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| Arias
• most of the arias may be performed with piano or with orchestral accompaniment
• orchestral parts on rental
• custom print selections may be sold if no published piano/vocal score is available
for sale |
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| arias for ensemble voices |
| Esther |
music by Hugo Weisgall
libretto by Charles Kondek
after the Biblical story |
| the opera: The Biblical story of Esther: a story of self-sacrifice, courage, and ultimately, triumph. King Xerxes of Persia has renounced his wife, Vashti, who plots revenge. However, the plot is discovered by Mordecai, the uncle of Esther. When Mordecai refuses to be subservient to Haman, the King's Prime Minister, Haman vows to kill all the Jews in the kingdom, which Xerxes signs into law. Esther, summoned to the royal harem against her will, has become Xerxes' beloved Queen. Risking death for approaching the King without a summons, Esther begs a favor, which she is granted. She reveals that she, too, is Jewish, and demands the death of Haman and requests that the Jews be allowed to defend themselves. The opera ends in a victorious mood of triumph over adversity. |
[show arias]
| Duet: Why are you here? (Act II, Sc. x) |
character: Esther, Xerxes
voice: soprano, baritone
dur: 3˝’
 
the aria: Esther has just been chosen from the harem to be presented to Xerxes, who is immediately struck by her beauty. Esther's fears abate as he treats her gently, and she, too, feels attraction. |
published by Theodore Presser
orchestral parts on rental
complete piano/vocal score or extracted aria on rental, but can also be made available for purchase |
[close arias] |
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| Mrs. President |
music by Victoria Bonc
libretto by Hilary Bell |
| the opera: In 1872, Victoria Woodhull ran for President against Ulysses S. Grant on the Equal Rights Party ticket. Her platform included women’s suffrage and many other much-needed social reforms, but also included the inflammatory issue of free love and equality between the sexes. She famously challenged Henry Ward Beecher on his personal actions, which were at odds with his public denouncement of her views; but Victoria and Henry also had other things in common… |
[show arias]
| Duet: Predators Pt. 2 (Act I, Sc. iv) |
character: Victoria, Henry
voice: soprano lyric, tenor spinto
dur: 8˝’
 
the aria: Henry Ward Beecher storms into Victoria’s office, the first time that these two forceful personalities meet. Victoria denounces Henry's affairs with his parishioners and forces him to face his dualistic behavior. Her objection is to his hypocrisy and lack of honesty, not the fact. Henry is obliged to acknowledge his true nature, and by doing so, the two realize a strong mutual attraction. |
| Quartet (Act II, Sc. iii) |
character: Victoria, Isabella, Henry Ward Beecher, Col. Blood
voice: soprano spinto [or high mezzo], soprano lyric, tenor spinto, baritone
dur: 9˝’
   
the aria: Victoria, coming out of a faint, is still dreaming of her aspirations, while her husband, Col. Blood, tries to persuade her to lead a quiet, "normal" life. At the same time, Isabella and her brother, Henry Ward Beecher, engage in a heated argument: she is furious with his treatment of Victoria, and Henry accuses her of being bewitched by a "fiend from hell." |
published by Theodore Presser
orchestral parts on rental
complete piano/vocal score or extracted aria on rental, but can also be made available for purchase |
[close arias] |
|
| The Picture of Dorian Gray |
music by Lowell Liebermann
libretto by Lowell Liebermann
after the novel by Oscar Wilde |
| the opera: Oscar Wilde’s well-known story examines the quest for eternal youth, and the perils of an obsession with external beauty which disguises ugliness in the soul. |
[show arias]
| Duet: Your life has been a symphony (Act II, Sc. vi) |
character: Dorian Gray, Lord Henry Wotton
voice: tenor, baritone
dur: 2˝’
 
the aria: 18 years after Dorian declared that he would give his soul to remain young, his friend, Lord Henry, muses on his own lost youth and on the wonderful life that Dorian has lived; but Dorian now realizes that his life has been empty. |
published by Theodore Presser
orchestral parts on rental
sale: piano/vocal score 411-41101 |
[close arias] |
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