Vocalist.org archive


From:  Karen Mercedes <dalila@R...>
Date:  Tue Feb 12, 2002  3:36 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] First roles for mezzos

On Tue, 12 Feb 2002, genxhousewife wrote:

> After Karen's immensely helpful list of lyric soprano first roles, you
> just knew somebody had to ask...
>
> what are some good first roles for mezzos?


LYRIC MEZZO

#1 would be Cherubino in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (of course)

Others:

Dorabella in COSI FAN TUTTE
Zerlina in DON GIOVANNI (a role being cast increasingly with mezzos rather
than soubrettes)
Hansel in HANSEL UND GRETEL
Rosina in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA
Angelina in LA CENERENTOLA
Isabella in L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI
Stephano in ROMEO ET JULIETTE
Nicklausse in LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN (learn Choudens version first, then
learn Oeser)
Cesare in GIULIO CESARE (also Cornelia and Tolomeo)
Shepherd boy in TOSCA
Lola in CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA
Kate Pinkerton in MADAMA BUTTERFLY
Meg Page in FALSTAFF


DRAMATIC MEZZO
Young "baby dramatics" need to be careful about the contexts in which they
consider performing their roles. If not vocally ready to take on the
heavier roles, dramatic mezzos should start out with "full lyric" roles
and even some lyric roles (e.g., Nicklausse, Dorabella) - see the "All
Mezzos" list below - or undertake the true dramatic roles only in smaller
houses, with smaller orchestras.

Mother and Witch in HANSEL UND GRETEL
Frau Peachum in DER DREIGROSCHENOPER
Ulrica in UN BALLO IN MASCHERA
Eboli in DON CARLO
Santuzza in CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA
Amneris in AIDA
Brangaene in TRISTAN UND ISOLDE
Ortrud in LOHENGRIN
Waltraute in DIE WALKYRIE and GOTTERDAMERUNG


ALL MEZZOS

Marcellina in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (you seldom get to do the aria, but learn
it anyway)
Orlofsky in DIE FLEDERMAUS
Carmen (also Mercedes in CARMEN)
Suzuki in MADAMA BUTTERFLY
Miss Todd in THE OLD MAID AND THE THIEF
Third Lady in DIE ZAUBERFLOTE
Charlotte in WERTHER
Mama Lucia in CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA
Olga in EUGENE ONEGIN
Jenny Diver in DER DREIGROSCHENOPER
Dame Quickly in FALSTAFF
Augusta Tabor in THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE
Bearded Lady in THE RAKE'S PROGRESS
La Abuela in LA VIDA BREVE


OPERETTAS:

Lyric Mezzos:
Tessa in THE GONDOLIERS
Valencienne in DIE LUSTIGE WITWE (also sung by soubrettes)

Dramatic Mezzos:
Ruth in PIRATES OF PENZANCE, Duchess of Plaza Toro in GONDOLIERS, Little
Buttercup in HMS PINAFORE, Katisha in THE MIKADO, and other G&S contralto
roles

All Mezzos:
Old Lady in CANDIDE



Karen Mercedes
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
***************************************
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are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson




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