Favorite Alto????????- Page 2

[stagebeauty]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 10:24am

is it even possible to succeed in broadway with an alto voice in today's world?

[caitiesus1522]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 10:46am

I think another problem with the clarifying what an alto really is has to do with high school and community choirs. Choral directors put people in sections based on their range but sections often change.

Ex-9th grade I was in three choirs. In one, I was a soprano. Another I was a second soprano who sang soprano when only two parts. The alst I was a second soprano who sang alto when it split into two.
10 grade- two choirs. One I was a second soprano/alto 1/2 the year and was a second soprano/soprano half the year. The other had a shortage of altos so I wasan alto
11- same two choirs. The first I was a soprano that sang second when needed. The other I was a second all the time who in two parts went to either depending on hte song
12- they both finally decided what I was an I sang second soprano/soprano all year in both

This happens a lot in choirs especailly with more versitile singers. They will be a low alto in one choir and a high soprano in another, girls sometimes sing tenor because of a lack of males, guys switch between all three parts.

In the real definitions I am a soprano, always have been and just have a developed chest voice but for people who haven't taken voice lessons they think they are an alto or soprano just based on what they sang it high shcool choir.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 10:50am

stagebeauty --- Only if you do the classic roles for altos. I was just thinking of that, actually. What ARE the classic roles for altos? Well, Mary Martin was probably the best-known alto belter STAR, and then you can throw in Gertrude Lawrence who was more of a legit theatre mezzo... and you have a few choice roles to choose from. Merman was kind of a belt mezzo... but I'd put her in a class of voice by herself (almost thankfully).

BELTY ALTO or BELTY MEZZO:
Nellie in South Pacific
Maria in The Sound of Music (if you use the original keys)
The title role in Peter Pan
Nancy in Oliver!
Mame in Mame
Rose in Gypsy
Petra and Charlotte in A Little Night Music
Ella in Bells Are Ringing
Bobbi and Oolie in City of Angels

Leading roles written for DANCERS who were altos or mezzos:
Roxie and Velma in Chicago
Charity, Nicki and Helene in Sweet Charity
Anita in West Side Story
Lola in Damn Yankees
Rose in Bye Bye, Birdie
SpiderWoman/Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman

LEGIT ALTO/MEZZO roles:
Anna in The King and I (again, if you use the original keys)
Lady Tsiang (same show)
Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd
Julie in Show Boat
Meg in Brigadoon

There are countless others to be listed, but you'll notice a shortage of any recent major roles for lower voices.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 10:51am

Well you're right, DD. They were dancers first.

But that dosen't mean they never had any vocal training. I feel each one of those ladies had one VERY strong point vocally. For Chita I would have to say it was BYE BYE BIRDIE (and I would say her next best vocally is SPIDERWOMAN.) For Gwen - it was her solo album THE GIRL I LEFT TOWN FOR, it was before her vocal disaster during Sweet Charity - and she sounds SPLENDID on the album. For Ann it was definitely GOODTIME CHARLEY, she sounds beautiful on that. And for Bebe it's DAMN YANKEES, CHICAGO, even up until now. It's amazing how much Bebe's voice improved from 1986 (Charity) to the mid 90's.

I still feel Chita was/is a great vocalist. The best out of the triple threats I listed (not including Brenda.)

[thespian geek]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 2:38pm

Okay, in the "Broadway/musical theatre" world.. if the term "ALTO" doesn't exist (which is the way you're making it sound), what would you classify a vocal range for a female who sings low?

[adamized88]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 3:16pm

jen barnhart is an amazing alto and mezzo - but at empty handed she sange some really alto pieces that were awesome

[OrdinaryJukebox1]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 3:46pm

tonya pinkins...mary testa...the woman who played the dyke in lippa's "the wild party" has a great voice too...

-vincent

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 4:03pm

Let's not try to make an "opera" out of this. (Pun completely intended.)

This is Broadway musical theatre. The bottom line: We're talking vocal types, not classical categorization. The term "alto" IS used in musical theatre. Look it up in your scores for shows. It most often has to do with choral arrangements, yes... but not exclusively.

The points I have made here are related to the subject of the thread: "Favorite alto?????" I replied that you'd have to go back a long way to find real "working altos" in theatre today, since parts aren't written for them much in modern theatre music.

I studied extensively with a singer from the New York City opera. I was on a double scholarship for voice and viola that paid my way through college. I understand classical music pretty well, the training, and its history. I value my training and knowledge very much. It's a great foundation to fall back on.

...BUT it has very little to do with "vocal types" for Broadway shows. I'm sure that others here who have studied classically know that. You can discuss this in classical terms if you choose, and I even tried to play along with that to some extent, but the fact is "South Pacific" WASN'T written for the "alto voice" either... it was written personally for Mary Martin, who happened to have a great lower belt voice.

I also find it funny that if a female singer has a limited range, and mostly a chest voice to work with, we call her an "alto." But if another woman can sing exactly the same notes, with a similar or even a darker, richer tone... but can also sing a high "C" with the best of them, we call her a soprano with a great lower range... instead of an alto with a terrific high range.

Most of these posts are subjective rationalizations. Let's just leave it at that and move on...

...so WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE ALTO???? (Anyone?)

Mine is Susan Johnson. The woman was brilliant.

Updated On: 11/26/05 at 04:03 PM

[TBone]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 5:23pm

O R F E H

The woman is AMAZING.

Posted: 3/24/06 at 5:59pm

Daphne Rubin-Vega. Isn't Mimi an alto part?

Posted: 3/24/06 at 5:59pm

Daphne Rubin-Vega. Isn't Mimi an alto part?

[sassypanz]

Posted: 3/24/06 at 9:57pm

Mimi is NOT an alto part. Mezzo-Soprano, which is what most of you are confusing with alto. But, anyway. Jacks mother in Into the Woods in the revival cast recording is definately an alto.

[ThE nEw KiD]

Posted: 3/25/06 at 2:59am

Ummm Adam Lambert?

haha...amaaaaazing

[BwayLover]

Posted: 3/25/06 at 3:14am

Louise Pitre is a true Alto - she truly has that "smokey alto" voice you were talking about. I think because she was on Broadway in "Mamma Mia", people didn't really - and still don't - take her seriously, even though she is absolutely phenomenal and her voice is incredible. Needless to say, she is my favorite.

Posted: 3/25/06 at 12:10pm

What's the highest note Mimi sings? It's probably a mezzo-soprano part, but it isn't a full soprano part. Mimi is supposed to be dark and somewhat mysterious, that's why her part is in the higher alto range. So it can have that dark, gritty quality to it. You don't usually hear sopranos sing parts like that.

[michelle4]

Posted: 3/25/06 at 12:36pm

The fact is that musical theatre does differ in the way they catagorize vocal parts, but when referring to voice part I always go by my classical status. I am technically a dramatic soprano, but that term doesn't really exist in musical theatre so on my resume I say I'm a mezzo. For most parts considered soprano roles (Julie Jordan, Geunevere, Laurey, Eliza Doolittle) I certainly have the range, but I would have to lighten my natural tone quaility.

As far as altos, the reason one person who has a great high C and still has great low notes is refered to as a Sop with great low notes is because most true altos don't have a great high C. They may have one, but it is not a solo quality high C.

Updated On: 3/25/06 at 12:36 PM