# Santuzza: Mezzo or Soprano???



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticano is about the only opera sung almost equally by sopranos and by mezzos. What is your take on this? I love the music in this opera. Do you have a preferrence? I don't know the range requirement, but both vocal types seem comfortable in the role. Troyanos, Simeonato, Farrell, Milanov, Caballe, Norman are just some of the notable Santuzzas.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Mezzos like Giuletta Simionato or Fiorenza Cossotto have owned the role, indeed. So a mezzo with good high notes is a sensible choice. However, the first Santuzza was the dramatic soprano Gemma Bellincioni.






Giannina Arangi-Lombardi sang the role as a mezzo in her first years as a singer, and then as a soprano when she changed her fach. However, Mascagni's preferred performer was the soprano Lina Bruna-Rasa:






Personally, I also prefer, generally speaking, soprano voices for the role.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Think of Cossotto on the Karajan version. You couldn't imagine it sung much better.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

The only other role that I can think of that both sopranos and mezzos sing equally is Kundry. They have to have that high B to make a good effect though.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Waltraud Meier please, so both.


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