Opera wouldn’t be influential if it wasn’t
for the role of the ‘diva’ (Italian for ‘goddess’) or the ‘prima donna’. Its
voices: the magnificent sopranos, tender contraltos, and mellifluous
mezzo-sopranos, are huge driving forces that foster our love for opera.
Opera is the one of the few artistic genres
that elevates the status of women. Since the time of Handel and Mozart, opera’s
trouser-roles have also played an effective part. They were specifically made
for women to cross-dress as men, manly fighters and despairing boy-like lovers.
To celebrate Women’s Day, I want to
share my favourite women in opera from voice to characterisation.
Nina Stemme
as Isolde from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde
Wagner’s 1865 opera requires a strong,
large and loud voice to explain the doomed nature of the love between the Cornish
knight and the Irish princess. The drama begins from a love potion that causes
them to fall in love but since it is an opera it is complicated (which we
love!) She is forced to marry Tristan’s uncle and it ends tragically with
a wounded Tristan who promises to reunite with Isolde in heaven.
Wagner wrote long extended vocal phrases,
and took out pauses, which require breathe control (big exhales) skills. He
wrote the music in a variety of keys. For bold Wagnerian sopranos this means
singing confidently at a high volume without being distracting by the
orchestra’s music, which is often different from Isolde’s music.
Isolde is a mythical character with her own
heart-wrenching music of love and Swedish Wagnerian soprano Nina Stemme has
evoked Isolde’s character numerous times. She is known by many as the greatest Wagnerian soprano of our era. Telegraph critic, Rupert Christiansen, said Stemme is 'the greatest dramatic soprano of our day at the peak of her powers.'
I saw her perform the challenging role at
the Royal Opera House last year (here’s
my review) and saw her sing the saucy role of Salóme, which rocked
the Royal Albert Hall at the BBC Proms. (Here’s
my review for her performance.)
Anna
Netrebko as Violetta from Verdi’s La Traviata
The tragedy lies in the loose lifestyle of
a demi-monde, Parisian party girl, and high-class courtesan who falls in love
with a young nobleman. But she is denied life by a deadly disease:
consumption. Verdi’s opera, based on the heroine of Dumas’ La Dame aux Camélias,
is one of the greatest dramatic roles in all of opera. It has been the
inspiration behind blockbuster movies including Pretty Women and Moulin Rouge.
It is said that the any soprano that sings
the role of our ‘fallen woman’, Violetta, must possess the agility for speed
and flexibility – that is, they must be a coloratura soprano. The vocal
technique of its sopranos require the ability to reach high notes as well as
the lighter more lyrical notes. The bel canto aria ‘Sempre libera’ is an
example that incorporates the versatility of Violetta’s music. It moves in and
out from melodious to excitement and sends the soprano’s voice to the
stratosphere. It is Violetta’s gorgeous soaring music that makes us pity her
and ultimately makes us cry at the same time.
Russian soprano, Anna Netrebko is one of my
favourite opera singers. We see her sing as Violetta here at the 2005 Salzburg
Festival. Her voice is incredibly strong and not only is she a great operatic
singer, she is a great stage actress. I haven’t seen her sing the role live yet
but shall see her as Mími in Puccini’s La Bohéme at the Royal Opera House this
year.
I’ve written an extensive post about La
Traviata here. I also reviewed the Royal Opera House’s live
broadcast of the opera sung exceptionally by Ailyn
Pérez, which you can read here.
Jessye
Norman as Carmen from Bizet’s Carmen
Typically Carmen is sung by a
mezzo-soprano, yet the seductive and fierce female characterisation of Carmen
has called upon sopranos to sing the role as well. The Parisians detested the
opera on its first night at the Opéra-Comique in 1875. One reason for this was
Carmen's female characterisation, which was socially unacceptable at the time -
a woman of free and liberal values. She is a Spanish gypsy (but the opera is
sung entirely in French by the way,) who doesn’t want to commit or be held down
by a man. She is the exception from opera’s usual long-suffering heroine, which
we usually associate with opera. She enjoys the company of criminals and
doesn’t think of the deeper implications of asking Don José to leave his job
for her.
Women who sing as Carmen must have the
energy, charm and enthusiasm to sing the playful and mischievous gypsy.
Carmen’s drifter and mystic attributes are demonstrated in the singer’s vocal
technique, which tends to encompass a thicker and heavier tone. Yet it has to
match the same gravitas as singing higher notes. The arias that are sung at a
lower register are some of most memorable and are sung towards the bottom of
the musical staff.
African-American Grammy award-winning opera
singer and recitalist, Jessye Mae Norman, is another favourite singer of mine.
She has a majestic voice, which soars with beauty over music. Her expansive
vocal range is just one of the many reasons why she is a masterful and highly
respected singer. Although she has stopped performing ensemble operas, only
concerts and recitals, there are a variety of DVDs and Youtube clips that show
her ‘doing her stuff’ and singing on stage.
Some may argue that I've chosen the wrong
feminine opera role to assign her vocal talents to as she is often associated
with Wagnerian operas including the roles of Sieglinde and Strauss’ Ariadne,
but I'd respond by reminding readers of my objective to hone in on notable
feminine characters within opera repertoire.
Maria
Callas, “La Divina”
I would like to add to the mix of female
figures in opera the American-Greek soprano, Maria Callas. She is regarded as
“La Divina” (the divine one) in operatic circles and recognised as the most
famous diva of the 20th century. Her expertise, attention to musical
detail and love for bel canto operas, including Donizetti, Bellini and Rossini,
has made her an emotive soprano and historical operatic icon.
One could argue that her life was a living
opera considering the torment and life struggles she had to endure from a hard
upbringing, close-to wartime poverty, career pressures, rivalry with Renata
Tebaldi and scandalous relationship with Aristotle Onassis.
I have choosen the aria ‘Sola, perduta,
abbandonata’ from Puccini’s Manon Lescaut to touch on the breadth and calibre
of Callas’ voice. It depicts a desperate girl, Manon, who is in love but knows
that she is going to die. The song’s lyrics lament over her life and the
consequences of her past actions, which have sealed by her tragic fate.
I have written a review of Manon Lescaut
from last year's performance by Kristine Opolais at the Royal Opera House. You can read it here.
