Expert: Jody Doktor - 8/11/2011

Question
Hi, my wife hardly listens to classical music. But she heard three pieces from operas and fell in love, Libiamo from Traviata, La donna mobile and voglio vivere cosi. Other arias from this Verdi CD didn't make her feel that happy. She would like to hear more of that kind of music.
Do you have recommendations? Doesn't have to be only Verdi, it was just a Verdi CD she heard.
Thanks and greetings from Winsen, close to Hamburg in Germany
Michael Nix

Answer
Hello!  Thank you for your question.  I am including a list of opera excepts that your wife may like.  Let me know what you think of them.

"Largo al factotum della citta" from Barber of Seville (Rossini)
"Una voce poca fa" from Barber of Seville (Rossini)
The Anvil Chorus from Trovatore (Verdi)
"Caro nome" from Rigoletto (Verdi)
"Non piu mesta" from La Cenerentola (Rossini)
The Habanera from Carmen (Bizet)
(actually almost any of the choruses from Carmen)
The Jewel Song from Faust (Gounod)
"Der Hoelle Rache" from Die Zauberfloete (Mozart)
Peasant's Chorus from The Bajazzo (Leoncavallo)
"Ein Maedchen oder Weibchen" from Die Zauberfloete (Mozart)