Marriage of Figaro -a counter tenor Cherubino

[Barbirollians]

The ROH have apparently cast a counter tenor as Cherubino and this casting has had good reviews strikes me as odd . Mozart wrote it as a trousers role for a woman . Anyone heard of this before or been to see the latest McVicar ROH revival ?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I’d always assumed the part was written for a castrato. I’m relieved to be told it wasn’t!

[cloughie]

I’d always assumed the part was written for a castrato. I’m relieved to be told it wasn’t!

His son may confirm that!

[Stanfordian]

The ROH have apparently cast a counter tenor as Cherubino and this casting has had good reviews strikes me as odd . Mozart wrote it as a trousers role for a woman . Anyone heard of this before or been to see the latest McVicar ROH revival ?

The Guardian newspaper described this McVicar production of the Marriage of Figaro as a "gender-fluid revival."

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jul/02/the-marriage-of-figaro-review-royal-opera-house-london-gardiner-mcvicar

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Guardian newspaper described this McVicar production of the Marriage of Figaro as a "gender-fluid revival."

Well, if one's gender fluids need reviving ...

[Dave2002]

Oddly this subject came up the other day - we wondered if in fact Cherubino had been written for a castrato, but thought that particular style of voice had largely died out by Mozart's time, so figured Mozart really did write it for a woman.

Some of the "gender fluid" productions are really confusing, such as Cendrillon at Glyndebourne - an opera which I'd never seen before - strange!
Trying to figure out who or what the Prince is, and who/what Massenet wrote the part for.

Incidentally, the production can be seen online until Sunday at this web link - https://www.glyndebourne.com/events/watch-cinderella/
and in the following weeks there'll be online viewing opportunities for the Barber of Seville and the Magic Flute.

[Barbirollians]

Apparently it is being streamed life for free next Tuesday 9th July so we will have a chance to see and hear Mr Kim in action as Cherubino.

[Lion-of-Vienna]

Oddly this subject came up the other day - we wondered if in fact Cherubino had been written for a castrato, but thought that particular style of voice had largely died out by Mozart's time, so figured Mozart really did write it for a woman.

Admittedly it was written 13 years before Figaro but the motet Exsultate Jubilate was written for a castrato named Venanzio Rauzzini.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Oddly this subject came up the other day - we wondered if in fact Cherubino had been written for a castrato, but thought that particular style of voice had largely died out by Mozart's time, so figured Mozart really did write it for a woman.

Would it be fairer to say that by the time of Figaro castrati had retreated to church choirs, where they lingered surprisingly late?

Alessandro Moreschi (1858-1922) was a castrato in the Sistine Chapel choir till c.1913 and was recorded in 1902 and 1904 by the Gaisberg brothers for G&T. These discs probably do not give much of an idea of what operatically trained virtuoso castrati sounded like, but they are certainly - ummmm, harumph - interesting!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The role of Sesto in Mozart's last opera (La Clemenza di Tito, 1791) was first performed by castrato Domenico Bedini, with the composer conducting the performances. (The commission specified that the role should be written for such a singer.)

Idamente, in Idomeneo ten years earlier was also written for a castrato, but the composer later rewrote the part for tenor. I think this certainly suggests that castrati weren't as common by the end of the Century as they had been, but that some opera houses/companies still had "access" to such singers.

Edit: both works Opera Seria, of course.

[LHC]

The role of Sesto in Mozart's last opera (La Clemenza di Tito, 1791) was first performed by castrato Domenico Bedini, with the composer conducting the performances. (The commission specified that the role should be written for such a singer.)

Idamente, in Idomeneo ten years earlier was also written for a castrato, but the composer later rewrote the part for tenor. I think this certainly suggests that castrati weren't as common by the end of the Century as they had been, but that some opera houses/companies still had "access" to such singers.

Edit: both works Opera Seria, of course.

When the Royal Opera House staged Idomeneo in 2014, the counter tenor Franco Fagioli played Idamante (if memory serves, he was billed in the programme as a male soprano).

[doversoul1]

When the Royal Opera House staged Idomeneo in 2014, the counter tenor Franco Fagioli played Idamante (if memory serves, he was billed in the programme as a male soprano).

Wasn’t a castrato voice usually used for a hero or a big baddie (e.g. Tamerlano and Tolomeo) but rarely for a young boy/man like Cherubino? Although countertenors always say they are not castorati, so I suppose this can be irrelevant in this case.

[ed.] When women weren’t allowed on stage in Rome, all roles were of course played by male singers but that’s probably irrelevant in this discussion.

[LeMartinPecheur]

...all roles were of course played by mail singers...

Surely only knightly characters? (Unless there was a singing postman back then)

[doversoul1]

s/he could have been called Pat

[cloughie]

s/he could have been called Pat

Definitely he - a light boy?