Student Recital Riley Wells, Countertenor (they/them or he/him) Andrew Lenhart, Piano (he/him) with Emma Taranko, Soprano (she/her) April 22, 2021, 5:00 P.M. Sciolta il crin, from Orontea Antonio Cesti (1623-1669) Io non diró, from L’Orfeo Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) Ahi, vista troppo dolce, from L’Orfeo Venti, turbini, from Rinaldo George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) Ombra mai fu, from Serse In early Italian opera, most if not all roles onstage were performed by men regardless of the character’s gender. In each of the arias in this set, the role was originated by a castrato, or a man castrated before puberty. This practice was an effort to preserve a young boy’s beautiful high voice, but with the lung capacity of an adult man— and sometimes succeeded in doing so. In Orontea, the character of Philosophy is written for a soprano voice and intended to be played by a castrato. The character of Euridice in both L’Orfeo arias was also played by a mezzo- soprano castrato. However, castrati were not only cast as women. The title characters of Rinaldo and Xerxes from the Handel selections were originated by alto and soprano castrati, respectively. In both Orontea and L’Orfeo, the original casts were almost certainly made up entirely of men. By Handel’s time, women were allowed onstage and female roles in opera were now most often theirs, but castrati remained in common usage for their unique vocal quality. Now, these roles are most often played by women or by male countertenors. Non so più cosa son, cosa faccio, from Le nozze di Figaro W.A. Mozart (1756-1791) Aprite, presto, aprite, from Le nozze di Figaro Que fais-tu blanche tourtourelle, from Roméo et Juliette Charles-François Gounod (1818-1893) Toi, le coeur de la rose, from L'enfant et les sortilèges Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) Abends, will ich schlafen gehn, from Hänsel und Gretel Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) By Mozart’s time, castrati had mostly fallen out of fashion. However, roles calling for men with high voices were still being written—especially roles portraying prepubescent boys. In order to cast professional adult singers in these roles, the “pants role”—an adult woman playing a male character—became a common operatic trope. Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro is a page boy just beginning to discover his love for women—which often gets him in trouble, to the distress of his friend Susanna. Stephano in Roméo et Juliette is likewise a young page, youthful and overconfident in support of his master, Romeo. Even in the later 1800s, pants roles remained common. The titular L’enfant of Ravel’s opera is a young boy whose toys and books come to life when he refuses to do his homework, including a princess from his storybook who leaves him alone and heartbroken after he tears out her pages. In Hänsel und Gretel, the roles of both siblings are commonly played by female singers. Che farò senza Euridice, from Orfeo ed Euridice Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) Mura felici, from La donna del lago Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) Chacun à son gout, from Die Fledermaus Johann Strauss II (1825-1899) As pants roles were becoming common casting for the high-voiced roles of young boys, roles were being written that required a high voice for adult male characters as well. These roles were, and are, commonly cast as pants roles, but depending on the role and tradition, are sometimes played by male countertenors as well. In Gluck’s retelling of the famous Orfeo, the character of Euridice could be played by a woman. However, rather than write Orpheus’ part for a male tenor as Monteverdi did, it was now written for and originated by a female singer. Rossini often wrote male romantic leads as pants roles playing opposite women, including the character of Malcolm in La donna del lago, who sings about his wish to reunite with his love, Elena. The role of Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus is a hotly debated topic in terms of casting. While the role was originated by a mezzo-soprano, it is often cast as a countertenor, or even on occasion as a tenor, singing an octave lower. Rather than acting as a romantic lead, Orlofsky is portrayed as eccentric and flamboyant, and is often cast differently depending on what traits a director wishes to emphasize. Trial by Song, from Ulysses Dies at Dawn The Mechanisms (arr. Ezra Gimeno) (2010-2020) Underworld Blues, from Ulysses Dies at Dawn Centuries after Monteverdi made the story of Orpheus and Euridice into the first true opera, the story is still being retold in song—and still finding unique ways to present gender through music. The Mechanisms are a folk- punk band who describe their work as a “storytelling musical cabaret.” The real-life musicians in the band include several transgender and nonbinary members, the “Mechanisms” they play onstage have their own genders and presentation, and the characters they then sing about in order to tell their stories are cast with a gender-blind eye. Trial by Song is sung by the fictional Mechanism known as The Toy Soldier, a robotic creature that uses ‘it/its’ pronouns. The Toy Soldier is played by Jessica Law, a soprano who uses ‘she’ and ‘her’, and the character in the story itself is Orpheus, referred to with ‘he’ and ‘him’. This gender-blind casting extends to other characters as well, as seen in Underworld Blues. Here, Ulysses, Heracles, and Orpheus all appeal to Hades to grant a wish of theirs. Hades is played by the fictional Mechanism Ashes O’Reilly and in turn the performer Frank Voss, both of whom use ‘they/them’ pronouns. With this third retelling of the myth of Orpheus, anyone with a voice in the mezzo to countertenor range can sing Euridice, Orpheus, and even Hades regardless of gender. In the spirit of this gender-blind casting and the development and growth of how gender has been presented on the operatic stage throughout history, all four roles in Underworld Blues— and each other role in this recital, regardless of character gender and traditional casting practices—will be sung by a nonbinary mezzo-soprano countertenor who uses ‘they/them’ and ‘he/him’ pronouns. This recital is given in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Music degree. Special thanks to Rachael Gates, Andrew Lenhart, Gregory Crowell, and Nicholas Loren. Thanks as well as to Nate Bliton for making the recording of this recital possible, The Mechanisms for encouraging creative use and performance of their music, and to all the family and friends who have supported me this far and beyond. Translations Sciolta il crin (My hair is loose) Never was the shade Giacinto Andrea Cicognini of any plant My hair is loose, my feet are bare, my vest is torn dearer and more lovely, I live merrily in solitary chambers. or more sweet. I was born poor, and yet I command the stars I walk naked, and yet I am rich in treasures. Non so più cosa son, cosa faccio (I no longer know) Lorenzo Da Ponte Regal pomp, high palaces, Arabian incense, I no longer know who I am or what I'm doing, Away, away from me! Only poverty suits me. First I'm burning, then I'm freezing I contemplate death and foresee my end Every woman makes me blush, With virtuous intent I deny my senses Every woman makes me tremble. So is my mind serene, and my heart content. At the very words ‘love’ or ‘delight’ My heart leaps and pounds, Known only by myself, I am oblivious to the world. Just speaking of this fills me The fields provide me food, the rivers water. With a longing I can't explain! I follow Astraea, I flee Mars, I despise Love. I speak of love when I'm awake, I speak of it in my dreams, Io non diro (I will not say) To the stream, the shade, the mountains, Alessandro Striggio To the flowers, the grass, the fountains, I will not say how great To the echo, the air, the breezes, is my joy at your rejoicing, Orpheus, They carry away since my heart is no longer with me, The sound of my fond words but resides with you in the company of Love. And if no one hears me Ask of it, therefore, if you wish to know I speak of love to myself. how gladly it rejoices and how much it loves you. Aprite, presto, aprite (Open, quickly, open) Ahi, vista troppo dolce (Ah, sight too sweet) Lorenzo Da Ponte Alessandro Striggio SUSANNA Ah, sight too sweet and too bitter! Open up, quickly open up; Thus, then, through excess of love you lose me? Open, it's Susanna. And I, unhappy one, lose Come out of there the power to enjoy You must get away at once. either light or life anymore, and lose you too, O my husband, more precious than all else. CHERUBINO Oh dear, what a terrible scene! Venti, turbini (Winds, storms) What a dreadful thing to happen! Giacomo Rossi Winds, storms, lend your wings SUSANNA unto my feet! Leave without delay! Heavens, gods, equip this arm so it might This way, that way. confront her who has inflicted onto me such pain! SUSANNA and CHERUBINO Ombra mai fu (Never was a shade) The doors are locked. Silvio Stampiglia Whatever shall we do? Tender and beautiful fronds of my beloved plain tree, CHERUBINO let Fate smile upon you. We can't give up.