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Antonio Pappano

Mark Cooper

David Jeffcock

Dominic Best

Caroline Page

Janet Baker

Sarah Connolly

John Copley

Joyce DiDonato

Christa Ludwig

Felicity Palmer

Peter Sellars

Pappano's Classical Voices: Episode 3: Mezzo-Soprano

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Mezzo-Soprano

Episode 3

Episode 3: Mezzo-Soprano

Pappano's Classical Voices

BBC Four - Pappano's Classical Voices, Mezzo-Soprano

Exploring the role of the mezzo-soprano, who often plays the rival or the villainess.

Antonio Pappano explores the great roles and singers through the prism of the main voice types. He continues with the mezzo-soprano, often the rival or the villainess.

Series in which conductor Sir Antonio Pappano (music director of the Royal Opera House since 2002) explores the great roles and the greatest singers of the last hundred years through the prism of the main classical voice types - soprano, tenor, mezzo-soprano, baritone and bass. Through discussion, demonstrations and workshops, Pappano explores every aspect of the art of great singing. 

The lowest female voice type, and the one closest to a woman's natural speaking voice, the mezzo-soprano only rarely plays the name part. But when she does - in Carmen, Samson et Dalila, and La Cenerentola - the fireworks begin. More often, she is the rival, and the villainess. 

Antonio explores the particular effect the mezzo voice has on the audience. Her low, sultry tones make her voice perfect for the earth goddess, but also the enchantress, the siren. But she has to sing nearly as high as the soprano. So how does she do it? What is the 'chest voice' and what effect does it have? How do you sing ugly to convey the evil of a character without destroying your voice, and at the same time unearth some redeeming qualities? 

Antonio finds out what makes the mezzo tick by looking at great performances from Giulietta Simionato, Kathleen Ferrier, Marian Anderson, Shirley Verrett, Cecilia Bartoli and Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, and taking soundings from Janet Baker, Christa Ludwig, Joyce DiDonato, Felicity Palmer and Sarah Connolly.

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The greatest opera singers seen through the prism of the main classical voice types.

Sir Antonio Pappano explores the great roles and the greatest singers of the last 100 years through the prism of the main classical voice types - soprano, tenor, mezzo-soprano, baritone and bass.

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Episode 3: Mezzo-Soprano

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