Thread: Most beautiful operatic duet

Has anyone written anything more beautiful than this duet from Mozart's Tito?

I have a sneaky feeling there may be some different opinions on the way, as beautiful as your duet is.

Originally Posted by Azol

I would nominate this (from Semiramide):




Rossini was master of such duets! It's not a mere music, it's a feast!!!

This is master-class singing pure sang

"Dite alla giovine," which is always the highlight of La Traviata for me.

I would suggest as one of my favorites "Glück, das mir verblieb", from Korngold's Die Tote Stadt:

Probably the best thing from Puccini:

O Soave Fanciulla - Villazon + Netrebko

Son geloso... from La Sonnambula, particularly with Dessay and Florez.



Au fond du temple saint... from Les pêcheurs de perles, particularly with Björling and Merrill.

I can't help myself... 5,679,822 hits, not all mine.

Treat yourself to one of the most beautiful and haunting duets ever written for opera thanks to Arrigo Boito from Mefistofele,
"Lontano, lontano" which begins at 5:29 with Magda Olivero and I am not sure who the tenor and the bass are. (possibly Campora and Hines?)

Listen too for another beautifully done aria at around 10:10 by Olivero.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X-tpf2flQ

"Verrano a te" (Lucia and Edgardo) from LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR is one of the most purely beautiful, IMO.

Originally Posted by BalalaikaBoy

almost all of my favorites are soprano and bass/baritone duets
1) The Desert Song (baritone/soprano)
2) La Forza Primiera from Semiramide (bass/soprano)
3) Ditte alla Giovine from La Traviata (baritone/soprano)
4) Quali Accenti! from Semiramide (bass/contralto)
5) this duet from Nabucco (baritone/soprano)
6) Dunque Io Son from Il Barbiere (baritone/mezzo)
7) Tutte le feste/Si Vendetta! (baritone/soprano)

Edit: how did I forget In Mia Man?! (the only one on my list with a tenor )

That's one of my all-time favorite duets, but I think more for drama and rhythm than for "beauty." For pure beauty there's "O remembranza" (Norma, Adalgisa) from the same opera.

Originally Posted by Bellinilover

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That's one of my all-time favorite duets, but I think more for drama and rhythm than for "beauty." For pure beauty there's "O remembranza" (Norma, Adalgisa) from the same opera.

if that's what you mean by "beauty", I'd say The Desert Song is the winner on my list