The Greatest Love Duets & Arias of Opera

What better time spent on this Valentine’s Day than to bathe in the gifts of the operatic canon. I’ve selected only one from a given composer (i.e. we know Puccini or Verdi alone could fill an ENTIRE list). I tried to balance obvious choices with some less so. Surprisingly, none from Mozart inspired inclusion here.

Some embody a new or even first love (such as the Louise and Rigoletto selections), others a more mature, spiritual love (such as Tristan und Isolde and Die Tote Stadt). I’ve included translation excerpts in a few instances, where the text is particularly purple and ripe. I hope you enjoy this collection.

And, by all means, share your favorites, or any I missed in the comments. it was a challenge to narrow down, as you can imagine. Admittedly, the offerings are much more lean in the baroque realm, and none from modern opera <sad trombone>. And, yes, it’s terribly heteronormative, but alas, if you’re like me, you can project all sorts of fantasies onto these stories too ;-P

So, draw up a warm bubble bath, light some candles, get a great view of the stars, hop in the sack, and push <PLAY!>…

Und du wirst mein Gebieter sein (duet)
Arabella (Richard Strauss)

Depuis le jour
Louise (Charpentier)

“Since the day I gave myself my destiny seems all flower-strewn. I think I’m dreaming under a fairy sky my soul still intoxicated by your first kiss! What a beautiful life! My dream wasn’t a dream! / Oh! I’m so happy! Love is spreading its wings over me! In the garden of my heart sings a new joy!”

Ja vas lyublyu
Queen of Spades (Tchaikovsky)

O Nuit Divresse (duet)
Les Troyens (Berlioz)

“Endlessly intoxicating night of ecstasy.”

Signore ascolta
Turandot (Puccini)

“Her heart is breaking! My, how long I’ve walked with your name in my soul. With your name on these lips!”

Gluck das mir verblieb (duet)
Die tote Stadt (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)

“Joy, that near to me remains, come to me, my true love. Night sinks into the grove, you are my light and day. Anxiously beats heart on heart. Hope itself soars heavenward.”

Mild Und Leise
Tristan und Isolde (Wagner)

“Don’t you see it? Brighter and brighter how he shines, illuminated by stars rises high? …(It) sounds out of him, invades me, swings upwards, sweetly resonating rings around me? …be engulfed — unconscious — supreme delight!”

A te o cara (duet)
I Puritani (Bellini)

Caro Nome
Rigoletto (Verdi)

“Sweet name, you who made my heart throb for the first time, you must always remind me the pleasures of love! My desire will fly to you on the wings of thought and my last breath will be yours, my beloved.”

A levé toi
Romeo et Juliette (Gounod)

Dove sei
Rodelinda (Handel)

Signore deh non partire
L’Incoronazione di Poppea (Claudio Monteverdi)

Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix
Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns)

“My heart opens itself to your voice.”

Any glaring omissions, or ones you would like to add in the comments? Fire away!

Introducing: “Vinyl Divas”

I just discovered the most potent porn for any opera, LP, or LP cover design lover or fanatic: Vinyl Divas! If you’ve never had the pleasure of visiting the site, sprint there now. It’s a true well of greatness, an opiate for opera queens. For long-time aficionados, it will take you WAY back…for newbies, it will introduce you to some of THE golden and notorious recordings and singers.

I had so much fun perusing V.D. that I’ve gathered up my favorite covers out of the lot (this isn’t about the recordings themselves), and compiled them for you here. BUT, be sure to visit the site, as this is just the tip of the immense iceberg, and my aim is to honor and spread V.D.! I’ve categorized the covers here differently from the original site. (Click on the thumbnails to view them larger.)

The Paragon

Flawless styling, lighting, composition, depth of field, and Régine in her prime: slam dunk!

Worship at the Altar of Diva

These put us in a sort of trance, through the beauty, allure and irrestistability of the diva. Never have Elisabeth, Edita, or Elena looked more “like buttah.” Leontyne’s art song LP was recorded when she was a young Julliard graduate.