That obscure object of desire
Apr. 24th, 2003 09:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
malsperanzaWent to see Handel's "Flavio" last night, in a lovely production at City Opera. Slashity slashity slash.
1) Whatever it is that voice coaches have figured out about how to get countertenors to not ruin their voices, they have nailed it. Amazing singing from real tenor all the way up to those wacky Baroque high notes, all in one voice. Am encouraged to think this is really possible.
2) 5 main characters:
-Flavio, the godlike king (male countertenor in men's clothes, albeit very fey lime green frockcoat with, yes, ruffles, and, yes, perruque)
-two couples, one noble, one servant-class. Noble couple sung by male countertenor (in men's clothes, albeit rose-pink frock coat etc.) and femme female soprano in dress; the servant-class couple sung by female soprano in the man's role (pale green frockcoat, ruffles, perruque), and female mezzo-soprano in dress. I.e., the man's voice is higher than his lady's. Stunning duets & potential for much provocative eros, which the production was scared to explore.
Upshot: love story with happy ending involving 5 voices, none lower or more masculine than a mezzo. Lowest voice belonging to the most womanly woman. Flavio the King definitely a character to think about: lover of women but appealing to women and men; magically able to restore love, realign friendships gone awry, resolve difficulties, maintain Order in the social and political sphere--all the usual Baroque tropes of kinghsip ( v. pleasing to George II, no doubt).
And when one asks opera buffs and scholars if they do not find this gender confusion a little strange and perhaps even intriguing, the answer invariably is: It's a stylistic convention.
Oh. Glad we cleared that up.
Edited to add: Come to think of it, a convention of cross-dressing Baroque lovers would be a con worth attending.
1) Whatever it is that voice coaches have figured out about how to get countertenors to not ruin their voices, they have nailed it. Amazing singing from real tenor all the way up to those wacky Baroque high notes, all in one voice. Am encouraged to think this is really possible.
2) 5 main characters:
-Flavio, the godlike king (male countertenor in men's clothes, albeit very fey lime green frockcoat with, yes, ruffles, and, yes, perruque)
-two couples, one noble, one servant-class. Noble couple sung by male countertenor (in men's clothes, albeit rose-pink frock coat etc.) and femme female soprano in dress; the servant-class couple sung by female soprano in the man's role (pale green frockcoat, ruffles, perruque), and female mezzo-soprano in dress. I.e., the man's voice is higher than his lady's. Stunning duets & potential for much provocative eros, which the production was scared to explore.
Upshot: love story with happy ending involving 5 voices, none lower or more masculine than a mezzo. Lowest voice belonging to the most womanly woman. Flavio the King definitely a character to think about: lover of women but appealing to women and men; magically able to restore love, realign friendships gone awry, resolve difficulties, maintain Order in the social and political sphere--all the usual Baroque tropes of kinghsip ( v. pleasing to George II, no doubt).
And when one asks opera buffs and scholars if they do not find this gender confusion a little strange and perhaps even intriguing, the answer invariably is: It's a stylistic convention.
Oh. Glad we cleared that up.
Edited to add: Come to think of it, a convention of cross-dressing Baroque lovers would be a con worth attending.
