Preparing an opera role

Wendeline van Houten

About this exposition

Wendeline van Houten C010200 Main Subject: Classical Singing Research coach: Gerda van Zelm Title of Research: The interpretation of the role of Fiordiligi from Così fan tutte (KV 588) Research question: How can I best prepare myself for an opera role? Summary of results: To prepare an operatic role is a process that starts with finding available related source material about the opera, the composer, the librettist and the character. Due to the musical practice of the time this opera has been written, it brings one further to gather information about the singer for whom this role was written. It answers questions about how this music has to be performed and be interpreted. Gradually then, the character of the operatic role becomes clearer the interpreter is able to draw the character’s universe according to the method of David Ostwald in Acting for Singers (2005). This helps clarify the opera’s theme, the character’s objectives, subtext, conflicts and enables the performer to apply different facets of the same personality in the various scenes and develop relationships with theatrical props. Now one can work with the complete information in one’s practice. Going through this process gives one profundity in the interpretation. It makes a singer much more attached to the role, the story the era and the formation of the opera. Therewith it clarifies the theme of the opera and subsume it in the era when it was created. It can be useful to deal witch vocal challenges since it gives a singer direction why it was written like it is and what it should sound like.

type	research exposition
date	01/01/2015
published	28/05/2015
last modified	28/05/2015
status	limited publication
share status	private
license	All rights reserved
url	https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/137227/137228
published in	KC Research Portal
portal issue	3. Internal publication

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Preparing an opera role (2015)

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