In all my years of singing (ok, really only 5 years), I have been able to avoid learning cliche soprano arias. This is due to my Professor's interest in obscure and underperformed-- yet quality music, and also to the interesting color in my sound. An example of some of the stuff that I've been singing:
- Vocal Cantata by Carissimi: "Apritevi, Inferni"
- Bach's "Gelobet sei der Herr" from Trinitatisfest
- Aaron Copland's "As It Fell upon a Day"
Example of what normal sopranos learn:
- "Deh vieni non tardar" from Mozart's Le Nozze de Figaro
- "Ave Maria" by Schubert
- "Batti, batti" from Mozart's Don Giovanni
Well, you get it. But now I've come to the point of
fach identification. No, I didn't misspell a curse word.
Fach is a German word for voice classification. For full explanation check out
this link. Basically, I'm a light lyric soprano. Currently, more on the
soubrette side. Under this classification I'll be singing Ännchen's aria "Kommt ein schlanker Burch gegangen," which fits beautifully in my voice, Adele's Laughing Song (performed that one in Austria), and most unfortunately, Lauretta's "O mio babbino caro."
I've been able to go my whole singing career so far without learning the most overdone soprano aria of all time, but here I am, needing it. And not just needing it, apparently it sounds great in my voice. *As I roll my eyes* Although the aria is gorgeous, it has been performed by everyone, great and small, and with that comes expectations. The aria is certainly not hard, but one is expected to linger gracefully on the high A's, and blissfully glissando down. That's not me. Give the the speedy Bach and Handel melismas, I'll tear them up. But the Diva moment. We live and die by the Diva moment. Blech.
To lighten the mood, here's a shot from Moony's photoshoot, and further evidence that life is hard:
