LibGuides: Music Resources: Open Access Music Resources / Opera

Digital Music Libraries

Library of Congress - Performing Arts Collections - Virtual Exhibits
Many Library of Congress Online Exhibits feature material from the Music Division’s collections. The list below connects researchers with select virtual exhibits curated by Music Division staff that remain available on the Library’s website.
NY Philharmonic: Archives Features
Exhibits, podcasts, and other special projects from the Archives.
The Sound of Hagia Sophia, more than 500 years ago
An NPR podcast - How the sound of Hagia Sophia was created (4:37).

Image: "Hagia Sophia - Ayasofya Mosque nave" by Gaspare Fossati.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
Icons of Sound - Virtual Hagia Sophia
Cappella Romana, Stanford's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics and the Art & Art History Department (5:40 min).
The Josquin Research Project
Search, browse, and analyze scores of polyphonic music, ca. 1420 - c. 1520.
Contemporary Music Score Collection, UCLA Music Library
IMSPL: International Music Scores Library
Sharing the world’s public domain music: Scores, Recordings, and more.
Choral Public Domain Library

The Art of Music - Music Appreciation with Equity Lens
This is a music appreciation textbook that features musical examples and photographs that represent the demographics of our students today. A comprehensive textbook, created by integrating several open educational resources. Published in November, 2024.

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Contents: I. Fundamentals; II. Music of the Middle Ages; III. Music of the Renaissance; IV. Music of the Baroque; V. Music of the Classical Era; VI. Music of the 19th Century; VII.Music of the 20th Century.
Interactive Activities (H5P) for The Art of Music
A list of 42 H5P activities, which supplement the textbook.
Chapter 19: Opera
"The 19th century witnessed a remarkable evolution in the world of opera, a period of artistic innovation and cultural transformation that would shape the course of this timeless art form. This era, marked by sweeping societal changes, technological advancements, and a fervent exploration of human emotions, saw opera undergo a profound metamorphosis, reflecting the dynamic spirit of the times."

Maria Callas (1923-1977)
Karajan artists: Maria Callas - "fellow perfectionists"
Maria Callas - aria (5:18)
"Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix" (My heart opens to your voice) - Samson and Delilah (French opera) by Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921).
Montserrat Caballe (1933-2018), Barcelona, Spain
"The queen of bel canto" sings "O mio babbino caro" (O my dear daddy) from Gianni Schicchi (an Italian opera) by Giacomo Puccinni (1858-1924), 3:57 min.
Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballe sing "Barcelona" (4:27)
"The song (1987) was inspired by Caballé's home city and later used as one of the two official theme songs for the 1992 Olympic Games. Mercury was a great admirer of Caballé, considering her voice to be "the best in the world". Source: Wikipedia
Alexandrina Pendatchanka (Alex Penda)
She is a renowned Bulgarian operatic soprano, particularly praised for her interpretations of dramatic and emotionally intense roles. Making her stage debut at age 17 in the role of Violetta in La traviata, she has performed in the world's most prestigious opera houses and is known for her vast vocal range and expressive acting. Her wide repertoire ranges from baroque operas by Monteverdi and Handel to bel canto and Verdi to the dramatic roles of Strauss and Wagner.
Alexandrina Pendatchanska - 1.Rossini (3:23)
La Petite Messe Solennelle, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Riccardo Chailly, 2008
2. Mozart - The Magic Flute, "Queen of the Night" (coloratura aria, 3:13)