An '''aria''' (Italian for "air") is a vocal piece from a larger work, usually an [[opera]] or [[oratorio]], which contains a limited amount of text and a florid, memorable [[melody]]. They are often preceded by a more verbose [[recitative]], and comment on the character's emotions to the preceding dramatic action. | An '''aria''' (Italian for "air") is a vocal piece from a larger work, usually an [[opera]] or [[oratorio]], which contains a limited amount of text and a florid, memorable [[melody]]. They are often preceded by a more verbose [[recitative]], and comment on the character's emotions to the preceding dramatic action. |