Lorenzo da Ponte (March 10, 1749 – August 17, 1838) was an Italian (later American) poet and opera librettist who is remembered today for his librettos for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s three most famous operas: Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Cosí fan tutte. Born into a Jewish family, his father, upon the death of Lorenzo’s mother,… Read More
composers
Recently added and perfect for Baritone
Recently added to our International Phonetic Alphabet database, In braccio alle dovizie, Monforte’s scene and aria from act three of the opera I vespri Siciliani. Text by Eugène Scribe (1790-1861) and Charles Duveyrier (1803-1866) Set by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) Download the IPA Text: https://www.ipasource.com/in-braccio-alle-dovizie.html Complete score: https://imslp.nl/imglnks/usimg/7/76/IMSLP517038-PMLP55448-Verdi_-_I_vespri_Siciliani_-_Act_I_(orch._score)_(etc).pdf From wikipedia.org: I vespri siciliani (Italian pronunciation: [i ˈvɛːspri… Read More
Featured composer: Gioachino Rossini
Gioachino Rossini, born February 29, 1792, was an Italian composer. Prolific and expedient, he wrote 39 operas and numerous sacred music, chamber music, and piano pieces. Rossini’s vocal compositions demand great vocal agility and have therefore had a lasting impact on the vocal training of opera singers. Rossini’s parents were both musicians. His father, Giuseppe,… Read More
April composer birthdays
We’re celebrating 6 composer birthdays during the month of April. Each composer has a link to our entire collection of texts for that individual. Ferruccio Dante Michelangelo Benvenuto Busoni, born 4/1/1866. Our collection: https://www.ipasource.com/composer/b/busoni-ferruccio-1866-1924.html Franz Paul Lachner, born 4/2/1803. Our collection: https://www.ipasource.com/composer/l/lachner-franz-paul-1803-1890.html Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, born 4/3/1895 Our collection: https://www.ipasource.com/composer/c/castelnuovo-tedesco-mario-1895-1968.html Louis (Ludwig) Spohr, born 4/5/1784. Our… Read More
Featured composer: Georg Friedrich Händel
Georg Friedrich Händel (later Anglicized to George Frederick (or Frideric) Handel), born February 23, 1685, was a German (and later British) baroque composer. Händel’s father was a barber and was not keen on his son pursuing music. Some say that Händel had clavichord hidden in the attic of his Halle home where he secretly practiced… Read More
Perfect for Voice – 17 Texts from Georg Friedrich Händel’s Messiah
Georg Friedrich Händel’s Messiah (HWV 56) is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible, and from the version of the Psalms included with the Book of Common Prayer. Originally intended as thought-provoking inspiration for Lent and Easter, this 259-page score was composed in a mere 3-4 weeks. During the 1700’s, opera… Read More
March composer birthdays
We’re celebrating 12 composer birthdays during the month of March. Each composer has a link to our entire collection of texts for that individual. Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, born 3/4/1678 Our collection: https://www.ipasource.com/composer/v/vivaldi-antonio-1678-1741.html Joseph Maurice Ravel, born 3/7/1875 Our collection: https://www.ipasource.com/composer/r/ravel-maurice-1875-1937.html Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, born 3/8/1714 Our collection: https://www.ipasource.com/composer/b/bach-carl-philipp-emanuel-1714-1788.html Samuel Barber, born 3/9/1910 Our collection:… Read More
Featured composer: Claude Debussy
French composer Achille-Claude Debussy, also known as Claude-Achille Debussy or Claude Debussy was born August 22, 1862, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Seine-et-Oise. Debussy was one of the most prominent figures in Impressionist music and among the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Debussy’s music was noted for its frequent use of non-traditional… Read More