Puccini and Bizet
Puccini's Tosca. Aria: E lucevan le stelle. "And the stars were shining". It's in the 3rd act of Tosca, sung by the character Mario Cavaradossi to his lover Tosca as he awaits his execution.
First part of aria where voice sings a single note and mournful melody is in the clarinet.
puccini_1_1.mp3Next part of aria, voice and full orchestra together
puccini_1_2.mp3From Madame Butterfly, Act I, Butterfly's entrance.
Melody in strings with single notes in soprano chorus
Then melody in both strings and soprano solo
Then joined by tenor singing single note descant
puccini_2.mp3From Bizet Pearl Fishers. Friendship duet. First it's melody in flute with singers only countermelody. Countermelody not exactly monotonic but still a lot of repeated notes and clearly melodically subservient.
Bizet1.mp3Then after a bridge, bigger statement this time with melody and countermelody in the two voices.
Bizet2.mp3