Episode 328. Mezzos in Extremis

Right after the disastrous US election of November 2024, I published an episode entitled “Mezzos on the Verge,” which featured some of my favorite mezzos in rafter-shaking performances of “on the edge” repertoire. At the time, I had enough additional material to produce a second episode, which I have called “Mezzos in Extremis.” And what better time to present that episode than as the new regime has begun its process of dismantling democracy. The material today ranges from Mozart to Britten, Handel to Janáček, Bach to Wagner, and features performances both live and studio from exceptional singers as Fedora Barbieri, Eva Randová, Margarete Klose, Irina Arkhipova, Brigitte Fassbaender, Viorica Cortez, Giulietta Simionato, Joyce DiDonato, Jennie Tourel, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, and Dunja Vejzović, among others. I have structured the program so that the explosive expressions of insanity, fury, and rage gradually give way to the quieter (and possibly more profound) emotions of sadness, doubt, and contrition. And because I always like to compare and contrast singers, I take great joy in presenting several pairs of contrasting singers in the same repertoire: Dunja Vejzović and Paula Rasmussen in Handel’s Serse; Giulietta Simionato and Brigitte Fassbaender as Dorabella in Così; and Fedora Barbieri and Joyce DiDonato as Dejanira in Handel’s Hercules. The episode is offered in solidarity with all those who find themselves today in extreme situations. Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody’s core is the celebration of great singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. By clicking on the following link (https://linktr.ee/CountermelodyPodcast) you can find the dedicated Countermelody website which contains additional content including artist photos and episode setlists. The link will also take you to Countermelody’s Patreon page, where you can pledge your monthly or yearly support at whatever level you can afford.