What does the term "bel canto" mean?
Q: What does the term "bel canto" mean?
A: Bel canto is a way of singing in opera that comes from the Italian language and means "beautiful singing".
Q: When did bel canto singing start?
A: Bel canto singing started when opera began in the 1600s.
Q: When was the term "bel canto" first used?
A: The term "bel canto" was not used at the time of its origin, but only started being talked about in the mid-to-late 19th century.
Q: What type of operas need bel canto singers?
A: Operas by composers such as Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti need bel canto singers.
Q: Why did bel canto operas become popular again in the 1950s?
A: Bel canto operas became popular again in the 1950s because they had been out of favour for 50 or 60 years prior to that time.
Q: Who are some famous recent bel canto singers?
A: Famous recent bel canto singers include sopranos Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballé, Beverly Sills and tenors Francisco Araiza, Juan Diego Florez, Alfredo Kraus and Luciano Pavarotti.
Q: Who was a famous 19th-century belcante teacher?
A: Mathilde Marchesi was a famous 19th-century belcante teacher.
