O Mio Babbino Caro - Giacomo Puccini

This aria is a top favourite among the Sopranos from both popular-crossover to true-bred operatic! As an aria from the opera "Gianni Schicchi" by Giacomo Puccini, it is commonly deemed to be a very dramatic aria but it actually contains alot of emotions if you observe and try to comprehand the lyrics carefully. O Mio Babbino Caro actually means "Oh My Beloved Father" and it's lyrics describes a woman begging her father to accept that she loves a man whom he disapproves.

The aria here is sung by Hayley Westenra, the classical-crossover/popera Soprano who would totally melt you with her warm voice whilst delivering this song for its intended purpose. Note that she's a classical-crossover singer.

Ave Maria - Giulio Caccini

This aria was originally composed by Vladimir Vavilov but ascribed to Caccini due to some anonymity when he released it and thus caused a great deal of mystery and confusion pertaining the true composer of this aria.

Nonetheless, this aria is one of my favourite rendition of "Ave Maria" besides Schubert's, Otello's and Gounod's. With a very serene-like vibrant sound, it should be sung lightly, which explains why most people who sing this aria fail to bring out the true full-fledge beauty of it. However, Sumi Jo the Lyric Coloratura Soprano from South Korea will beautify your hearts when you hear her marvellous interpretation of this aria.

Nessun Dorma - Giacomo Puccini

The most popular Tenor aria in modern times! Pavarotti brought massive fame to this song when he sang this area during the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy and it is definitely one aria no tenor would ever give a miss!

The aria comes from the opera, Turandot by Giacomo Puccini, which is my favorite opera up till now. It's one of the greatest opera ever written with a great storyline and with one of the best arias of all time.

Vincerò! With a magnificent ending of a sustained B5 and his trademark white handkerchief, it's totally an iconic finisher. The aria is sung by the legendary lyrical tenor maestro Luciano Pavarotti, one of the greatest Tenor in contemporary time.

Vogliatemi Bene - Giacomo Puccini

One of the most famous aria from Puccini's opera - Madame Butterfly. It's one aria no one would and should ever miss! Its has the sad, lovely feeling if you do follow the sequence of the Madame Butterfly which of course isn't surprising since Vogliatemi Bene means "Love Me".

The aria here is sung by the legendary soprano Maria Callas and the famous tenor Nicolai Gedda. With the amazing bel canto, this aria is just magnificent as Callas end off with the Soprano C and Gedda ends off with the C5.

Tu Ch'hai Le Penne Amore - Giulio Caccini

This is a very sweet composition by Caccini among all his wonderful works like Amarilli, Mia Bella etc. It is an aria from Caccini's first opera, Euridice and it means "Oh Love, You Who Have Wings" and somehow after hearing the aria many times, I notice the introduction bears some mysterious-like feeling like those of Harry Potter. Isn't it cool? Just a random thought only, no offence with the resemblance.

The video features an Italian, Coloratura Mezzo-Soprano Cecilia Bartoli who sang this aria beautifully and I must admit that it is indeed beautiful. I totally love the harpsichord!

Lascia Ch'io Pianga - George Frideric Handel

An aria from Handel's opera, Rinaldo whereby the role of Alminera will sing it and it's a world renowned aria which have become recitalist's favorite. Somehow, I just have a feeling that castratos will pull this aria off better than sopranos although some sopranos can sing it real well. This aria definitely require a harpsichord and probably a string quartet as accompaniment to make it sound decently traditional though piano would be just as fine for recitalists.

The video shown here is a scene from the movie "Farinelli" which features the life of a world-renowned, famous castrato whose stage name is Farinelli. Of course, the actor shown in the video is not actually singing, just lip-syncing. The sound comes from a digital combination of a soprano and a countertenor but the sound is amazing cause there is a female sound with some masculinity, though nowhere close to the sound of a castrato.

Der Hölle Rache - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

This aria which comes from the Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute" is sung by the role of the Queen of the Night who in this video is the coloratura soprano, Luciana Serra. This is an aria which probably no normal, ordinary soprano be it lyric or dramatic can attempt and pull it off except the coloraturas due to the extremely high register.

It really shows the true power of a soprano! With the amazing F6 which is a fourth above Soprano C and the fact that it's rare to find coloratura sopranos. Phew!