Can anyone help me with some Opera tips?

I sing mid-range soprano and I'm teaching myself "Habanera" from Carmen by Georges Bizet. Can anyone give me tips on singing this or just singing opera in general?

Can anyone help me with some Opera tips?

I have sung Habanera many times, and I would say the most difficult part of the aria is the wording. The melody seems simple, but the phonetics are so far from english, and it can be a bit wordy. I would suggest getting the phonetics down first, since the melody is pretty simple. You could either listen to a good recording by a french singer, or a good opera singer with strong french verbal skills like Marilyn Horne or Maria Callas. Study how they pronounce the words. Also, the school way of doing it is to get a French Diction Book for singers. You can google that and you will get results. But if you don't have time for that, do the recordings.

After getting the phonetics, work on bridging the phrases together with good breath support. I have heard some singers chop up the phrases by breathing in between. It is supposed to feel slightly legato when singing the phrases. Make sure your breath support is in tact, and make sure your bottom is warmed up properly to give the feeling of the aria. You don't want those bottom notes to sound airy or weak. That is the best parts of the aria. Of course, when you get all the technical things down, get into the character and become the vixen she is. Carmen doesn't give a dang about any man. All she cares about is herself and how she can seduce any man to get what she wants. That is what you want to display. That is why people love the song so much also.

Tips on singing opera? Well, singing opera is so complex sometimes. For some arias, you have to give a different voice according to the composer. I would suggest just studying and observing really good opera singers of the past if you cannot afford formal training. If you can, hire a voice teacher who specializes in opera or classical music. The core to singing opera is technique. Diaphragmatic breathing is imparative to last on stage while singing opera. Learn your voice type through vocalizations and warm ups, try not to get too frustrated while practicing and remember it comes with the territory. You are not always gonna get it right the first time, but it will come. Try to study different languages, or at least the diction. That way, when you have to sing an aria in another language it will not be so difficult. Be confident in yourself, and study study study. Soak up opera like a spunge. Singing opera is the longest study in any singing field so you are going to need patience, but once you get it, you will be IN LOVE with it in your voice. Have fun!

Can anyone help me with some Opera tips?uninstall internet explorer internet explorer

umm...

yeah dont sing.

maybe, put some examples on a myspace so people can hear you.
Sorry, no tips but GREAT choice. Love it, even that odd MTV rendition

:)
Stand up nice and tall and when you want to hit the really highnotes, give an extra burst off breath and be sure that before you do that you take a big lugful of nice fresh oxygen
Ive actually sung in an opera myself. "Suor Angelica" maybe you've heard of it. What you would be singing would be an aria, which is a piece from an opera. In any opera, expression is key, be sure to know exactly what you are saying and what every single word means so that you can portray it to your audience. Another thing would be to find a song that best suits you. I dont know what you sound like vocally but if you are mid-range you would probably need to stick to a medium-soprano key, this actually is what I sing as well and is probably the most common. Carmen is a spanish type opera so do your research on the entire opera, not just the song, know the storyline, know whats going on in that moment and how it relates to the rest of the opera....trust me...Ive being taking private voice lessons for 11 years...I know what Im talking about. I went to a private arts college and studied to be a music teacher there so if you ever have any type of musical questions, please let me know! Hope this helps!
This is a deceptively difficult song. The dance form it comes from has that usual sultry flair that we all love about modern

Latin American music, so imagine the effect it had, a hundred years ago, before salsa and co. made their appearance...

You want to work on the sweep or the legato phrasing of the song. it's that smooth sweep against the insistent rhythm that makes the sultriness come out.

How is your French? If you haven't got the words down ( and more than just phonetically) you won't believe in what you are doing either.

that's the key to much of opera- know your text, down to the last comma; know how the melody fits in with the rest of the music going on around it, and how it makes the story line move along; don't forget about your breathing! It'll make it or break it.

Bonne chance
i have songs on youtube of me singing opera and i got a lot of good feedback. maybe you should post some up on youtube and get some comments on there and see what ppl think of it. good luck!
I sing ................................. Very BADLY

great choice in music though

Just relax and enjoy
The only tip I can give on singing this aria is to sing it as a Mezzo, not a Soprano.