Aria

Aria (Italian for air - pl.: arie or arias in common usage) in music, and particularly in opera, was began as a notably expressive melody, and in time, it has become a characteristic form in opera.

In the 17th century, the aria was rigidly determined in the scheme A B A (Aria col da capo) and later "invaded" the opera repertoire with its many sub-species (Aria cantabile, Aria agitata, Aria di bravura, etc.). In the 18th century, operas became a sequence of arias, reducing the space left for recitativo. In the 20th century, the aria became a field for vocal virtuosity.