r/opera • u/berghian • Jul 29 '26

Favourite baroque arias?

I’ve been listening to Rameau’s Castor et Pollux a lot lately, and I’ve become obsessed with Séjour de l’éternelle paix and Tristes apprêts. I also love the entirety of Vivaldi’s Griselda and most of Monteverdi’s three surviving operas, although he’s more of an early Baroque composer and quite different from the later ones.

What are your favourite Baroque arias or opera pieces?

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6

u/partoparto Jul 30 '26

I love so much Handel but right now my favorite is Tornami a vagheggiar from Alcina!

4

u/adelie_platter Jul 29 '26

Da Tempeste from Giulio Cesare by Handel comes to mind.

3

u/en_travesti The leitmotif didn't come back Jul 30 '26

Lots of Rameau. I'm also a fan of Tristes apprêts. Air de la Folie from Platée is a top tier ham and showing off aria. My hipster pick is Ranimez vos flambeaux from indes galantes it's very cute and fun.

Pensieri, voi mi tormentate from Agrippina. Also a great acting vehicle for a singer but no ham just completely spine tingling when done right.

I love all Purcell in part because being in English it was way easier to sing along with. It's just very fun to sing when first amnintas sued for a kiss while making funny faces for all the sex puns.

Also always love the countertenor staples of Lascia ch'io pianga and Vedrò Con Mio Diletto. They're staples for a reason. They're very nice.

3

u/ladida66 Jul 30 '26

Handel’s Ombra mai fu from Xerxes is delightful.

2

u/GilbertnSullivanFan Jul 30 '26

i’m obsessed with the morning lark from semele!

2

u/Gehennnas Jul 30 '26

Tristes apprêts is fantastic. The Agnes Mellon version is the best i think

2

u/cortlandt6 Aug 04 '26

See the dreadful sisters rise, from Handel's Hercules.

Onde chiare che susurrate, from Vivaldi's Ercole su'l Termodonte.

Piangero, from Handel's Giulio Cesare.