It’s rainy today and I’m chugging away on a big writing assignment. The perfect background music for writing is classical. No words to distract you from the ones you’re trying desperately to coax from your brain into your fingers. Opera is a close second. I can’t understand the words, so they don’t distract me.
Here are three frickin’ sweet opera tunes you know and like but probably didn’t realize you liked. I’m not counting "Ride of the Valkyries"–everyone knows that one.
1. "Der Hölle Rache Kocht in Meinem Herze" from Mozart’s ‘Die Zauberflöte.’ Seen in the film Amadeus. The part when Tom Hulce is getting bitched out by his mother-in-law and he has the inspiration for this aria by the Queen of the Night.
2. "Soave Sia Il Vento" from Mozart’s ‘Cosi Fan Tutti.’ My personal favorite song of all time. Gives me chills. Recently seen in Julia and Jude’s photography/seduction scene in Closer.
3. "Sull’aria" from–Mozart again!–the opera ‘Le Nozze de Figaro.’ Featured in The Shawshank Redemption when Andy locks himself in the warden’s office and blasts this song. Morgan Freeman’s voiceover is awesome: "To this day, I don’t know what those two Italian ladies were siging about. I like to think its something so beautiful that it makes your heart ache, just to think about it."
Here’s a great list of Mozart’s music used in movies. You’ll even find Ace Ventura, Pet Detective!
Trixieland 
Will have to try the opera/classical, i’ve always listen to techno when writing/coding for exactly the same reason (no words).
no Verdi? Gah!If I want to kick ass w/ the pen, I listen to the Halo soundtrack
adnrea bocelli and sarah brightman deserve some mention. nothings more fun than killing to ave maria.