An Interpretive Guide to Operatic Arias |
Common terms and phrases
accelerando accents Aïda allargando allegro amore anda andante andthe aria baritone beautiful becomes besung Bflat breath bythe c’est cadenza charm ciel coeur color crescendo d’amor diminuendo Donna dramatic dream dynamic eighth notes emotion expression feeling fermata Figaro following fortissimo four bars Fsharp heart high notes intensity inthe itis last legato light line listeners long love lyric Manon Marguerite mezzo forte mezzosoprano mood music mustbe number ofher ofhis ofthe onthe opera orchestra passion performance phrase pianissimo piano portamento power preceding rallentando recitative repeat resonances return rhythm Rigoletto ring ritardando scene score second short shouldbe silence singer singing sixteenth notes sixteenths slow slowly song soprano soul sound spin staccato starts stay stress suggest sung sustained sweet syllable tempo tender tenor tenuto thearia thefirst thelast thenext thesame thesinger thevoice thevowel thewords tone Tosca tothe triplets tutto verse vibrant vocal voice vowel witha withthe woman words written young