> >It has everything to do with self-perpetuated gender stereotypes. If >countertenors were common, people would eventually learn to distinguish >them from women. When they heard a high voice, they would ask themselves >"hmmm, is that a woman or a countertenor?" Of course they are not that >many countertenors because it is difficult for men to put themselves in >a situation where people will think they are attempting some form of >transvestism. > >-Tako >
My favorite on stage moment came when I entered the stage, walked around, looked at some flowers, turned out to the audience, and began to sing. Of course, I was playing the role of a shepherd boy. (Endimione in Cavalli's "La Calisto") After about a phrase, a young girl (who happened to be sitting in the front row) turned to her mother and said (loud enough for me to hear), "Oh my GOD! That's a woman!!" It took all I could muster up to not smirk.
Melanie
Melanie Kuolt--mezzo-soprano University of Wisconsin at Madison School of Music Department of Women's Studies mkkuolt@s...
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