Angels and Monsters: Male and Female Sopranos in the Story of Opera

by Richard Somerset-Ward

A riveting history of the early male and female sopranos for whom many of the greatest roles in opera were written

During its first two centuries, opera was dominated by sopranos. There were male sopranos, or castrati, whose supercharged voices (female vocal cords powered by male lungs) were capable of feats of vocalism that are hard to imagine today. And there were female sopranos, or prima donnas, whose long battle for social acceptance and top billing was crowned in the early nineteenth century when the castrati disappeared from the opera stage and left them supreme.
Whether they were male or female, these singers were amazing virtuosi, perhaps the greatest singers there have ever been—“angels.” Unfortunately, some of them (and often the most famous) were also capable of behaving extremely badly, both on and off stage—“monsters.” This book tells their colorful stories.
Besides providing fascinating anecdotes about some of those who graced and disgraced the operatic stage, Richard Somerset-Ward tells the story of their greatest glory—the singing tradition they founded and perfected, which we know as bel canto and which is still the backbone of operatic singing today.
Rich in musical, social, and cultural lore, Angels and Monsters illuminates a unique and vanished tradition and will be irresistible to opera lovers everywhere.

Genres: Italy

325 pages, Hardcover

First published April 10, 2004

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of the evolution of the soprano's role in opera since its inception, as well as the evolution of opera as a whole. Approachable enough for the mildly opera literate.

One mild researching error I noticed was that the author claimed we don't know what Caffarelli and Farinelli thought of each other, when in fact we do, which is that they didn't like each other, evidenced in letters written by Farinelli, which is covered in the academic article Orpheus and Jupiter in the limelight: Farinelli and Caffarelli share the stage. Also he confused some stuff from Gizziello's life with Caffarelli's.

[R.J. Gilmour · Rating 4 out of 5]

I also finished Richard Somerset-Ward's Angels & Monsters: Male and Female Sopranos in the story of opera 1600-1900 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004). Like Krampner's study, Somerset-Ward bouncing around without a chronological or linear structure. This means again much repeating of stories and narratives and leaves the reader confused as to the flurry of names that are introduced. However, ignoring this major problem there is some wonderful analysis of the soprano voice and its relationship to opera. Somerset-Ward knows the material and while it is not an academic study it is a readable history of the soprano voice.
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