• 1186
• Articles
• 18 Dic 2018

No doubt, that of Medea is one of the most disconcerting and even contradictory female characters, in antique Greek mythology and Greco-Roman literature. So much, as to grow almost a controversial archetype in later European culture and Western civilization, fine arts or music included [footnote 1]. Still nowadays, the personage occurs to be animatedly debated. […]

• 1437
• Articles
• 18 Dic 2018

Dearest Father-in-law, For a long time it has been an intention of mine to dedicate an opera to you who have been to me at once father, benefactor, and friend. […] Here now is this Macbeth, which I love in preference to my other operas, and thus deem more worthy of being presented to you. […]

• 1007
• Articles
• 18 Dic 2018

This article should have been entitled “Wagner Was Not an Anti-Semite As Far As Individuals Were Concerned.” A new article called “How the Jews Saved The Ring,” along with a related article to be posted soon should set the record straight. I apologize for any misunderstanding. George Hastings —————– Richard Wagner has a notorious reputation […]

• 2216
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

“Aureliano in Palmira” (𝟣8𝟣3). Here in the role of Arsace (II Act – “Gran Scena di Arsace”), Martine Dupuy, young and fresh from one of her most important successes, Romeo in Martina Franca. Dupuy did not repeat Arsace on stage, instead performed in concert the arias, which already in 1980 emphasized elegance, softness of emission […]

• 1159
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

Una possibilità d’emissione dei toni acuti è, notoriamente, quella di ricorrere al registro di “FALSETTO”. […] Il timbro vocale (dei falsettisti) risulta […] povero di armoniche (per la vibrazione del solo bordo libero delle corde vocali), debole d’intensità (per la vibrazione del solo bordo e la riduzione della cavità di risonanza da sollevamento laringeo) e […]

• 876
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

The unique style of Gioacchino Rossini and his operas have a very important role in the art of singing. His vision helped bringing the florid style of baroque opera to a whole new level of virtuosity and make way to the Bel Canto era. Rossini’s vocal ideal was still the castrato. He felt that they […]

• 1353
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

In the beginning of the nineteenth century opera seria, the tenor was beginning to be accepted for the role of the young lover or hero in place of the castrato, but the more common option was to use women in pants roles, especially contraltos. These women sung the roles originally written for castrati, but new […]

• 1331
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

Several tenors made it into the opera history books because of their importance and contribution to the art. In the first half of the nineteenth century and Bel Canto era, most of them were either Italian of French. The styles, although initially very different, were being combined in the search for the more exciting and […]

• 1377
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

On December 12, 1832, exactly 186 years ago, Andrea Nozzari died in Naples: besides being the first Otello in the homonymous opera by Gioachino Rossini (dated 1816), he is remembered above all for his particular voice, to the point that we can speak of the “baritenore” par excellence. Briefly reviewing his biography can help us […]

• 953
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

The Rossini vocalism is still closely linked to the belcanto ideal that sees the primacy of the voice on the other components of the opera: the singer is coauthor with the composer and in his arias he is free to improvise. With Rossini, who begins to write all the “colorature”, the phase of the singer’s […]