Dream Roles - Part 3

Hello Hello!

It's been two years since I've written one of these posts, so I figured it was time for a refresher! It's so fun to look back and see what my thoughts were and how they've grown and changed over the years. To see who inspired me then compared to now, and all the lessons I've learned. Some days, I look back at my old posts and think about how silly it is now, compared to my wild thoughts back then.

If you're curious to see what I had to say in 2016, click here. And if you're even more curious to see what I had to say in 2015, click here!

The roles I had on my original lists were:

• Dido from Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell
• Charlotte from Werther by Jules Massenet
• Cherubino from The Marriage of Figaro by W.A. Mozart
• Rosina from The Barber of Seville by Giaochino Rossini
• Angelina (Cinderella) from La Cenerentola by Giaochino Rossini
• Sesto from Giulio Cesare by G.F. Handel
• One (Second or Third) of the Three Ladies from The Magic Flute by W.A Mozart
• Donna Elvira from Don Giovanni by W.A. Mozart

I'm happy to say that I've been fortunate to check off one of the roles on this list, as I sang Cherubino in the University of Ottawa's 2018 production of Le Nozze di Figaro. I documented my experience in a blog post here.

  

With age and time, my list has changed a little bit going into 2018...

Let's start with the characters from the original list. The ones that I still dream about performing are: 

• Charlotte from Werther by Jules Massenet, I love the internal struggle in this character. Her constant clash between following her heart and being young and free, versus being responsible and obeying her mother's final wishes. I think as an actress it would be such an interesting emotional journey, and I'm very curious to see myself perform a not so "buffa-like" character.

• Cherubino from The Marriage of Figaro by W.A. Mozart, I would love to sing this character again. I feel like there is so much room to grow and explore Cherubino. It's so much fun being a young boy, it brings a new challenge to acting that you'd never expect. It's such a joy getting to play someone moderately innocent and sweet.

• Rosina from The Barber of Seville by Giaochino Rossini, what lyric mezzo doesn't want to sing this witty, intelligent role? with a killer aria, I may add! Rosina is so feisty and fun, which is such a breath of fresh air in a sea of pants roles. You get to be flirty and feminine, while being strong and smart. Plus, her role requires A LOT of technique and refinement. I also love the humour in Rossini, to the point where I find myself laughing like a loon on the bus listening along to Rossini's operas....

• Sesto from Giulio Cesare by G.F. Handel, Sesto has such growth throughout this opera. He truly has a coming of age story. From experiencing his fathers death, being captured and beaten, be held away from his mother, who is experiencing her own forms of abuse that is totally out of Sesto's control, to avenging his Father's death and killing someone. He grieves and grows through this whole opera. Sesto is a beautiful character, in my opinion, because of that growth. He appears to be compassionate and caring, strong-willed, impulsive and loyal. I think it takes some chops to not only sing this role properly but to also act this role with sincerity and integrity. Definitely a challenge, but it's so worth it!

• Donna Elvira from Don Giovanni by W.A. Mozart, I feel like there are many personality traits that I share with Donna Elvira, more than Zerlina. I think as time goes on, and my voice grows, one day I will get the chance to sing her. I admire her will to still protect someone who has wronged her. She is loyal to a fault, and that I something that really resonates with me and that I can relate to. 

• Angelina (Cinderella) from La Cenerentola by Giaochino Rossini, anyone who knows me, knows that this has been one of my dream roles for years. I have always loved the story of Cinderella ever since I was a young girl. (When I met her at Disney, I curtsied because I thought she was real..) I feel that Cinderella is such an honest and true character, and so kind-hearted. It's a beautiful story with a victorious finale, that includes a damn good aria. It would be my dream to get to play Cenerentola. 

The new additions for 2018 are:

• Siebel from Faust by Gounod
• Ruggerio from Alcina by G.F. Handel
• Serse from Serse by G.F. Handel
• Le Prince Charmant from Cendrillon by Jules Massenet 
• Isabella from Italiana in Algeri by Giaochino Rossini

As I've grown and learned what is appropriate to sing now, what I can start to work on now and save for later, and what I can look at in 5 years from now, brings a new perspective to my naive self from 2015...some roles will never happen and there will be many unexpected roles to come. That's the exciting thing about opera, you can sing almost anything, it depends on the director, your colour and abilities. The possibilities are endless, if you keep an open mind.

I thought this was a fun little update and I hope you enjoyed and laughed along with me!

Till next time,

Tessa