# Opera Duets



## LittleSoubrette (Feb 6, 2013)

(This thread is also posted in the Classical Music Discussion section. I just realized that it might be better for me to post it here as well!)

Hi everyone! Here's what's up:

My friend and I are planning on giving an elective recital at our college sometime in the spring. We're pretty good in terms of our solo repertoire for it, and we're also planning on doing a musical theatre duet, also well taken of. However, as the title of this thread suggests, we're kind of stuck trying to find an opera duet to do. We do have some options so far, as listed below:

Via resti servita ~ The Marriage of Figaro
Flower Duet ~ Lamke
Prendero quel brunettino ~ Cosi fan tutte
Evening Prayer ~ Hansel und Gretel
Dance Duet ~ Hansel und Gretel

We would like to have some others, though, just in case any of those don't work out. Here are some requirements we'd like for the duet:

*It should be from an opera, or a classical style duet. Nothing from a musical (like I said, we're good with that!)
*In terms of range(s), we'd like it to be both sopranos, preferably ones with lighter tessituras. However, if there's a good duet you know out there with a mezzo part that's not super low, please suggest it!
*We really want to play up the performance aspect for our recital, so the crazier or funnier the duet is, the better! If there's a lot of acting involved, please share!!!

Thanks everyone!


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## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

Here's one of my favorites from Monteverdi:





And here's a really good one from Der Rosenkavalier (the actual "duet" part starts around 4:30):


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

This one is not opera, but is fantastic. It is from Handel's Esther:


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Are you doing it with piano? Because instead of arranging work from opera, you might try something written for piano and two sopranos originally. There's great little duet by Brahms, no. 4 from op. 75 - some romantic wilderness without need of great vocal virtuosity. It's on IMSLP here, page 28 onwards:

http://conquest.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/8/8c/IMSLP23105-PMLP52815-BraWV__S._319f.pdf

Or you can always do this famous highlight, but it often comes off as annoying if singers are trying to be funny too hard:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Love this duet (grave digging duet from Fidelio):


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

I love 'Ah! Dite Alla Giovine' from La Traviata and love duet from Madama Butterfly. I also love the duet of Volkhova and Sadko from Rimsky Korsakov's Sadko.


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