An aria is a song for one singer in an opera. A chorus is a piece for a crowd of singers. A libretto is the words of the whole opera. This page explains those three and about twenty more words that you will meet in a program or at the opera house.
The music
Aria. A song for one singer. The story stops, and the character tells us how they feel. Hear: the Queen of the Night’s aria from The Magic Flute, by Mozart.
Recitative. Singing that follows the rhythm of speech. It moves the story along between the arias. Say it “reh-chih-tah-TEEV.”
Duet, trio, and quartet. A piece for two, three, or four singers. Hear: the Evening Prayer from Hansel and Gretel, by Humperdinck, which is a duet.
Ensemble. A piece for several singers at once, each with their own words and feelings.
Chorus. A large group of singers who play the crowd: villagers, soldiers, or guests. The word also means a piece they sing. Hear: the Toreador Song from Carmen, by Bizet, where the chorus joins in. Read Carmen for kids.
Overture. The piece the orchestra plays before the curtain rises. Read what is an overture?
Finale. The last piece of an act, often with everyone on stage.
Leitmotif. A short tune that stands for a person, a thing, or an idea. It comes back each time that person or idea does. Wagner built his operas on these. Film composers use them too. Say it “LITE-moh-teef.”
Cadenza. A free, showy passage for the singer near the end of an aria. Read what is a cadenza?
The words
Libretto. The text of an opera. The word is Italian for “little book.”
Librettist. The person who writes the libretto. The composer writes the music.
Surtitles. The translation shown on a screen above the stage. Operas are often sung in the language they were written in.
Synopsis. A short summary of the story, printed in the program. Read it before the lights go down.
The singers
Soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, and bass. The main voice types, from high to low. Read voice types for kids.
Coloratura. Fast, high singing with many runs and leaps. It also names a soprano who is good at it.
Bel canto. Italian for “beautiful singing.” A style that prizes a smooth, even tone.
Prima donna. Italian for “first lady.” The leading female singer of a company.
Trouser role. A boy’s part that is sung by a woman. Hansel in Hansel and Gretel is one.
Cover. A singer who learns a role and is ready to step in if the star is ill.
The building and the people
Pit. The sunken space in front of the stage where the orchestra sits.
Conductor. The person who leads the orchestra and the singers from the pit. Singers call the conductor “maestro.”
Director. The person who decides how the story is acted and how the stage looks.
Act and scene. An opera is split into acts, with a break between them. An act is split into scenes.
Intermission. The break between acts. In Britain it is called the interval.
Curtain call. The bows at the end.
What to shout
At the end of a fine aria, the audience may call out in Italian.
| Word | For |
|---|---|
| Bravo | A man |
| Brava | A woman |
| Bravi | A group |
Kinds of opera
- Opera seria: a serious opera about gods, kings, and heroes
- Opera buffa: a comic opera about everyday people
- Operetta: a light opera with spoken lines and dancing
- Grand opera: a long opera with a big chorus, a ballet, and grand scenery
- Oratorio: a story for singers and orchestra with no acting or costumes, such as Handel’s Messiah
Read opera vs musical.
Things to do together
Aria or recitative? Play two minutes of an opera. Your child stands for an aria and sits for a recitative.
Sing your day. For five minutes, sing everything you say, in the rhythm of speech. That is recitative.
Give it a tune. Choose a short tune for each person in the family. Hum it when they walk in. That is a leitmotif.
Bravo, brava, bravi. Watch three clips. Your child calls out the right word after each one.
Read the synopsis. Before you watch an opera at home, read the story aloud in three sentences.
Operas to start with
- The Magic Flute for kids
- Hansel and Gretel for kids
- Amahl and the Night Visitors for kids
- Opera for kids: where to start and what to expect
Print and play
Use a listening journal page for each aria. For more music words, read the plain glossary of music words.
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This article is part of Music theory for parents: what your child is learning and how to help.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.