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From:  Tako Oda <toda@m...>
Date:  Wed Aug 9, 2000  10:30 pm
Subject:  RE: Carmina Burana???


Dear Kenneth,

It's an oratorio - just one aria for you, but a great one! Ranges
between tenor middle C and the D a ninth above it. Three solo strophic
verses, with male chorus so not much music to learn! Very ironic, hammy
piece. Big crowd-pleaser.

The score calls for a tenor, but is done fairly often by CT. Strangely,
I've heard it was premiered by the baritone singing in head voice, (the
score lists baritone, tenor, soprano) with no actual tenor in sight, so
the original performance probably sounded more like a CT rendition,
though I don't know if that was Orff's intention or not.

Frank Lopardo does it very well. Most tenors mutilate it, since many
barely have the D5 necessary. I haven't heard James Bowman but I've
heard he is excellent (while also being an example of a "falsettist"
version). Werner Marschall does a haute contre version. Good luck! I
hope to perform this piece eventually myself, so I'd love to hear about
your adventures with this song...

-Tako Oda

On Wed, 9 Aug 2000 Oberon603@a... wrote:

> Hello people,
>
> This fall I will be joining an opera workshop in my local city & I cant
> wait (= . However recently, I found out that the music school that runs the
> workshop also has a separate choir ensemble that will be performing "Carmina
> Burana". I know nothing about this opera except that I think that one of the
> roles is performed by either a Lyric Tenor or a Countertenor. Am I correct
> in saying this? What's the role like, is it huge? Is it more suited to a
> countertenor than a tenor? The reason why I asked, is because if the role in
> CB would fit me, I may be interested in auditioning. Can anyone give me any
> info on this work, a synopsis perhaps, recommend a good recording of it?
> Your help would greatly appreciated.
>
> Best Wishes to all,
>
> Kenneth Ealy
> Aspiring Countertenor
> "It's never to late to be what you might have been" This girl that I work
> with. (=
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


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