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From:  Clark_Diane <DCLARK@r...>
Date:  Tue Sep 3, 2002  5:34 am
Subject:  The Countess

Michelle wrote:

The Countess is not a role performed by beginners. As a character she
is a mature woman, which means anything between 35 and 45 to most
directors. (Mozart most certainly knew this and wrote accordingly.)
Vocally this can often translate to the singer being 45 to 55 to
handle the demands of the music written for it when we're talking
Mozart. There is a reason Opera companies start their baby sopranos
out in the roles of Cherubino, Barbarina and Marcellina before
letting them loose on even Susanna.

+++++

Though I agree that the role of the Countess requires a mature singer, I do not
believe that most directors consider the character to be 35 to 45. Directors I
have worked with have suggested that she is in her twenties. If she married at
age 15 or so, as was common practice of her time, she could have been married
for a decade and still be only 25!








  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date  
19980 The Countessmrandrew18 Wed  9/4/2002  
19984 recital songs...any ideas?Jodie Bean bean2871_2000 Wed  9/4/2002  
19989 Re: recital songs...any ideas?Karen Mercedes   Wed  9/4/2002  
19992 Re: recital songs...any ideas?norma bowen singerteacher85 Thu  9/5/2002  
20000 Re: recital songs...any ideas?rachparker@e... rparker1333 Fri  9/6/2002  
20003 Re: recital songs...any ideas?Jodie Bean bean2871_2000 Fri  9/6/2002  
20005 Re: recital songs...any ideas?norma bowen singerteacher85 Sat  9/7/2002  
19981 Re: The CountessSally Collyer   Wed  9/4/2002  
19985 The CountessCosi Fan Tutti cybergirljm2001 Wed  9/4/2002  

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