Welcome Students and Teachers to Opera Online! Continuing with our "ABC's of Opera" summer webisodes we'll venture into the rare voice types in opera. This week we'll take a look at one of the rarest male voice types- the countertenor.
Videos of the Week!
The countertenor is the highest male voice type in opera. Listening to recordings of countertenors can be a bit confusing because they are often mistaken for women. This is because the comfortable singing range for a countertenor lies within what would normally be considered a soprano or mezzo-soprano range. The countertenor voice is normally heard in very early opera or more contemporary works. Our first clip is from a modernized production of an old opera favorite. Countertenor Christophe Dumaux plays Tolomeo in Handel's Julius Ceasar. Tolomeo, the reigning Pharoah of Eygpt, has just had the Emperor Pompey murdered and has taken Pompey's wife, Cornelia, captive. Upon first seeing Cornelia he falls in love with her beauty and confesses his feelings, but she spurns his advances. In the aria "Sì, spietata, il tuo rigore" Tolomeo threatens Cornelia and revels in the power he has over her.
The second video is a clip is a great compairison of the countertenor voice and the mezzo-soprano. The clip is from the English National Opera production of Handel's Serse (Also known as Xerxes). This piece features mezzo-soprano Ann Murray as the King Serse and countertenor Christopher Robson as the king's brother Arsamenes. Notice the similarities and differences between the mezzo-soprano voice and the countertenor (Hint: Ann Murray sings first).
"Sì, spietata, il tuo rigore"- Christophe Dumaux
Ann Murray and Christopher Robson- Serse
Website of the Week!
For more information about the countertenor check out this video. In an interview countertenor Russell Oberlin explains the history of countertenors and the mechanics behind his own voice!
Opera on the Air!
On Saturday, July 23th at 1 PM radio station WRTI will be broadcasting the LA Opera's production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's popular comedy is one of opera's greatest masterpieces. From the opening notes of the overture to the final curtain, The Marriage of Figaro turns convention upside down when the wily Figaro (bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch) outwits his master, Count Almaviva (baritone Bo Skovhus). Soprano Martina Serafin takes the part of the Countess, with soprano Marlis Petersen as Susanna. This outstanding cast is conducted by legendary opera singer and conductor Placido Domingo and sung in Italian.
Until Next Week!
Videos of the Week!
The countertenor is the highest male voice type in opera. Listening to recordings of countertenors can be a bit confusing because they are often mistaken for women. This is because the comfortable singing range for a countertenor lies within what would normally be considered a soprano or mezzo-soprano range. The countertenor voice is normally heard in very early opera or more contemporary works. Our first clip is from a modernized production of an old opera favorite. Countertenor Christophe Dumaux plays Tolomeo in Handel's Julius Ceasar. Tolomeo, the reigning Pharoah of Eygpt, has just had the Emperor Pompey murdered and has taken Pompey's wife, Cornelia, captive. Upon first seeing Cornelia he falls in love with her beauty and confesses his feelings, but she spurns his advances. In the aria "Sì, spietata, il tuo rigore" Tolomeo threatens Cornelia and revels in the power he has over her.
The second video is a clip is a great compairison of the countertenor voice and the mezzo-soprano. The clip is from the English National Opera production of Handel's Serse (Also known as Xerxes). This piece features mezzo-soprano Ann Murray as the King Serse and countertenor Christopher Robson as the king's brother Arsamenes. Notice the similarities and differences between the mezzo-soprano voice and the countertenor (Hint: Ann Murray sings first).
"Sì, spietata, il tuo rigore"- Christophe Dumaux
Ann Murray and Christopher Robson- Serse
Website of the Week!
For more information about the countertenor check out this video. In an interview countertenor Russell Oberlin explains the history of countertenors and the mechanics behind his own voice!
Opera on the Air!
On Saturday, July 23th at 1 PM radio station WRTI will be broadcasting the LA Opera's production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's popular comedy is one of opera's greatest masterpieces. From the opening notes of the overture to the final curtain, The Marriage of Figaro turns convention upside down when the wily Figaro (bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch) outwits his master, Count Almaviva (baritone Bo Skovhus). Soprano Martina Serafin takes the part of the Countess, with soprano Marlis Petersen as Susanna. This outstanding cast is conducted by legendary opera singer and conductor Placido Domingo and sung in Italian.
Until Next Week!
Comments
Carmen is a gypsy,and works at the cigarette factory. She doesn't allways obey the law, and will do allmost anything to get her way.I can tell this because when she was ready to be brought to jail she convinced Don Jose to let her escape,instead of obeying the law. She can be sneaky to get her away,like when she gave Don Jose the witch's flower, to trick him in to falling in love with her.
My least favorite character is Carmen. she is mean, unconcouis of feels and always so flirty!
Jose as the protaginist becuase hes the one trying to love Carmen. But Carem ditchs him, which is way I choose Carmen as the antiaginist. Plus at the end she ends up with Escallimo, which I find really sad. Besides Jose will do anything for Carmen. Like when he had to go back to the academy, but he fleed with Carmen and the smugellers.