Duets for Soprano and Mezzo: Some Suggestions

As a freelance pianist working with a variety of singers, I am often looking for “programme-fillers”. I make some suggestions here of duets for Soprano and Mezzo and would appreciate others to leave suggestions as comments. I have to include the warhorses. This is just a list off the top of my head, so I would appreciate other input. So far I have not included song repertoire per se. A few Handel duets are included but probably require a post on their own.

SACRED:

J.S. Bach: Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten – Kantata BWV78

Pergolesi: “Stabat Mater -

Vivaldi: “Gloria” – Laudamus te”

Rossini: “Stabat Mater” – Quis est Homo

Verdi: “Requiem” – Recordare

OPERATIC:

Gluck: “Iphigenie en Aulide” – C’est Mon Pere, Seigneur

Monteverdi: “L’Incoronazione di Poppea” – Signor, hoggi rinasco

Purcell: “King Arthur” –  Shepherd, Shepherd, leave decoying

Handel: “Giulio Cesare” – Son nata a lagrimar + Caro Bella

Mozart: “Cosi fan tutte” – Prendero + Ah Guarda Sorella

Mozart: “Nozze di Figaro” – Conzonetta sull’aria (2 Sopranos but can work with one mezzo) +Aprite presto aprite

Mozart: “La Clemenza di Tito” – Non ci pentiam…Ah perdona al primo affetto

Mozart: “La Clemenza di Tito” – Come ti piace imponi

Bellini: “Norma” – Mira o Norma

Donizetti: “Anna Bolena” – Dio, che mi vedi in core…Al par del mio…Va, infelice, e teco reca

Strauss: “Der Rosenkavalier” – Presentation of the Rose  (Mir ist die Ehre) + The Final Duet (Spür nur dich allein)

Dvořák: “Rusalka” – Act 1: Tvoje Moudrost Všechno Tuší

Weber: “Der Freischütz” – Schelm, Halt Fest! Ich Will Dich’s Lehren

Humperdinck: “Hansel und Gretel” – Evening Prayer (Abends will ich schlafen gehn ) + “Brother come and dance with me)

Offenbach: “Tales of Hoffman” – Barcarolle (Belle Nuit)

Ponchieli: “La Gioconda” – L’amo come il fulgor + E un anetema

Puccini: “Madama Butterfly”  – Flower Duet (Tutti i fior)

Delibes: “Lakme” – Flower Duet (Viens Mallika)

Menotti: “The Old Maid and the Thief” – opening scene

Donizetti: “Maria Stuarda” – Morto al mondo

Rossini: “Bianca e Falliero” – Ciel! Qual destin terribile!

Rossini: “Tancredi” – Fiero incontro…Lasciami: non t’ascolto

Rossini: “Semiramide” – Giorno d’orror!… e di contento

Mozart: “Mitradate” – Se viver non degg’io

Bellini: “I Cappuletti i Montecchi”

Tchaikovsky: “Pikova Dama” – ACT I Sc.2: Duet: ‘Uzh vecher’ AND Duetto – Moi milenki druzhok

MUSICALS

Bernstein “West Side Story” – A boy like that

“Calamity Jane” – A Woman’s Touch

“Pal Joey” – Take Him”

“Guys and Dolls” – Marry the Man Today”