Baltimore Opera Company

Study Guide

La Traviata

The Second Guy From the Left - The role of the comprimario in opera

A few years back, I was hired by an opera company in New Hampshire to “cover” the title role in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro , as well as sing the matinee performance. This was the break I had been waiting for. I knew that it was a role that suited me, and I was thrilled to have the chance to get a performance under my belt (or tights as it were). I diligently studied and prepared this monumental score, and sat through countless hours of rehearsal, watching the primary cast singer strut his stuff. Finally it was time for my matinee performance (sadly, my friends never did lock the other bass in the storage closet so that I could have my moment of glory!) and it flew by in the blink of an eye. Was it worth all of the hard work? On some levels, of course it was. To be able to take part in the performance of one of the great masterpieces was indeed a privilege, and one that I'll not soon forget, but it got me thinking. What I really enjoy is being a part of something, in any capacity, that is larger than life. Had I been fortunate enough to continue down a path which allowed me to sing title roles all over the world, would I be any happier, or would I get to be so busy traveling that I would miss out on some of the other things that I want out of life?

The second part of my contract with this company was to sing the matinee performance of La Traviata as Dr. Grenvil. I remember a rather over-zealous assistant stage director (who was given her big break as well) asking us to sit around in a circle to discuss the “challenges” that our roles presented. My other colleagues who were performing the lead roles rattled off the expected concerns about how vocally taxing their roles were, how under-rehearsed they felt as a second cast, and the fear of giving too much into the drama and forgetting their vocal technique. When it was my turn, I found myself to be rather embarrassed to have to discuss the challenges of the role of Dr. Grenvil after listening to my colleagues well warranted worries. So in my usual wise-cracking, yet semi-serious tone, I shared with the group that my biggest concern was to remember to wear my pants. I had joked for a long time that the only way I'd ever get mentioned in a review in one of these secondary roles would be if I ran across the stage in my boxer shorts. The over-zealous director was very offended that I had not taken her exercise seriously, and that is when it hit me. I had found my niche in the opera world. The truth is, I believe that no audience member should notice that I'm there…chances are, if they do, I've done something wrong. Conversations on the way out of the opera house should never include “wasn't the Jailer in Tosca wonderful!” Of course, these parts are integral to the drama, but let's face it, the audience wants to hear the tenor's high b-flat, not the secondary baritone's barking! This is not meant to be self-deprecating. I just think that everyone needs to know their place in servicing the greater glory of the music. Otherwise we have a wealth of baritones singing secondary roles who are secretly hoping that the Scarpia or the Germont fall ill, so they themselves might bask in the glory of the footlights.

In all seriousness, these smaller parts do present some challenges. In my mind, the smaller the part, the more stressful it can be. You have to get your energy up to get out there on stage and you've got one chance to get it right. Here it comes…here it comes…here it is…there it went! You still have to put the work in, know what you are singing about, know what your colleagues are singing about (because you inevitably spend much more time listening than you do singing) and certainly you have to know how to sing, but in my mind, you get the best of both worlds. You get to be up on stage with these wonderfully talented people bringing to life some amazing music. Opera needs people to deliver letters, to announce “dinner is served” and perform many other mundane yet necessary plot developments.

Baltimore Opera has been kind enough to entrust me with roles ranging from just a few words, such as The Old Gypsy in Il Trovatore , the jailer in Tosca , the old servant (noticing a trend here?) in Elektra , the messenger in La Traviata , all the way up to some rather large supporting roles (ones that you don't have to explain to people after the show who you actually were) like Il Dancaïro in Carmen , José Castro in La Fanciulla del West and Crespel and Schlemil in Les Contes d'Hoffmann. It is always a privilege to be involved in any capacity, and I still laugh whenever I get paid to sing…I must be doing the right thing! Thanks for your support!

Brendan Cooke

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