My favorite trouser roles
There’s a saying in opera and musical theatre that the mezzos and altos get to play three types of roles: “witches, bitches, and britches”. While there are some exceptions, it’s a fairly accurate statement. The first two are certainly fun to play, but dearest to …
Two Boys, Two Generations
Opera is no stranger to rivalry. In fact, we crave it. Want proof? Opera audiences have split into factions regarding their favorite divas since Handel’s time, beginning with Francesca Cuzzoni and Faustina Bordoni. We don’t limit our loyalty to singers, either–the 18th century saw its …
Opera, Operetta, or Musical Theatre?
A typical conversation with a friend who is relatively unfamiliar with opera might go like this… Me: “Want to go see The Pirates of Penzance with me?” Friend: “Is that an opera? I’m not really into operas.” Me: “Not really–well, sort of. It’s an operetta.” Friend: …
Interpreting Zerlina
My university’s opera society recently announced that they’ll be performing Don Giovanni this year, so I’m naturally devoting a lot of brainpower to thinking about auditions. Traditionally, all three of the women in the opera are sung by sopranos, but some opera companies have recently been casting …
An overview of Grandi Tenori week
During Grandi Tenori Week we’ve published six main great tenor biographies and in addition also put online few shorter biographies. To conclude, here is an overview of the six main biographies published and for each tenor, a stunning example of their artistry. Jussi Björling A sublime …
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