Lloyd wrote:
vtec> The "the peculiar voice type that Rossini wrote for: the lyric
vtec> coloratura mezzo-soprano" is not a terminology used in Rosinni's day.
vtec> Female voices were either soprano or contralto. The mezzo
vtec> classification as it is known today was not a consideration for
vtec> Bellini, Donizetti or Rosinni. Patti, for whom "Norma" was written
vtec> was a contralto who developed the top of her voice and became famous
vtec> for this and other Bellini soprano roles.
vtec> The present system of classifying voices into many categories is the
vtec> result of the unionization of singers in Germany early in the 20th
vtec> Century for the protection that was deemed necessary to avoid abusing
vtec> voices within the German opera system.
Lloyd,
Thank you for addressing this issue. I apologize for my ignorance - I
was simply parroting what I heard in class, and I should know better.
(I also apologize for the "RE: Digest#" heading. It's the default
subject header on my email program and sometimes I forget to write
over it).
Anyway, you have also managed to finally answer the question I posed
to the list months ago about exactly when the term "mezzo-soprano"
came into use.
Thank you for so kindly sharing your knowledge.
Vicki Bryant
Naperville, IL
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