Sound clips
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"Song to the Moon"
from Dvorak's opera Rusalka
Like the little mermaid, the water nymph Rusalka has fallen in love with a human and wants to become human herself. In this 1901 opera based on a Czech fairytale, Rusalka asks the Moon to find the man she loves. "Help him remember his dreams of me, tell him I'm waiting for him, make him remember me when he awakens.
O Moon, do not falter!" Recorded 2001 with Hartwig Eichberg on piano. In Czech.
Song to the Moon in .mp3 format - 8.0 Mb
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"Sommi Dei"
from Handel's opera Radamisto
This is the first aria of the opera, which debuted in 1720. Just before she sings this aria, Polissena has discovered that her husband is in love with another woman. She is devastated, and prays: "Highest Gods, who see the evilness of my husband, protect my melancholy heart." Although Polissena is often sung by a coloratura soprano, this short and dramatic aria can be sung by any voice type and is good for opening a concert. Recorded in 2001 with Hartwig Eichberg on piano. In Italian.
Sommi Dei in .mp3 format - 4.2 Mb
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"Lisa's Aria"
from Tchaikovsky's opera Pique Dame (Queen of Spades)
In this aria, Lisa is sorting through recent events: she has thrown over her fiance for a mysterious dark stranger; her grandmother has died, presumably at the hands of her new love; she has realized that he has a gambling addiction. She sings, first heartbroken, then growing more anguished, "Ah, I'm exhausted by my suffering. I think about him night and day, tormented. Where have you gone, happiness?" This haunting aria, written in 1890, is perfect for more dramatic voices. Recorded in 2001 with Hartwig Eicherg on piano.
Lisa's Aria in .mp3 format - 4.37 Mb
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