PARTS OF THE OPERA

OVERTURE 

It is the first part of an opera. It's like an instrumental introduction. It is performed before the action starts, sometimes with the curtain down.

• Verdi - La Traviata (overture)
• Rossini - William Tell (overture)
• Rossini - El barbero de Sevilla (Obertura)

SUNG PARTS

Sung parts in an opera are the recitatives and the arias:

RECITATIVE
The word 'recitative' comes from 'recite' or 'recitate' (recitar). The recitatives are sung quickly. In fact, it's half spoken half sung. The characters dialogue.

• Monteverdi - Messenger duo (L'Orfeo)
• Mozart - La ci darem la mano (Don Giovanni)
• Mozart - The marriage of Figaro
• Donizetti - Tombi degli avi miei (Lucia di Lamermoor)

ARIAS 
Arias are the most important parts in an opera. Singers show their abilities

• Leocavallo - Vesti la giubba (Il Pagliacci) 
• Puccini  - O mio babbino caro (Gianni Schicchi)
• Donizetti - Una furtiva lagrima (L'elisir d'amore)
• Purcell - Dido's lament

CHORUS 
Sung parts sung by a choir.

• Verdi - Va pensiero (Nabucco)

INSTRUMENTAL PARTS

INTERLUDES and INTERMEZZOS

• Mascagni - Cavalleria rusticana - Intermezzo

Play Ópera APP

¿Conoces la App 'Play Ópera'?

Se trata de una aplicación disponible tanto para iPad como para iPhone ideal para niños de entre 8 y 11 años. En ella se presentan varios fragmentos de óperas muy conocidas acompañadas de bonitas ilustraciones

Some music APP's to learn and teach music

The (creepy) Magic Flute by Mozart

What do you think about this performance? Do you like it?

You can encourage your students to find adjectives to describe it:

The Magic flute with English lyrics and subtitles

THE MAGIC FLUTE WITH SUBTITLES

La ópera completa de 'La flauta mágica' con subtitulos en español e inglés:

Enlace a Youtube

Henry Purcell - Dido and Aeneas with subtitles

The magic flute with English lyrics and subtitles

An amazing performance of "The Magic flute" by Mozart created by the Metropolitan Opera of New York. 

It is a fantastic production made by the MET with English lyrics specially thought for children.

Types of voices - Javier Camarena (Tenor)

If you are studying the different types of voices take this opportunity to show your students the importance and the trascendece of a good singer.

Recently, the tenor Javier Camarena made history at the Royal Theatre in Madrid singing the second "bis" in the history of the Royal Theatre with the opera "La fille du regiment" by Donizetti.

Your students can check the press and investigate the news.

EL PAÍS - Javier Camarena hace historia
ABC - bis de Camarena