Why is it that many sopranos want to sing Susanna or Brünnhilde? What makes tenors yearn to sing Rodolfo or Cavaradossi? In this series of articles, I’ll be looking at each voice-type and discussing the significant reasons why certain roles appear so popular with singers, and what it is that makes them "dream roles".
Our first voice-type is the soubrette soprano, or leggiero (literally meaning “light” in Italian). The tonal qualities are light in two senses, bright in colour and lacking a certain vocal power. The brightness of tone is the asset of the soubrette soprano, who might otherwise never be heard in grand opera, and the roles created for this type of voice seem to be a dramatic necessity, too.
Where do we find the archetypal roles for the soubrette? Well, we need look no further than Mozart, and particularly the three da Ponte operas Le nozze di Figaro (Susanna), Don Giovanni (Zerlina) and Così fan tutte (Despina). There are many other roles to name, but we find the best examples in these three operas. It may be argued that all three are dream roles of the soubrette soprano, and this is probably true. But if we have to pick one, I would suggest that Susanna offers the most to singers of this repertoire. Why?
To start with, it is musically and physically challenging. In Act I, Susanna has a staggering three duets, (two within the first five minutes after the overture), a trio and a number of recitatives. She remains onstage for most of the act. The second Act sees her also onstage throughout. (Or, at least while hiding in the wardrobe, thought to be onstage!) She has an aria, trio and duet all in quick succession, followed by the staggering Act II Finale, (probably the finest operatic ensemble ever written). Act III sees her duet with the Count, and later she has the sextet, the duet with the Countess, and the Finale. Eventually Act IV, with her beautiful aria “Deh vieni, non tardar” and the Finale.
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Musically, soubrettes easily cope with its line and tessitura. However, it is mentally taxing, with just enough time between each onslaught to recover one's thoughts. The role also requires a broader emotional compass than the general remit of most soubrette soprano roles (imagine the coquettish, demure, slightly spoilt young woman of a typical eighteenth century painting), and is therefore more subtle a role than Despina or Zerlina.
Although containing large elements of comedy, Susanna is far more than just a comic foil to the seriousness of the tragedy between the Countess and Count, or even merely Figaro’s intended bride-to-be. She plays a crucial role in the events of the day and it is partly her ingenuity that eventually leads to the Count’s reconciliation with the Countess.
Susanna’s beauty lies in her loyalty to the Countess, her savvy knowledge of exactly what the Count intends to do (without being so bold as to actually say so, except to Figaro, in the privacy of their new “room” in Act I), and the way she is able to control events when things seem to be going disastrously wrong! A fine example of this is in the Finale of Act II, where the Count has Cherubino’s commission. Figaro is trying to answer his question of what it is. Susanna and the Countess both give him clues to the content of the document, without alerting the Count.
This depth of character, coupled with plenty of superb musical material, makes Susanna the perfect example of a soubrette soprano’s dream role.
Ian Wilson-Pope
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