An
aria (; ;
plural:
arie , or
arias in common usage, diminutive form
arietta ) in music was originally any expressive
melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term became used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without
orchestral accompaniment, normally part of a larger work. The typical context for arias is
opera, but vocal arias also feature in
oratorios and
cantatas, sharing features of the operatic arias of their periods.