From the very beginnings of opera and on through the ages, classical composers have give the alto voice short shrift.
Humperdinck made her a child-eating witch.
Verdi made her a child-burning witch.
Bizet gave her evil flower power, and even Sondheim proved that you should never, ever, ever mess around with her magic beans.
From girls dressed as boys dressed as girls, from handmaidens to spinsters, from harridan to the second nun from the left, altos have always played second fiddle to their ...
From the very beginnings of opera and on through the ages, classical composers have give the alto voice short shrift.
Humperdinck made her a child-eating witch.
Verdi made her a child-burning witch.
Bizet gave her evil flower power, and even Sondheim proved that you should never, ever, ever mess around with her magic beans.
From girls dressed as boys dressed as girls, from handmaidens to spinsters, from harridan to the second nun from the left, altos have always played second fiddle to their squeaky soprano sisters.
But is it still so? Have contemporary composers allowed mezzo-soprano practitioners fuller characterizations? Can she be both fresh of face AND vile and black of heart?
Does she ever get to run off with the tenor?
Join Chicago's finest mezzo-sopranos as they explore operatic alto roles through the ages. Hear such famous arias sung by the disadvantaged, maniacal, and breast-bound altos as:
Non so piu, Le Nozze, Mozart
Smanie Impicabili, Cosi, Mozart
Una Voce poco fa, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Donizetti
Habanera, Carmen, Bizet
Witch’s Ride, Hansel and Gretel, Humperdinck
O mio Fernando, La Favorita, Donizetti
Stride la Vampa, Il Trovatore, Verdi
Schläfst du Gast, Die Walküre, Wagner
Weiche Wotan, Das Rheingold, Wagner
Then help Transgressive Theatre-Opera to decide if things have gotten better for the mezzo-soprano as we hear such contemporary offerings as:
Hermia’s Aria, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Britten
Lullaby, The Consul, Menotti
Must the Winter Come So Soon, Vanessa, Barber
The beautiful sanctuary of Edgewater's Ebenezer Lutheran Church will prove a safe and soothing environment for our magical, musical meanderings. And with hysterical and historical narration by Transgressive Theatre-Opera's Producing Artist Director Aaron Hunt, TT-O and Chicago's powerhouse altos will hypnotize you with song and story. Afterwards, will you want to wear a witch's hat for Halloween? Or a garland of flowers?