Lily Pons Song Album - Selected Coloratura Repertoire

While they have a good repertoire of opera arias - many of them extremely challenging - coloratura sopranos can have a hard time finding art songs for study and recital use. This collection includes 27 songs (including a few shorter arias) arranged by Frank LaForge for the famous American coloratura soprano Lily Pons. Some songs have been transposed to better suit the higher voice.

Songs have parallel English and original language texts, with English on top. Most of the songs have French texts, with a few Italian songs, two in English, and one wordless vocalise. Cadenza suggestions are included.

The songs vary in range, but many include middle C as their lowest note. At the top, most songs call for G or A just above the staff. Several include high C, one has a C#, one a D, and one has an optional (and rather stylistically isolated) - high E. Opportunities for both melismatic singing and lyrical lines are present.

This book provides a wealth of recital and study literature for the coloratura, and most of it is also quite accessible for the lyric soprano. Biographical information on Lily Pons and Frank LaForge is included.