Best Aria ever written

What is the best operatic aria in your opinion? I am partial to Hoho Hoho/ Nuthung Nuthung from Wagner's Siegfried. What are your nominations?

"Must the winter come so soon" from Vanessa, by Samuel Barber.

"Glitter and be gay" from Candide, by Leonard Bernstein.

"Credo in un Dio Crudel", from Otello, by Giuseppe Verdi.

"Glitter and Be Gay" from Candide DEFINITELY!!!!

*sigh* you people...

"Glitter and Be Gay" from Candide by the famous Bernstein. (Best composer ever)

What is the best operatic aria in your opinion? I am partial to Hoho Hoho/ Nuthung Nuthung from Wagner's Siegfried. What are your nominations?

I don't know if that is really an aria...Mime sings in it just as much as Siegfried. But it's definitely one of my favorites.

My very favorite aria, is Elektra's first monologue

It's so awesome! Worship it.

King Marke's monologue in Tristan might be my next favorite. To alot of people its sort of boring but I think it is very sensitive.

I don't know if you can consider it an aria, but Hans Sachs monologue at the end of Meistersinger is great.

1. Elektra's first monologue

2. Hans Sachs final monologue

3. Marke's monologue.

"Must the winter come so soon" from Vanessa, by Samuel Barber.

FANTASTIC aria. I'm also partial to "The New York Lights" from A View from the Bridge by William Bolcom. Also the Shaper's aria from Grendel.

I'm a little emoboy you'll have to excuse me. I then again have just gotten into opera so I don't know all of the arias as much as I would like to.

La mamma Morta (Maria Callas of course) Umberto Giordano Andrea Chernier

La Paterna Mano Verdi's Macbeth

"Cosa Mi Narri?... Che Soave Zeffiretto" but i don't know if that qualifies as an aria. that's mozarts nozze i think (and know).

That's the Letter Duet between Susanna and the Countess.

Don't believe liking those kinds of opera arias qualifies as emo-ness, they're formidable compositions and that's why people enjoy them. Those two are gorgeous. Verdi and the Verists (Leoncavallo, Mascagni, Giordano, Catalani, Puccini, Cilea...) were gods of melody. I hate people who call them inferior and merely crowd-pleasing. They're crowd pleasing cuz they're damn good.

If you've just gotten into opera, I recommend you get your hands on Callas' recording of Puccini's Tosca. If you're free some afternoon, take the libretto which comes with the CD (original text and translation) and listen to the whole thing while reading it. You'll thank me later. :P

A lot of people wrote "glitter and be gay" and although I love glitter and be gay, I don't know if it counts as an aria...I mean, it's more of a musical than an operetta.

I think Bernstein is great, but i don't think he's the best composer ever. I mean, he just can't compare to people like Wagner and Puccini.

I think Nessun Dorma may be the best aria. I know it's a cliche answer, but i really don't think nessun dorma is overrated.

Also, Liu's aria from the beginning of Turandot.

A lot of people wrote "glitter and be gay" and

I think Bernstein is great, but i don't think he's the best composer ever. I mean, he just can't compare to people like Wagner and Puccini.

Even if he wasn't the best, he is one of the most innovative. (But, I think he's the best)

Nessun Dorma by Puccini. Or Song to the Moon from Rusalka, or...hehe..O mio Babino caro

"Martern aller Arten" from Mozart's opera Die Entf

I suppose you could argue for any number of Mozart's arias.

I dont want to reply becuase I cant decide!! but.....

I think this one is over looked:

Donizetti: La Fille Du R

Definitely and by far "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix" from Saint-Saens' Samson and Delilah.

YouTube - Placido Domingo Olga Borodina 'Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix'

Dvorak's 'Song to the moon' from Rusalka is another candidate.

o yea!

DVORAK's - 'Song to the moon'

see I told you, i just cant decide!

Dvorak song to the moon almost brings me to tears when leontyne price sang it...

the News aria, sung by Richard Nixon in John Adam's Nixon in China. ;)

Siegfried's death or Bruennhilde's Immolation from "Goetterdaemmerung" by Wagner, I think; but Liebestod from "Tristan und Isolde" and Winterstuerme from "Die Walkuere" are also SO wonderful. Agony of Tristan is great too. "Nessun dorma" is beautiful, but it doesn't get so interesting until final. "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix" by Saint-Saens is nice, but I can't compare it to poor dying Isolde :)

So: last arias by Siegfried, Bruennhilde and Isolde are the best. Death and love are most interesting ;)

I can't beleive nobody has mentioned Au fond du temple saint. Talk about bringing tears to your eyes!

A lot of people wrote "glitter and be gay" and although I love glitter and be gay, I don't know if it counts as an aria...I mean, it's more of a musical than an operetta.

Try telling that to all the sopranos hitting those high Eb's. (not to mention all the Cs, Dbs, scales, etc...)

I prefer the aria from Sweeney Todd, " Green Finch and Linnet Bird" the extended version. Here's an excerpt of the lyrics.

"Green Finch and Linnet Bird

Nightingale, Blackbird

How is it you Sing?

How can you jubilate

Sitting in cages

Never taking wing?

Outside the sky waits

Beckoning, Beckoning

Just beyond the bars

How can you remain

Staring at the rain,

Maddened by the Stars?

How is it you Sing

Anything?

How is it you Sing?

Ringdove and robinet,

Is it for wages,

Singing to be sold?

Have you decided it's

Safer in cages,

Singing when you're told?

My cage has many rooms, Damask and dark.

Nothing there sings,

Not even my lark.

Larks never will, you know,

When they're captive.

Teach me to be more adaptive.

Green finch and linnet bird,

Nightingale, blackbird,

Teach me how to sing.

If I cannot fly,

Let me sing."