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The ABC's of Opera- lyric voices

Welcome Students and Teachers to Opera Online! For our second week of The ABC's of Opera we will be focusing on the fach, or voice type, of the lyric voice.


Video Clip of the Week!
The lyric voice is classified by a light or bright quality to the voice. Although the lyric voice may have a large range, they have a smaller range than a coloratura voice. The first video clip is of one of the most famous lyric tenors Luciano Pavarotti. In this 1981 production of Rigoletto Pavarotti sings the famous aria "La donna e mobile". The Duke (Pavarotti) sings about how fickle women are.

The second video clip is of lyric soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa singing the classic Puccini aria "Si, mi chiamano Mimi" from La Boheme. In the aria Mimi (Kanawa) introduces herself to the poet Rodolfo who has fallen in love with her at first sight. The story of La Boheme was modernized in the 1990's to become the plot of the hit musical RENT.



Luciano Pavarotti "La donna e mobile"



Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, "Si, mi chiamano Mimi"



Website of the Week!
Check out the websites of some of the most popular lyric singers performing today! Sopranos Renée Fleming, Anna Netrebko and Angela Gheorghiu, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and tenors Juan Diego Florez and José Carreras.

Opera on the Air!
On Saturday, June 25th at 1 PM radio station WRTI will be broadcasting the Lyric Opera of Chicago's La Fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West). A handsome outlaw in disguise! The sheriff in hot pursuit! And a garter-snapping, pistol-packing, poker-playing heroine who knows when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em to save the man she loves. Puccini was fascinated by the American West--and California during the Gold Rush was perfect for the adventures of one of his most memorable leading ladies. Conducted by Sir Andrew Davis this production features soprano Deborah Voigt as Minnie, Tenor Marcello Giordani as the mysterious Dick Johnson, and baritone Marco Vratogna as the merciless sheriff Jack Rance.

On Sunday, June 26 at 1:30pm PBS Channel 39/WLVT will be televising the Great Performances at the Met broadcasting of Lucia di Lammermoor. Natalie Dessay stars in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor as the fragile title character, whose brother (Ludovic Tézier) forces her into an arranged marriage due to his hatred for the family of the man (Joseph Calleja) she loves. Renée Fleming hosts.

Until Next Week!

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