UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones May 2019 Mozart's "Mezzos": A Comparative Study Between Castrato and Female Roles in Mozart's Operas Erin Gonzalez Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations Part of the Music Commons Repository Citation Gonzalez, Erin, "Mozart's "Mezzos": A Comparative Study Between Castrato and Female Roles in Mozart's Operas" (2019). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 3604. http://dx.doi.org/10.34917/15778439 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. 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MOZART’S “MEZZOS”: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CASTRATO AND FEMALE ROLES IN MOZART’S OPERAS By Erin Gonzalez Bachelor of Music Chapman University 2008 Master of Music Eastman School of Music 2011 A doctoral project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Musical Arts School of Music College of Fine Arts The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas May 2019 Copyright 2019 Erin Gonzalez All Rights Reserved Doctoral Project Approval The Graduate College The University of Nevada, Las Vegas April 8, 2019 This doctoral project prepared by Erin Gonzalez entitled Mozart’s “Mezzos”: A Comparative Study of Castrato and Female Roles in Mozart’s Operas is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts School of Music Alfonse Anderson, D.M.A. Kathryn Hausbeck Korgan, Ph.D. Examination Committee Chair Graduate College Dean Linda Lister, D.M.A. Examination Committee Member Jennifer Bellor, Ph.D. Examination Committee Member Jonathan Lee, Ph.D. Examination Committee Member Nate Bynum, M.F.A. Graduate College Faculty Representative ii ABSTRACT MOZART’S “MEZZOS”: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN CASTRATO AND FEMALE ROLES IN MOZART’S OPERAS By Erin Gonzalez Dr. Alfonse Anderson, Examination Committee Chair Professor of Voice University of Nevada, Las Vegas Scholarly work on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s singers has focused particularly on the soprano voice. There is a general neglect of attention on the low female voice—or what we would commonly call the “mezzo-soprano”—in his operas. As a mezzo-soprano and singer of Mozart repertoire (both female and travesti roles), I find it imperative that a comparative study of Mozart’s compositional treatment between both the castrato and mezzo-soprano voice be created to better understand Mozart’s style and intent for composition for these voice types. This document is geared toward singers and teachers alike and will examine select arias of the castrato and mezzo-soprano roles in Mozart’s operas. I will observe Mozart’s treatment of these two voice types in select female and travesti roles. I have chosen to examine nine arias from the following operas: Ascanio in Alba, K. 111 (1771), Idomeneo, re di Creta, K. 366 (1781), Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492 (1786), Così fan tutte, K. 588 (1790), and La clemenza di Tito, K. 621 (1791). The specific roles examined will include Ascanio (Ascanio in Alba), Idamante (Idomeneo, re di Creta), Sesto (La clemenza di Tito), Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro), Dorabella (Così fan tutte), and Vitellia (La clemenza di Tito). My decision to discuss arias from these particular roles is a result of the accessibility of resources regarding the singers and music of their opera premiere performances. iii By studying the scores of the arias of Mozart’s operas in the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe, reading the letters, examining the aria table I created (Appendix C), and exploring the castratos’ prominence and decline in popularity, thus leading to the emergence of the “mezzo-soprano,” I will join other Mozart scholars in their views that Mozart did in fact compose for specific singers. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First of all I would like to thank my fiancé, Greg and my parents, Susan and Ruben. Thank you for all your encouragement and support in my life and throughout this degree program. Dr. Anderson, I am forever grateful for your time, dedication, and passion for teaching voice. It has been an incredible honor being under your tutelage for the past three years. I leave UNLV as a better singer and performer because of you. Dr. Lee, thank you for collaborating with on my DMA Baroque Recital. I appreciate your insight and expertise of the repertoire and am grateful for all the coaching and rehearsals. Additionally, thank you for your assistance on my document. I appreciate the extra time you set aside to work with me on presentation of information and formatting. Dr. Lister, it has been a pleasure being your Graduate Assistant for the past three years. I have learned a great deal from you about opera performance, teaching, and behind the scenes work of opera productions. Also, thank you for creating the role of Grace for me in your world- premiere opera, State of Grace. I am humbled and privileged to have been able to bring the character of Grace to life. Dr. Bellor, thank you for affording me with several opportunities to perform in concerts of works by student composers and also with NEXTET. I value the importance of new music and am glad to have had the experiences I did at UNLV. Thank you Nate Bynum for bringing laughter wherever you go and for all your support of my performances at UNLV. I appreciate it more than words can express. Finally, I would like to thank my high school voice teacher, Mary Langenberg for introducing me to opera and assigning me my first Mozart aria. v DEDICATION To my endless supporters: my fiancé, Greg, my parents, Susan and Ruben, and Teddy vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................................. v DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF EXAMPLES ................................................................................................................. viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2: THE CASTRATO’S HISTORY AND EMERGENCE OF THE MEZZO- SOPRANO ...................................................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 3: THE SINGERS, THE ROLES, AND THE ARIAS .............................................. 11 Giovanni Manzuoli (ca. 1720–1782) ........................................................................................ 12 Vincenzo dal Prato (1756–1828) .............................................................................................. 18 Domenico Bedini (ca. 1745–after 1795) ................................................................................... 22 Dorotea Bussani (1763–after 1810) .......................................................................................... 28 Louise Villeneuve (fl. 1786–99) ............................................................................................... 36 Maria Marchetti Fantozzi (1760–after 1800) ............................................................................ 42 CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................... 49 APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................ 52 APPENDIX B: MOZART OPERAS WITH CASTRATO AND FEMALE ROLES .................. 54 APPENDIX C: MOZART’S ARIAS FOR CASTRATI AND (“MEZZO”) SOPRANOS . 6 2 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................... 66 CURRICULUM VITAE ............................................................................................................... 72 vii LIST OF EXAMPLES Example 2.1 Vocal Exercise from Pier Francesco Tosi, Observations on the Florid Song, or Sentiments on the Ancient and Modern Singers (1723) .......................................... 7 Example 2.2 Cadenza from Riccardo Broschi, Artaserse (1734), act 2, scene 7, “Son qual nave ch’agitata.” .............................................................................................................. 7 Example 3.1 Ascanio in Alba, act 2, scene 4, “Al mio ben veggio avanti,” mm. 4–13 ............. 15 Example 3.2 Ascanio in Alba, act 2, scene 4, “Al mio ben veggio avanti,” mm. 76–86 ........... 16 Example 3.3 Ascanio in Alba, act 1, scene 3, “Se il labbro più non dice,” mm. 91–112 .......... 17 Example 3.4 Ascanio in Alba, act 2, scene 3, “Dal tuo gentil sembiante,” mm. 280–92 .......... 18 Example 3.5 Idomeneo, re di Creta, act 1, scene 10, “Il padre adorato,” mm. 1–9..................