When many people think of opera today, they think of a stuffy, boring and outdated musical form.
However, there are several operatic themes that many of us enjoy and have heard often. Below are five well-known musical themes that originated from opera.
5. The Flower Duet
This beautiful, ethereal duet is written by French composer Leo Delibes for a soprano and mezzo-soprano. It comes from his opera Lakme, which is about a Brahmin’s daughter who falls in love with an English visitor, Gerald. Unfortunately, theirs is a tragic, forbidden love that doesn’t end well for the leading lady. In this duet, Lakme and her servant, Mallika, are picking flowers near a river and sing about the flowers they are collecting together.
Notable uses of the duet are by the TV series Parks and Recreation in the episode “Leslie and Ben” (2013) and in his Ghirardelli commercial:
4. O mio babbino caro
Possibly Italian composer Puccini’s most famous aria, “O mio babbino caro” (Oh my dear father) is from his work Gianni Schicchi. In the opera, a con artist manages to steal money and property from the Donatis, a wealthy family, by disguising himself as a dying relative and leaving the man’s estate to himself. In the aria, his daughter Lauretta (a soprano) pleads with her father to allow her marriage to Rinuccio, a member of the Donatis. She threatens suicide if she doesn’t get her way.
Here is the aria used for a figure skater’s routine:
3. Habanera
This is the most famous aria from one the most famous operas of all time, Carmen, by French composer Georges Bizet. Sung by the leading lady (a mezzo-soprano), the lyrics describe love as something that follows no rules and acts as it wishes. Carmen is a seductive, gorgeous woman whose charms ensnare a Spanish officer, Don Jose. In his pursuit for Carmen, who does not share his feelings, he ruins himself and his career.
This song is heard in several movies and TV shows, with or without lyrics. Notable uses of the Habanera aria include the Dr. Who episode “Asylum of the Daleks” (2012) and the Disney/Pixar film Up (2009).
2. Largo al factotum
This is the “FI——–GA——–RO! FI——-GA——-RO! Fi—–ga—-ro—fi—ga—ro—fi-ga-ro-figarofigarofigarofigaro FI——GA——RO!” song! This tongue-twisting aria is from Italian composer Rossini’s opera, The Barber of Seville. In it, the barber Figaro helps Count Almaviva court his love, Rosina, in secret. “Largo al factotum” (Make way for the factotum) is sung by Figaro (a baritone) as he walks through the town square, reflecting on his job as barber and how it makes him popular with the townspeople since he helps out however he can. He calls himself the factotum, or an official with several responsibilities and duties.
In the episode “The Cat Above and the Mouse Below” from the cartoon Tom and Jerry, Jerry sabotages Tom’s performance of an operatic aria. Guess which one?
1. Ride of the Valkyries
Otherwise known as the “Kill the wabbit” song, “Ride of the Valkyries” is probably the best recognized and most widespread operatic themes today. Unlike the previous themes, this is an instrumental piece within the opera Die Walkure (part of a four opera cycle called The Ring) by German composer Richard Wagner. The song depicts the Valkyries, female warriors of Norse mythology who took worthy warriors out of battle and to Valhalla, or paradise.
“Ride of the Valkyries” has made a plethora of appearances in movies and TV shows. It is even used as a ringtone for cellphones! Here is that famous episode of Looney Tunes that made this operatic theme so famous; it also incorporates several musical and thematic elements from The Ring:
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