# Octavian is a BLOKE



## michael walsh (Sep 6, 2009)

I seem to recall there being a reason why Octavian in Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier is played by a woman rather than a man (soprano / mezzo soprano). It does however elude me. Can anyone enlighten us as to why?


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## Ignis Fatuus (Nov 25, 2008)

Further in the past than Strauss, it was possible to cast men with high voices in the form of castrati. I've never heard/seen the Rosenkavelier but I would assume that, having got used to women playing men in the absence of castrati, Strauss continued the tradition. Usually pitch of voice shows the age of the character, and I would again assume that Octavian (being the name of young-Augustus) would be a young character.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

There's a summary of the history of the 'breeches role' here (scroll down to the 'history' and 'opera' sections):

Breeches roles


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## nefigah (Aug 23, 2008)

Watching Marriage of Figaro for the first time, I admit I was thrown off by the female Cherubino also. The production I'm watching did a fairly good job though--especially when Cherubino cross-dresses, they do a good job of making it look like a woman dressed up like a man dressed up like a woman


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## SalieriIsInnocent (Feb 28, 2008)

Maybe Hillary Swank should learn opera. I saw a movie where she disguised herself as a teen-aged boy and it was pretty convincing.


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