sign in sign up
<<
Home , Agnes Baltsa, Babylon (opera), Barbara Dever, Heinz Wallberg, La favorite, Pique Dame (Suppé)

Marvellous Me o-so rano and Con ral o

BEST LOVED Best loved opera arias for Mezzo- and

1 (1838–1875) 6 10 Antonio VIVALDI (1678–1741) 15 (1685–1759) (1875) 1:58 L’Italiana in Algeri 4:23 Orlando furioso 4:25 Serse (‘Xerxes’) (1738) 3:37 Act I – Seguidilla: Près des remparts de (‘The Italian Girl in Algiers’) (1813) (‘The Frenzy of Orlando’) (1727) Act I – Frondi tenere… Ombra mai fu… Séville (Carmen) Act I, Scene 4 – Cruda sorte! Act II, Scene 8 – Nel profondo (Xerxes) Marjana Lipovšek, Mezzo-soprano Amor tiranno! (Isabella) cieco mondo (Orlando) Marjana Lipovšek, Mezzo-soprano Radio Orchestra • Giuseppe Patanè Ewa Podle , Mezzo-soprano Sonia Prina, Contralto • I Barocchisti Munich Radio Orchestra • Giuseppe Patanè (Orfeo C179891A) Hungarian State Opera Chorus and Orchestra Diego Fasolis (Orfeo C179891A) Pier Giorgio Morandi (Dynamic CDS7803.03) 2 Wolfgang MOZART (1756–1791) 16 Gioachino ROSSINI (8.553543) Le nozze di Figaro 2:48 11 Pyotr Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893) (1823) 5:30 (‘’) (1786) 7 Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921) Pique Dame (‘The Queen of Spades’) (1890) 3:26 Act I – Ah! Quel giorno ognor rammento (Arsace) Act II, Scene 2 – Voi, che sapete che Samson et Dalila 5:40 Act I, Scene 2 – Podrugi milïe Ewa Podle , Contralto cosa e amor (Cherubino) (‘Samson and Delilah’) (1877) (Подруги милые) (Polina) Hungarian State Orchestra Michelle Breedt, Mezzo-soprano Act II – Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix (Dalila) Ludmila Shemchuk, Mezzo-soprano Pier Giorgio Morandi (8.553543) Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia • Michael Halász Marjana Lipovšek, Mezzo-soprano Bavarian State Orchestra • Algis Zhuraitis 17 (1813–1883) (8.660102-04) Munich Radio Orchestra • Giuseppe Patanè (Orfeo C811112I) Siegfried (1876) 3:06 (Orfeo C179891A) 3 Gioachino ROSSINI (1792–1868) 12 Act III, Scene 1 – Mein Schlaf ist Träumen (Erda) (‘Cinderella’) (1817) 3:20 8 Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797–1848) La favorite (‘The Favourite’) (1840) 6:37 Deborah Humble, Mezzo-soprano Act II, Scene 3 – Non più mesta…(Cenerentola) (1833) 1:35 Act III – O mio Fernando (Léonor de Guzman) Matthias Goerne, - Ewa Podle , Contralto Act II – Il segreto per esser felice (Orsini) , Mezzo-soprano Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Hungarian State Opera Chorus and Orchestra Nidia Palacios, Mezzo-soprano Munich Radio Orchestra • Jaap van Zweden (8.660413-16) Pier Giorgio Morandi (8.553543) Orchestra and Chorus of the Bergamo (Orfeo C171881A) 18 Musica Festival ‘Gaetano Donizetti’ 4 Giuseppe VERDI (1813–1901) 13 Giuseppe VERDI Un ballo in maschera 3:40 (1847, revised 1865) 4:00 Tiziano Severini (1871) 3:55 (‘A Masked Ball’) (1859) Act II – La luce langue (Lady Macbeth) (8.660257-58) Act IV – L’aborrita rivale a me sfuggia (Amneris) Act I, Scene 2 – Re dell’abisso affrettati (Ulrica) Agnes Baltsa, Mezzo-soprano 9 Gioachino ROSSINI Barbara Dever, Mezzo-soprano Ludmila Shemchuk, Mezzo-soprano Munich Radio Orchestra • Heinz Wallberg Il barbiere di Siviglia 5:53 National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland Chorus and Orchestra (Orfeo C171881A) (‘The Barber of ’) (1816) Rico Saccani (8.660033-34) Claudio Abbado (Orfeo C907162I) Act I, Scene 2 – Una voce poco fa (Rosina) 5 Christoph Willibald GLUCK (1714–1787) 14 19 Georges BIZET Orfeo ed Euridice (‘Orpheus and Eurydice’) 4:06 , Mezzo-soprano 6:40 Carmen (1875) 2:57 (1762, revised 1774) Failoni Chamber Orchestra (‘The Clemency of Titus’) (1791) Act I – Habañera: L’Amour est un Act III, Scene 1 – Che farò senza Euridice? (Orfeo) Will Humburg (8.553436) Act I, Scene 9 – Parto, ma tu ben mio (Sesto) oiseau rebelle (Carmen) Marjana Lipovšek, Mezzo-soprano , Mezzo-soprano Marjana Lipovšek, Mezzo-soprano Munich Radio Orchestra • Giuseppe Patanè Orchestra • Munich Radio Orchestra • Giuseppe Patanè (Orfeo C179891A) (Orfeo C938172I) (Orfeo C179891A)

Total Timing: 78:32 8.578189 2 3 8.578189 Best loved opera arias for and this opened the way for more experimental The Mezzo-soprano and Contralto Voice Mezzo-soprano and Contralto works, such as Le nozze di Figaro of The term mezzo-soprano (literally ‘half 1786 2 , with its innovative use of ensembles soprano’) now denotes a low female voice. Introduction characters. Hey presto! – they’d stumbled upon and emotional variety. Soprano denotes a high voice. ‘Parto, parto’ (‘I’m leaving, I’m leaving’) sings opera: drama told through music. In the early 19th century, this in turn That’s the simple way of putting it. Sesto 14 . But he doesn’t leave. In fact, it takes It quickly took off. The wrenching pathos, developed into a new style called Unfortunately there are plenty of contradictory, him six more minutes of parto-parto-ing before the opportunities for comedy, the grandeur of (literally ‘beautiful singing’) which emphasised overlapping, and confusing sub-categories too. he finally heads off. great music combined with powerful stories… singers’ virtuosity in long-held phrases and The term mezzo-soprano first appeared in If you want reasons why people don’t like Opera was about real emotions, and real brilliantly sparkling fast passages 3 6 8 9 print only around 1750, but its meaning was opera, this provides several. It’s implausible. situations, but heightened to a point of sublimity. 12 16 . Verdi pushed this style towards grand vague until well after 1800. Until that time, The words are endlessly repeated. A female As with all art forms, conventions soon opera, which involved bigger crowd-scenes composers didn’t write for a ‘type’ of voice, singer pretends to be a man. No wonder that arose. Songs for individual characters became and epic backdrops. 4 13 18 . Wagner 17 , but for an individual singer. If she happened to Dr Johnson, the great English lexicographer, known as arias. Quick-paced dialogue, in a uniquely, used complex recurring melodies have a low or high voice, that was simply her defined opera asexotic and irrational. less melodic style, was called . An and symbolic characters to create a style all nature. All women were . He wasn’t wrong. But here’s the thing. opera might have some duets, or trios, or a his own. Opera had another flowering in the When started to become repertoire Although opera is not realistic, it is real. Sesto’s chorus. The accompanying orchestra began to late 19th-century verismo style, which exploited items in about 1800, and were presented and aria is one of the most beautiful expressions of grow too. sexually heightened conflicts, before it headed revived in different cities with new singers indecision, doubt and conflicted desire you’ll Certain musical forms began to dominate into several different modern pathways, some over and over again, the categories of roles ever hear. He stays because he’s torn. No, the art form. In the Baroque period (early 18th more successful than others, in the 20th and and voice types became more defined. The it wouldn’t be plausible in real life. Yes, he century) operas mostly fell into the category 21st centuries. Germans, being excellent taxonomists, gave us repeats himself. But if you can find more artistic of opera seria: Orlando furioso 10 is a good If you’re wondering why this history has the word for such a category: . truthfulness anywhere else, I’ll eat my hat. example. The distinguishing feature of an opera only covered – partly, it’s because There are several Fachs within the mezzo Opera offers truths which are otherwise seria is a type of aria which always repeats its the Italians were on the scene first and so category. A coloratura mezzo is suited to inexpressible. opening section after a contrasting interlude. controlled the field. But it is also because the virtuosic displays of speed in Baroque and bel This is known as a da capo aria (or a ‘go back Italian language, with its open vowels and easy canto works; a lyric mezzo can usually be found A History of Opera to the beginning aria’). consonants, is a wonderfully straightforward in roles which do not demand too much volume For an art form which has had such a At this stage, it was the singers – not language to sing. All other national schools – the works of Gluck and Mozart provide good profound impact on global culture, opera has composers, not librettists, not producers – of opera – including French 1 19 , Russian 11 , examples; a dramatic mezzo has the stamina a surprisingly short history. It was invented in who were the most important people of the German, and English – have thus defined to tackle the decibel-heavy roles of Verdi; and about 1600 in Italy. A group of academics, opera world, and sometimes they demanded themselves in a pro or contra relationship with the very lowest female voice is usually called a hoping to recreate the chanted speech of ridiculous changes in storytelling merely to suit the globally dominant Italian product. contralto or alto – Wagner’s Erda is often taken ancient Greek theatre, developed a method their egos. In 1762 Gluck tried to reform opera by such a singer. As already stated, these terms of giving sung notes to the words of dramatic back to purer principles in Orfeo ed Euridice 5 , overlap, and are often used vaguely.

8.578189 4 5 8.578189 It’s necessary to highlight one more is an adolescent page-boy in the service of 4 La luce langue (‘The light diminishes’) mezzo sang it for the first time in 1859, she peculiarity of the mezzo repertoire, which is Countess Almaviva. He sings her a song from Macbeth (1847, revised 1865) set the pattern for next 150 years, and now that many of the roles are for male characters. expressing his adoration, and how much When a prophecy reveals that Banco will male performances are extremely rare. Sometimes this is because the parts were he suffers from unrequited love. found a new royal dynasty, King Macbeth The version of the aria given here, originally written for castrati (castrated males) Cherubino represents a hormonal realises that must prevent it by murder. with its heightened musical repetitions at who sang at a high pitch, and women often storm of adolescent male desire, with all Here Lady Macbeth calls on the powers of the end, is from the 1774 revival. now take those roles. But sometimes it is its pains and pleasures. But it was written darkness and evil to aid the crime. because composers simply enjoyed exploiting for a woman, and in the French play upon The role of Lady Macbeth is sung now 6 Cruda sorte! (‘Cruel fate!’) the ambiguous frisson of seeing women dressed which the opera is based – see 9 – the by either mezzos or sopranos. It mostly lies from L’Italiana in Algeri (1813) as men: Cherubino 2 is a good example. All spoken role was also written for an actress. low enough for the former, but it also has Isabella, the Italian Girl of the title, steps these parts are called travesty, breeches, or Composers have always been aware of some high notes at the end of the famous ashore in Algeria from a shipwreck. She pants roles. the ambiguous and erotic consequences of ‘sleepwalking scene’ which are better has come to find her lover, Lindoro, who cross-dressing on stage. suited to the latter. (They are so high, in fact, has gone missing. Summoning all her 1 Seguidilla from Carmen (1875) that sometimes performers employ another courage, and a cheerful dose of self- Carmen is a free-spirited Spanish gypsy 3 Non più mesta (‘No longer sad’) singer, offstage, to sing them instead.) But possession, she announces that nothing will under arrest for attacking another woman from La Cenerentola (1817) when a full-throated, rich-voiced mezzo get in the way of her aims. with a knife. In this aria, she tells her guard Angelina, the downtrodden step-daughter gets her teeth into this dark and thrilling Rossini wrote L’Italiana when he was – the infatuated soldier Don José – about of the pompous Don Magnifico, is treated aria, the rewards are immense. just 21 (and composed it, according to a local tavern. If José will let her go free, like a servant in her own household. She legend, in 18 days), and you can hear she will meet him there and give him a falls in love with a lowly valet, but at the 5 Che farò (‘What will I do’) youthful ebullience sparkling through every good time. end of the opera it is revealed that the from Orfeo ed Euridice note of Isabella’s fizzing entrance aria. He 19th-century French composers loved valet is in fact a prince in disguise. In (1762, revised 1774) later revisited this type of self-confidence the mezzo voice for its richness and this joyous and dazzling aria, Angelina When Orfeo’s wife dies, he uses his statement in the entrance aria for Rosina sensuality (see 7 ), and in Carmen Bizet sings that her days of drudgery are over, beautiful singing voice to persuade the 9 in Il barbiere di Siviglia. Rosina’s lover, wrote perhaps the best-known mezzo role and she forgives her family for all her gods to give her back to him. On the funnily enough, is also called Lindoro. of all time. France also had a love-affair past mistreatment. journey back to earth, he breaks the rules with all things Spanish. Bizet here adapts Rossini pushed the virtuosity of the and turns back to look at her. She dies 7 Mon cœur (‘My heart’) the rhythms of a frisky, triple-time dance for human voice to new levels of excitement, again, and he sings this heartbreaking from Samson et Dalila (1877) two people called a seguidilla. with ever faster scales, runs and ornaments, over his twice-lost love. Dalila, a beautiful Philistine and implacable but never for the sake of mere empty Gluck originally composed the role foe to the Israelites, vows to use all her wiles 2 Voi, che sapete (‘You, who know’) display. Here those musical fireworks of Orfeo for an alto castrato. He quickly to discover the secret which lies behind the from Le nozze di Figaro (1786) express Angelina’s exhilaration at her new- revised it for a soprano castrato, and then legendary strength of her enemy Samson. Cherubino (the name means ‘little cherub’) found love and happiness. in 1774 gave it to a high . But when a After a long seduction scene, Samson

8.578189 6 7 8.578189 eventually confesses that he loves her, and 9 Una voce (‘A voice’) for bass. But for this completely new re- the case of La favorite, the director of the she replies with this hauntingly beautiful from Il barbiere di Siviglia (1816) writing in 1727, he cast Lucia Lancetti as opera house demanded the top spot for his aria. In the opera it becomes a duet, but is Rosina is the young ward of the pompous Orlando, such was the power of her acting mistress, a mezzo, and the ever-obliging often performed in concert as a solo. and domineering Doctor Bartolo. He keeps and singing. Donizetti agreed. It is said he composed Although gifted with a fine ear for her at home under lock and key, but she the final act in just four hours. melody, and a fluent ease of orchestration, has fallen in love with Lindoro, a young 11 Podrugi milïe (‘Dear friends’) Saint-Saëns mostly lacked the emotional man who has serenaded her outside her from The Queen of Spades (1890) 13 L’aborrita rivale (‘My hated rival’) engagement needed to write successful window. In this, her sparkling entrance Polina is having a jolly time with a group of from Aida (1871) operas. Of all his twelve attempts at the aria, she describes the excitement of love, her girlfriends, who ask her to sing them a Amneris, the daughter of the King of Egypt, genre, only Samson is still performed – and tells us (rather like Isabella, see 6 ) that song. She responds with this haunting aria is in love with the warrior Radamès. He, and ultimately due to the power of this she has tricks and stratagems to conquer (actually called a ‘romance’ in the opera) however is in love with her hated rival blockbuster aria. anything her guardian can put in her way. about the power of the all-conquering Aida. When Radamès is accused of ‘Lindoro’ is actually Count Almaviva grave. It’s a strange dramatic jolt, which treason, Amneris offers to help him if he 8 Il segreto per esser felici in disguise, and the two lovers are hints at the tragic ending of the opera. will confess his crimes and return her love. (‘The secret to being happy’) joyously united at the end of the opera. Polina is the secondary female With its show-stopping Triumphal from Lucrezia Borgia (1833) Unfortunately, their happiness is short-lived. character in the opera, after Liza, the March, spectacular ballet scenes, and Maffeo Orsini, a young nobleman, leads his The same characters reappear in Mozart’s heroine. Russian opera followed the parades of slaves and elephants, Aida is boisterous young friends in a drinking song. Le nozze di Figaro 2 (which, although it standard Italian practice of the late 19th the grandest of all grand operas. But at its Unknown to them all, Lucrezia Borgia has is a chronological sequel, was composed century in giving lead roles to sopranos, heart it is a straightforward love triangle, poisoned their goblets in order to kill them. earlier) and there we discover that the and subordinate roles to mezzos. which offers to all three participants some The ‘brindisi’, or drinking song, is Count proves faithless. of the most emotionally direct music Verdi an enormously popular sub-genre within 12 O mio Fernando (‘Oh, my Fernando’) ever composed. These are demanding opera. The most famous one is perhaps the 10 Nel profondo (‘Deep inside’) from La favorite (1840) roles, however, and require enormous ‘Libiamo’ from Verdi’s La traviata, but there from Orlando furioso (1727) Leonora has long been the ‘favourite’ (i.e. reserves of power to soar over the huge are plenty of others too. All of them are The impetuous warrior Orlando is in love the mistress) of the king, but when she is orchestra. ostensibly upbeat celebrations of the delights with Angelica. She doesn’t return his love, given the chance to marry her true love of alcoholic intoxication, but often – as here – and tries to kill him by asking him to bring Fernando, she realises she must tell him the 14 Parto, parto (‘I’m leaving, I’m leaving’) a dramatic irony undercuts the jollity. her a magic potion from a cave guarded by truth about her compromised past, even at from La clemenza di Tito (1791) Curiously, the term ‘brindisi’ has a wild beast. Orlando quickly realises he has the price of her happiness. In this aria, she Sesto is in love with the haughty Vitellia. nothing to do with the Italian city of the been tricked, but fights his way to freedom. resolves to do just that. When she orders him to kill the Emperor same name. It has its etymological roots in Vivaldi rarely employed women for Although Donizetti composed some Tito and set fire to in revenge for her the German phrase ‘bring dir’s’ (‘I offer it male leads: in an earlier version of this fine roles for mezzos, he usually gave the father’s usurpation, he is torn between his to you’). opera the part of Orlando was written leading female role to a soprano. But in love for her and his duty to the noble Tito.

8.578189 8 9 8.578189 ‘Love makes fools of us all’ goes the and subsequently composed operas almost When Verdi created female characters opening notes of the tune seem to phrase. Mozart understood the sentiment, exclusively in French. For his valediction, he in touch with the darker impulses of human suggest that love is waning; but the rising but instead of treating Sesto as a besotted decided to revive the waning tradition of a nature, he instinctively exploited their on the word ’amour’ suggest a fool, he shows the character’s dilemma travesty hero, and give the lead male role to lower registers. Ulrica is one of his great hope that it can be found again – if not in in sympathetic and tender music. The a mezzo. Since the title role of Semiramide creations, and her music calls forth all the the same place, then perhaps elsewhere. addition of a basset , winding its is also low, it means the primary dramatic vocal power which a mezzo can offer. Thus the entire plot of Carmen is contained plangent notes around the singer’s melody, couple are of the same Fach, which is in this famous aria. is a magical touch. quite rare. 19 Habañera from Carmen (1875) Carmen’s entrance aria is a provocative song Warwick Thompson 15 Ombra mai fu (‘Never was a shade’) 17 Mein Schlaf ist Träumen about the rebellious and untameable nature © Naxos Rights US, Inc. from Serse (1738) (‘My sleep is dreaming’) of love. Serse (Xerxes), the king of Persia, sings this from Siegfried (1876) Like the Seguidilla which opens this For the sung texts please visit aria to a tree, thanking the plant for giving Wotan, the king of the gods, summons the collection, the Habañera is based on https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.578189 him shade. earth goddess Erda, to ask about the future. another Spanish dance. The descending The historian Herodotus tells us that Erda, sleepy and confusingly oracular, Serse once admired a plane tree so much is unable to offer him anything clear. that he decorated it with gold, and left Dismissed, she sinks back into the earth. a guard to protect it. Serse’s first aria, In the Ring Cycle (Wagner’s cycle of Warwick Thompson although beautiful, prepares us to see the four music dramas, of which Siegfried is Warwick Thompson is a freelance journalist, presenter, and accompanist, plant-mad king as a slightly comical figure, the third) the orchestra does as much of specialising in vocal music and opera. His work has appeared in Metro, and sets the tone for the rest of this witty the dramatic work as the singers. Around The Times, Bloomberg.com, The Wall Street Journal, Opera, Opera Now, and sly opera. Erda’s music, the orchestra weaves a Pianist Magazine, and in many other outlets. He has also frequently hosted web of Leitmotifs – snatches of melodies educational events for Festival Opera. 16 Quel giorno (‘That Day’) which represent objects, places and other from Semiramide (1823) characters in the cycle – which tell us more The young warrior Arsace, in his first aria, about her ambiguous utterances than she rejoices to see his homeland of Babylon appears to know herself. once more. He is unsure why he has been called home, but declares his love for 18 Re del’abisso (‘King of the abyss’) Princess Azema. from Un ballo in maschera (1859) Some say that Semiramide is Rossini’s The sorceress Ulrica summons the King 1 5 7 15 19 ℗ 1989 Orfeo International Music GmbH 2 ℗ 2004 Naxos Rights International Ltd 3 6 16 ℗ 1996 HNH International Ltd 4 12 ℗ 1981 Orfeo International Music GmbH 8 ℗ 2010 Naxos Rights International Ltd 9 ℗ 1993 HNH farewell to the world of tragic Italian opera, of the Abyss so that she may work her International Ltd 10 ℗ 2018 Dynamic S.r.l. 11 ℗ 2011 Orfeo International Music GmbH 13 ℗ 1995 HNH International Ltd for he moved to Paris after the premiere, magical powers. 14 ℗ 2017 Orfeo International Music GmbH 17 ℗ 2017 Naxos Rights US, Inc. 18 ℗ 2016 Orfeo International Music GmbH

8.578189 10 11 8.578189 NAXOS BEST LOVED opera arias for Me o-so rano and Con ral o 8.578189 2004, 2009 Naxos Rights International Ltd 1993, 1995, 1996 HNH International Ltd 2017 Naxos Rights US, Inc. 2018 Dynamic S.r.l. 1981, 1989, 2011, 2016, 2017 Orfeo International Music GmbH www.naxos.com ℗ ℗ ℗ ℗ ℗ (see booklet for details) This compilation © 2021 Naxos Rights US, Inc. A detailed track list can be found the bookletinside Includes comprehensive booklet notes in English 3:26 6:37 3:55 6:40 3:37 5:30 3:06 3:40 2:57

(1840–1893) (1685–1759) o (1813–1883) l ra Total Timing: 78:32 Total Un ballo in maschera (‘A Masked Ball’) Georges BIZET Carmen Pique Dame (‘The Queen of Spades’) Pique Dame (‘The Queen La favorite (‘The Favourite’) Aida Titus’) La clemenza di Tito (‘The Clemency of Serse (‘Xerxes’) Semiramide Siegfried Re dell’abisso affrettati est un oiseau rebelle Habañera – L’Amour Podrugi milïe O mio Fernando rivale a me sfuggia L’aborrita Parto, ma tu ben mio Frondi tenere… Ombra mai fu… Ah! Quel giorno rammento ognor Mein Schlaf ist Träumen Giuseppe VERDI Pyotr Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY Pyotr Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY Gaetano DONIZETTI Giuseppe VERDI MOZART Amadeus Wolfgang George Frideric HANDEL Gioachino ROSSINI Richard WAGNER

19 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

rano and Con 4:06 4:23 5:40 1:35 5:53 4:25 1:58 2:48 3:20 4:00

o

BEST LOVED opera arias for BEST LOVED opera o-s

(1756–1791)

(1714–1787)

(1835–1921) Me (1797–1848) (1792–1868) (1813–1901) (1678–1741) (1838–1875) Una voce poco fa Nel profondo cieco mondo Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix Il segreto per esser felice Il barbiere di Siviglia (‘’) Orlando furioso (‘The Frenzy of Orlando’) Che farò senza Euridice? Cruda sorte! Amor tiranno! Samson et Dalila (‘Samson and Delilah’) Lucrezia Borgia Non più mesta… La luce langue Orfeo and Eurydice’) ed Euridice (‘Orpheus Algeri (‘The Italian Girl in Algiers’) in L’Italiana Seguidilla – Près des rempartsSeguidilla – Près des de Séville che sapete che cosa è amor Voi, La Cenerentola (‘Cinderella’) Macbeth Carmen Le nozze di Figaro (‘The Marriage of Figaro’) Gioachino ROSSINI Antonio VIVALDI Camille SAINT-SAËNS Gaetano DONIZETTI Christoph Willibald GLUCK Gioachino ROSSINI Gioachino ROSSINI Giuseppe VERDI Georges BIZET Amadeus MOZART Wolfgang

The mezzo-soprano voice, lower than a soprano but higher than a contralto, yet possessing the qualities the qualities yet possessing a contralto, than but higher soprano than a lower voice, The mezzo-soprano It is for operatic roles. especially suitable and colour that is vocal range is notable for a wide of both, bel Carmen.or the seductive heroines lovestruck Donizetti’s portrayused to as Rossini’s characters such her mezzo gets when a full-throated roles, and dramatic with Verdi’s also contrasts sharply canto lyricism ranging from the With characters are immense. Macbeth, the rewards the dark and thrilling teeth into tortured in Algeri to the emotionally Amneris in Verdi’s L’Italiana in Rossini’s ebullient Isabella youthfully can be found here. Aida, all of operatic life

9 7 8 5 6 3 4 1 2 10

NAXOS BEST LOVED opera arias for Me o-so rano and Con ral o 8.578189