ARIODANTE

The countertenor is a separate vocal category, sitting in roughly the same range for a male as does the mezzo-soprano for a female. A couple generations ago, there were limited opportunities on the operatic stage for a countertenor - Oberon, in A Midsummer Night's Dream, one of the few exceptions.

But Baroque opera is (happily!) in revival and countertenors are in demand both for heroic and villainous roles. It changes the girl-playing-a-boy dynamic onstage, but the musical balance more than makes up for it... at least it does in Baroque opera. Some want to extend that to the Mozart roles, too.

In Baroque and early opera, formal arias (called da capo arias) have an A - B - A structure; that is, a first verse, a second section or "bridge," and a repeat of the first verse. Mainly the purpose was to show off the voice - Handel wrote at a time when the skill and, indeed, the pyrotechnic ability of an individual singer's voice was dominant - though a smaller part of the purpose was to express the character's depth of emotion.

The first section is complete in itself, and was entirely written by the composer. The second section contrasts with the first in mood, musical texture and usually in tempo as well. The third section goes back to the first (da capo here means "from the beginning") but its success depends on the singer's ability to improvise - and execute - the vocal ornaments that were so important. The final section of the aria, then, is not so much a "repeat" but a series of variations. After the Baroque era, changes in society and attitude led to a different kind of composition, followed by a decline in singers' abilities to ornament the music - and the A-B-A aria format acquired a reputation as being musically dull. The format of the aria, as with all of opera, then grew into something different and throughout the 19th century, especially, continued to evolve. At the beginning of the 21st century, we are enjoying a resurgence of interest in Baroque opera and singers are learning these improvisation skills all over again.

[mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux]

BEHIND THE SCENES

Many composers wrote roles in a particular way to suit the capabilities of particular singers. (This is not so unusual: Stephen Sondheim wrote "Send in the Clowns" in very, very short phrases for Glynis Johns in A Little Night Music because she needed to take frequent breaths.)

"She had looked over her two numbers at the piano and was not pleased with the first section of the cavatina. I wrote another one for her. She rehearsed the cavatina with the orchestra, and having sung it like a dog - hence achieving no effect with it - she wanted a different one. At the same time she rejected the stretta, which she said had no coloratura and was music written for children, and if I didn't change it, she said she would insert one of her 'trunk' numbers."

In this case, Bellini would not back down and the singer finally sang the music as the composer had written it - to great success.

EXPLORE

Explore More: Top 10 Ways to Fall in Love With Opera

Principal Singers & Singing
Invitation to the Rehearsal Hall

WORDS & MUSIC SHOP
recommended recordings by tenors and Artist Profiles of many favorites

INDIVIDUAL OPERAS IN PHOTOGRAPHS... AND MORE

PASSION & GLORY AT THE OPERA -
The Tenor Book
Just what is it about tenors, anyway? ML Hart's current project gets into the mystique.

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