hate it when that happens

[xibanya@mastodon.xyz]

hate it when that happens

[xibanya@mastodon.xyz]

fuck i botched the italian as usual. well i was just so mad about the xbox u see

[xibanya@mastodon.xyz]

I've been looking at a bunch of videos of performances of Cesare's arias from Handel's Giulio Cesare in Egitto; the role of Cesare was written for the superstar contralto castrato Senesino. Today it is cast with either a countertenor, mezzo, or contralto. The problem with countertenors is you have a guy playing this tough general while doing falsetto for 3 hrs, the image is bizarre. Senesino would have been using a genuine full head voice. The issue with mezzos and Contraltos in the role is

[xibanya@mastodon.xyz]

you have these women playing this very masculine very martial character who's supposed to be this tough battle hardened guy looked up to by his men. And seeing mezzos and Contraltos tromp around huagh in combat boots is also silly and impossible to buy into. So far my favorite performance has been a middle aged mezzo who doesn't play Caesar as a man. she plays Caesar as a weary middle aged woman, ie, without affectation. And suddenly I believe I'm seeing the man himself onstage

[xibanya@mastodon.xyz]

I think the issue with the countertenors is we know they are choosing to sing in falsetto. why would Caesar choose to put his voice so high if he actually had a deeper register? And the issue with the mezzos and Contraltos trying to butch up their physical performance is that it just draws attention to the fact that they aren't men. Or, why would Caesar be visibly butching up his body language? With the performer just being authentic my brain can translate that to Caesar the man being authentic

[xibanya@mastodon.xyz]

CAESAR: remove yourself from my sight!
[proceeds to coloratura agrily for three minutes while staring directly at the offender]