Bel canto, literally ‘beautiful singing’, has been part of operatic terminology for many years. It continues, however, to have a somewhat nebulous meaning for many people. Understood definitions have developed at various times for different reasons. But it is possible to find common ground and come to a more cohesive understanding of the term as it is known today from the historical contexts in which it developed.
A Short History of Bel Canto
The term bel canto first appeared in seventeenth century Italy to distinguish a style of singing that was emerging in sacred music and operas that was different to the style used by folk and madrigal singers. It was not, however, commonly used until the mid-eighteenth century when opera seria became a prevalent operatic form.
Opera seria was, as the name suggests, a formal style of opera, commonly using for its subject matter myth, legend, moral and religious stories. The showpiece of the opera seria work was the da capo aria. This style of aria had three sections, the third section being a repeat of the first – da capo indicating a return to the beginning of the piece – that utilised improvised ornamentation. This was partly to build the aria dramatically, but it also served as a means of demonstrating the virtuosity of the singer.
Into the nineteenth century, many opera composers were exploring more dramatic and nationalistic styles and singers were being forced to pit their voices above louder and denser orchestral writing, requiring the development of a larger dramatic vocal style. In Italy, the more common style was still focusing on the line and the beauty of the voice. Consequently, bel canto became synonymous with the Italian model of operatic vocal production.
The style and the repertoire dropped out of favour in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Grand dramatic operas of Verdi and Richard Strauss, and the nationalistic works of Wagner gained in popularity. It wasn’t until the works of Bellini and Donizetti were revived by Maria Callas and later by Dame Joan Sutherland, that the bel canto works began to make their way back into general repertoire.
Characteristics of the Bel Canto Style of Singing
The characteristics of bel canto style are:
- A notable legato, or smooth style of singing across the entire range
- A lighter tone in the upper part of the range
- Agility and flexibility that enables the singer to manage ornamentation with ease
- Lack of noticeable breath sounds and excessive vibrato
- A well focused timbre
- Clear attack
- Limpid diction
- Refined breath control that governs characteristically graceful phrasing
Bel Canto Composers and Well Known Operas
The first of the great bel canto composers was Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868). The Barber of Seville (1816) remains a stalwart of large company repertoire and has reached popular status due to use of the music in advertising, movies and cartoons. La Cenerentola (1817), based on the Cinderella story, is also a favourite, the mezzo soprano arias being found frequently on anthology recordings, although the opera itself is not often performed.
Vincenzo Bellini’s (1801-1835) La Sonnambula (1831) and Norma (1831) achieved great popularity in the mid twentieth century with the revival of the form, although they are not so often performed today.
The most prolific of the bel canto composers was Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) and it is a number of his operas that have been consistently part of mainstream repertoire since the mid 1900s. Lucia di Lammermoor (1835) is a perennial favourite. La Figlia del Reggimento, The Daughter of the Regiment, (1840) and Don Pasquale (1843) also make semi regular appearances in many larger company seasons.
Great Bel Canto Singers
Without doubt, the greatest of the bel canto singers from the twentieth century, and the one attributed with the revival of the style, was Maria Callas (1923-1977). Born in New York, educated in Greece and debuting in Italy, Callas was a singer who polarised the opera going public. She had an enormous repertoire, ranging from opera seria to the works of Puccini and Verdi. Early in her career, she sang Wagner. She was a colourful character who’s off stage life generated as much talk as her onstage career. However, she was largely responsible for bring the bel canto repertoire back to mainstream repertoire and her performance of Norma and Lucia are said to be legendary.
Following in the footsteps of Callas was Australia’s Dame Joan Sutherland (1926-). Encouraged by her accompanist and later husband, Richard Bonynge, the young Sutherland explored the bel canto works. Lucia became her signature role, but she also played the lead in Norma, La Sonnambula and La Filglia del Regimento to critical acclaim.
More recently, Italian mezzo soprano turned soprano, Cecilia Bartoli (1966-) has been a fresh voice in the bel canto arena, particularly in the Rossini works. Her Cenerentola and Rosina were among early roles that demonstrated this singer’s command of the bel canto style.
Bel Canto Today
Following the decline in popularity of the style and subsequent revival in the mid 1900s, bel canto has continued to be a part of major company scheduling. Audiences continue to patronise productions of these works, and the technical challenges of the style continue to attract young singers. It is a beautiful and accessible style, and a good choice for those experiencing opera for the first time.
Karen Finch - Karen is a Sydney based freelance writer, artist and musician. To learn more, click on her name to read her profile.
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