My Updated Listening List

I regularly assign my students to listen to recordings.  Most of the time, I give them links to particular songs by particular singers based on what the student is working on.  But some times, I just want them to listen to good singers and get those sounds in their ears and brains.  Sometimes I will tell them the names of two or three singers to check out.  Other times, I give them this list.

It will quickly be apparent to many of you that this list is heavy on the voice types that I listen to for my own development and lighter for the men. (Sorry.)  I'm always open to suggestions for names to add to the list.

This list also doesn't include some of the people that I think might be problematic for young singers to listen to.  Maria Callas at her best was amazing, but for baby beginners, if we talk about her or listen to her at all, I want to give context.  There are also some wonderful singers that I did not include here who have more Wagnerian voices.  Again, I'm not sure that young singers need that sound in their ears yet.  I also wouldn't recommend that really young singers listen to a steady and exclusive diet of some of the bigger voices that did make these lists.  If they're going to listen to Eileen Farrell and Renata Tebaldi (who I worship), I also want them listening to Elly Ameling (again, worship) and Barbara Bonney so they understand that there are different kinds of sopranos, but all of them can sing beautifully.

Listening List
Jeannine Robinett

Classical

Sopranos
Arleen Auger
Dawn Upshaw
Elly Ameling 
Barbara Bonney
Natalie Dessay 
Diana Damrau 
Kathleen Battle
Mirella Freni
Anna Netrebko
Renata Tebaldi
Renata Scotto
Eileen Farrell
Renee Fleming
Victoria de los Angeles                             
Monserrat Caballe
Kiri te Kanawa
Leontyne Price
Angela Gheorghiu
Anna Moffo
Joan Sutherland
RuthAnn Swenson

Mezzos/Altos

Cecilia Bartoli

Frederica von Stade
Glenda Maurice
Janet Baker
Jennifer Larmore
Ewa Podles
Anne Sofie von Otter
Teresa Berganza
Susan Graham
Joyce DiDonato

Tenors

Luciano Pavarotti

Placido Domingo
Fritz Wunderlich
Jussi Bjorling
Franco Corelli
Roberto Alagna
Jose Carerras
Enrico Caruso
Ian Bostridge

Baritones/Basses
Bryn Terfel
Samuel Ramey
Thomas Hampson
Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Dietrich Fisher-Dieskau
Thomas Quastaff
Thomas Allen
Nathan Gunn

Countertenors
David Daniels
Philippe Jaroussky

Legit and/or Belt Musical Theatre

Women
Shirley Jones
Julie Andrews
Marnie Nixon (Watch the movies of The King and I, My Fair Lady, and West Side Story.  She did the singing for the leading ladies--Deborah Kerr Audrey Hepburn, and Natalie Wood.)
Audra MacDonald
Kristen Chenoweth
Kellie O’Hara
Patty LuPone
Bernadette Peters
Patina Miller
Sutton Foster
Idena Menzel
Barbara Cook
Laura Osnes
Linda Eder
Eden Espinosa

Men
Howard Keel
John Raitt
Robert Goulet
Richard Kiley
Alfie Boe
Brian Stokes Mitchell

Guest post: Duets

Since I'm not teaching a lot of duets these days, Nicole Marschall has written a guest post to share some of her favorites duets and duet books.  Thanks, Nicole!

Are there other books or sheet music sources that you use for duets?  Please share.  

Treasures for Two, Andy Beck – This is my FAVORITE duet book for young singers.  Any voice combination.  Both parts have melody and harmony.  Favorites:  Who Has Seen the Wind?, Till the Stars fall from the sky, The Snow Begins to Fall, Remember Me and Benedictus.  My young women especially love these songs, very lyrical and beautiful melodies.

Standards For Two, Sally K. Albrecht  - Great jazz songs and jazz musical theatre songs with mid range songs, lots of harmony.    All duets can be m/m, f/f, or m/f.  Some of my favorites:  Button Up Your Overcoat, Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye, Friendship, When I Fall in Love

The Contemporary Singing Actor, Duets Edition – Many options of duets from contemporary musical theatre shows.  Some of my favorites:  For Good (Wicked), In His Eyes (Jekyll & Hyde), Who Will Love Me As I Am?  (Sideshow), I’ll Cover You (Rent), All I Ask of You (Phantom), I’d Give It All For You (Songs for a New World), The Last Night of the World (Miss Saigon), The Proposal (Titanic), Sun and Moon (Miss Saigon)

Classics for Two, Patrick M. Liebergen – A nice mix of well known classics.  Favorites include:  Laudamus te (Vivaldi), Pachelbel’s Canon of Peace, Panis Angelicus (Cesar Franck) and When at Night I Go to Sleep (Humperdinck)

Duet Album, Boosey & Hawkes – Great classical duets that are both well known and a bit more obscure.  Favorites – Die Schwestern (Brahms), Lost Is My Quiet (Purcell), Sound the Trumpet (Purcell), and Spring Wind (Eric Thiman)

American Folk Songs for Two, Andy Beck – I have just discovered this book and have not used it much yet.    Traditional folk songs arrangements include:  Go ‘Way from My Window, How Can I Keep from Singing?, Simple Gifts and The Water is Wide

Folk Songs for Two, Jay Althouse – Another of my favorite books for young singer duets.  Favorite arrangements include:  Poor Wayfaring Stranger, Scarborough Fair, Homeward Bound, Cindy and Shenandoah

The Singer’s Musical Theatre Anthology Duets Editions

Musical Theatre Anthology for Teens, Duets –Lots of great musical theatre duets, some songs are not duets in the actual production.  Some favorites:  My Favorite Things, It’s A Grand Night for Singing, Sisters)

Broadway for Two by Andy Beck & Brian Fisher – A great mix of duets!  Love this book!  A nice mix of contemporary and classic duets.

Duet sheets:  Ave Maria (Saint-Saens), La ci darem la mano (Don Giovanni), Sull’ aria (from The Marriage of Figaro), Via, resti servita, madama brillante (The Marriage of Figaro)