When it comes to building your repertoire for auditions, competitions and performances, choosing the right arias is important.
By carefully selecting a diverse range of arias, languages and styles you can create a well-rounded repertoire package that showcases your full range of vocal skills and provides a clear picture of who you are as an artist.
In this blog post, I’ve listed 41 opera arias for tenor, by Fach, to create and/or renew your repertoire.
Opera Arias for Lyric Tenor
Quanto e bella - L’Elisir d’amore (Donizetti)
Una furtiva lagrima - L’Elisir d’amore (Donizetti)
Ecco ridente in cielo - Il barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini)
Un’aura amorosa - Cosi Fan Tutte (Mozart)
Ah! Mes amis - pour mon ame - La fille du regiment (Donizetti)
Questa o quella - Rigoletto (Verdi)
La donna e mobile - Rigoletto (Verdi)
Pays mervelleue, jardins fortunes - O paradis - L’Africaine (Meyerbeer)
Dalla sua pace - Don Giovanni (Mozart)
Il mio tesoro - Don Giovanni (Mozart)
Che gelida manina - La Boheme (Puccini)
Firenze e come un albero fiorito - Gianni Schicchi (Puccini)
Com’e gentil - Don Pasquale (Donizetti)
O wie angstlich - Die entfuhrung aus dem serail (Mozart)
Frisch zum Kampfe! - Die entfuhrung aus dem serail (Mozart)
Lenski’s aria - Eugene onegin (Tchaikovsky)
Dal labbro il canto - Falstaff (Verdi)
Horch, die Lerche - Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor (Nicholai)
Salut! Demeure chaste et pure - Faust (Gounod)
Spirato gentil - La favorita (Donizetti)
En ferment les yeux - Manon (Massenet)
Ach, so fromm - Martha (Flotow)
Je crois entendre encore - Les Pecheurs de perles (Bizet)
De’ miei bollenti spiriti - La Traviata (Verdi)
Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schon - Die zauberflote (Mozart)
Pourqoui me reveiller - Werther (Massenet)
Opera Arias for Dramatic Tenor
Nessun dorma - Turandot (Puccini)
Come un bel di maggio - Andrea Chenier (Giordano)
Ma se m'e forza perderti - Un Ballo in maschera (Verdi)
Mamma, quel vino è generoso - Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni)
Amor ti vieta - Fedora (Giordano)
O tu che in seno agli angeli - La Forza del destino (Verdi)
Apri la tua finestra - Iris (Mascagni
Non piangere Liu - Turandot (Puccini)
E la solita storia del pastore - L’Arlesiana (Cilea)
La fleur que tu m’avais jetee - Carmen (Bizet)
Amor ti vieta - Fedora (Giordano)
Amore o grillo - Madama butterfly (Puccini)
Recondita armonia - Tosca (Puccini)
E lucevan le stelle - Tosca (Puccini)
Vesti la giubba - I Pagliacci (Leoncavallo)
How to Choose the Right Arias
When it comes to choosing the right arias, there are a few key factors to consider:
Choose Arias you Love to Perform
Everyone will have different opinions regarding what arias best suit your voice.
And welcome repertoire advice and suggestions from teachers you trust.
But by choose repertoire that really resonates with you vocally, emotionally, and dramatically you’ll deliver an outstanding performance that won’t go unnoticed.
Choose Arias that Suit your Vocal Abilities
It is important to choose arias that you can sing right now.
Present repertoire that shows your current strengths and abilities and highlights your vocal and performance skills that make you stand out.
Ideally, arias should be taken from roles you are ready to perform in full.
But it can be tempting to choose a difficult aria but if for example, an aria has notes that are too high or too low for you to sing comfortably, this can be a big risk.
You’re far more likely to be successful, particularly with audition and competition panels, if you sing a beautifully performed and confidently executed piece than something difficult.
Choose Arias that show your full range of vocal skills
A well-rounded repertoire package should also represent the languages, musical styles and technical skills for the types of roles your best suited for.
Consider your Fach and the qualities of your voice and how they match the style of an aria.
For example, if you have a light, agile voice, you might feel comfortable singing bel canto arias, which are known for their ornate, florid melodies.
On the other hand, if you have a darker, more powerful voice, you might feel more at home singing verismo arias, which are known for their emotional intensity and dramatic flair.
Avoid repertoire that cannot be performed confidently or accurately or exposes technical flaws and weaknesses.
Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias by Richard Boldrey is a great resource for breaking down the Fach system and providing helpful repertoire sections.
Choose Arias that show Personal style and character:
Choose arias that match your personal style and the characters you feel most comfortable portraying.
If you enjoy, and vocally well-suited to singing more lighthearted, playful roles, you might look for arias that reflect that.
On the other hand, if you prefer more dramatic, emotional roles, you might look for arias that allow you to delve into those depths.
The difficulty here is that the arias are performed out of context. You have no set, costume or other characters to help you tell the story.
Choose repertoire where you're familiar with the character and dramatic interpretation, where you can present your storytelling skills and deliver a compelling performance.
By considering these factors, you can find arias that suit your vocal range, style, and character, and that will allow you to give a confident and authentic performance.
Recommended Songbooks
It is also important to remember that finding the right arias is a process, and it may take some experimentation to find the arias that showcase your vocal abilities.
Don't be afraid to try out different arias and see what works best for you.
With time and practice, you will be able to create a well-rounded repertoire package that will help you showcase your unique strengths, allow you to give your best performance, and help you stand out as a performer.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional or medical advice. Singers and professional voice users should always consult with qualified professionals, such as singing teachers or medical practitioners before making any decisions or taking any actions related to their vocal health and wellbeing.
Further Reading
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