composer
Leonard Bernstein: I Hate Music!
Mozart: How about a grouping of his German songs?: K.596-598 (Komm,
lieber Mai; Der Fruhling 'Erwacht zum neuen Leben'; Wir Kinder); K.468
(Lied zur Gesellenreise 'Die ihr einem neuen Grade'); K.517-K.518 (Die
Alte; Die Verschweigung); K.349-350 (Die Zufriedenheit 'Was frag ich';
Schlafe mein Prinzchen); K.390-392 (Ich wuerd auf meinem Pfad; Sei du mein
Trost; Verdankt sei es dem Glanz); K.147-151 (Wie ungluecklich bin ich
nit; O heiliges Band; Die grossmuetige Gelassenheit (Ich habe es laengst);
Geheime Liebe (Was ich in Gedanken kuesse); Die Zufriedenheit in niedrigen
Stande (Ich trachte nicht); K.523-524 (Abendempfindung; An Chloe);
K.529-531 (Es war einmal; Das Traumbild 'Wo bist du, Bild?'; Die kleine
Spinnerin, 'Was spinnst du?'); K.539 (Ich moechte wohl); K.552 (Beim
Auszug in das feld, 'Dem hohen Kaiser-Worter treu'); K.472-474 (Der
Zauberer 'Ihr Maedchen, flieht'; Wie Sanft, wie ruhig; Der Reiche Tor);
K.476 (Das Veilchen)
Robert Schumann: Lieder Album fuer die Jugend, op. 79
Robert Schumann: Myrthen, op. 25
J. Strauss: Fruehlingsstimmen, op. 410
J. Strauss: Dorfschwalben aus Oesterreich, op. 164
Richard Strauss: Acht Lieder, op. 10
R. Strauss: Sechs Lieder, op. 68
Franz Schubert: Gesaenge (4) aus Wilhelm Meister, D.877, Op. 62
KM
=====
My NEIL SHICOFF Website:
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/shicoff/shicoff.html
My Website:
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Es en balde, majo mio, que sigas hablando
porque hay cosas que contesto yo
siempre cantando:
Tra la la...
Por mas que preguntes tanto:
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En mi no causas quebranto
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