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In this guide we are going to work through how to approach learning an operatic aria for the first time. Learning an aria presents several different challenges to learning a musical theatre song, and requires a different style and level of preparation. We are going to cover how you might choose a suitable aria for your own voice, where to start when preparing the music, how to work with an aria that is not in your native language, how to research the context of the aria, and how to prepare a character.

This guide can be used by any singer preparing an operatic aria, and should be used in conjunction with the advice of your regular singing teacher, who will be able to support your learning.

Terminology

• Accompanist: An accompanist may also be a coach or repetiteur, or may be a separate accompanist who specialises in working with singers. They are a partner to your musical work, and not an afterthought. Working with an accompanist should be like performing a duet with another singer, you each have an important role and have to work together to produce the work.
• Aria: An aria is a solo song in an opera. The word ‘ariaâ€� is Italian for ‘airâ€� and can be thought of as a moment when the character ‘airsâ€� their thoughts. These can be a moment alone on stage, or they can be with other characters listening.
• Coach / Repetiteur: In opera, a coach or repetiteur is not a voice teacher. Where your voice teacher will focus on your vocal technique, a coach or repetiteur will help you to understand the different musical elements that go into a particular piece. They will also help with correct pronunciation of any foreign languages, and work with you on musical style. You may work with more than one coach or repetiteur on the same material and have several different approaches. A coach or repetiteur will work from the piano, playing the orchestral reduction in your vocal score, to imitate the sound of the orchestra that you would hear in the opera.
• Libretto: The libretto is the actual words of the opera, separate from the music.
• Score: The word ‘scoreâ€� is often used as shorthand for any printed sheet music with several parts on. In opera, a ‘full scoreâ€� would include the whole orchestra. You will want to work from a ‘vocal scoreâ€� when learning an aria. This has the orchestration reduced for a piano to play.
• Vocal technique: Vocal technique is a system of using your voice to produce a classical sound, which allows you to use every aspect of your instrument efficiently, and in a way that will carry across an orchestra with minimal effort.
• Voice type / Fach: In opera, your voice type describes how high or low you can sing, and your fach refers to the other qualities within your voice. This is important if you are hoping to use the aria to audition for work in opera, or for further training in opera.