April is National Letter Writing Month. Though Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email are the popular ways to communicate today, opera often goes “Old School” with the ancient relic of the Handwritten Letter. Here are a few examples Opera revels Love, Secrets and Plots in these famed Letter Scenes.
Eugene Onegin - Tchaikovsky
Tatyana falls head over heels in love with Eugene Onegin, and stays up all night writing him a letter, where she pours out her heart.
Listen to Anna Netrebko sing Tatyana’s aria.
Cyrano - David DiChiera
Roxane mentions the last letter she ever received from Christian. Cyrano asks if he may see the letter. As he begins to read aloud, she realizes that he knows the text by heart, and she recognizes the voice from the balcony, realizing now the letters were Cyrano's all along.
Listen to Marian Pop and Leah Partridge from the premiere of Cyrano at the Detroit Opera House 2007.
The Marriage of Figaro - Mozart
The flirtatious Count must be shamed into better behavior. The Countess and Susanna join forces to concoct a love letter to expose the Count’s infidelity.
Listen to Renee Fleming and Cecilia Bartoli in the duet Sull’aria.