Power Lungs 1
The Fat Lady Sings!

Whether you are an opera lover or not, you cannot deny the power and emotion of the female voice. (If you don't know, try some and see; you'll soon know!)

Opera's greatest stars have always been the female singers, the sopranos, mezzos, or even altos. (These words describe different "vocal ranges", those musical notes where the singer's voice sings most comfortably, from high-to-low. Sopranos sing highest, altos lowest.)

For most opera composers, the female voice was the ultimate expressive instrument. Thus, arias (opera songs) written for female singers are most famous of all, typically conveying a unique degree of passion and intensity unrivalled in music. (Noticeably absent from this list is Puccini, who single-handedly wrote some of the greatest female songs, ever. He has scored his own page).

That adoration can be heard in the following popular and very well-known, arias.

1. Bellini – Norma – ‘Casta Diva’ (Chaste Goddess, Act I)
2. Bizet – Carmen – ‘L‘amour est un oiseau rebelle’ (Habanera) (Love is like a rebellious bird, Act I)
3. Catalani – La Wally – ‘Ebben? ne andro lontana’ (Well?... I will go far away, Act I)
4. Delibes – Lakmé – ‘Viens, mallika. Dôme épais le jasmin’ (Flower Duet, Act I)
5. Dvořák – Russalka – ‘Mêsícku na nebi hlubokém’ (O silver moon, Act I)
6. Gounod – Roméo et Juliette – ‘Ah! Je veux vivre’ (Juliet's Waltz, I want to live, Act I)
7. Mozart – Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) – ‘Voi che sapete che cosa e amor’ (You all know what love is, Act II)
8. Offenbach – Les Contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann) – ‘Belle Nuit, ô nuit d'amour’ (Barcarolle, Beautiful night, oh night of love, Act III)
9. Rossini – The Barber of Seville – ‘Una voce poco fa’ (A voice, a little while ago, Act I
10. Saint-Saëns – Samson et Dalilah – ‘Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix’ (My heart opens to your voice, Act II)