ABSTRACT
By the time a singer is mature enough to sing the specialized Verdi and Wagner roles, there is an assumption of muscular and mental fitness, optimal vocal resonator tract harmonic structure, and excellent breath management, the result of many years of detailed training of the body and mind. Of course, such preparation and condition are expected for all operatic roles, with a careful progression in the size of the roles undertaken through the developing performance career. Focusing here on the two pivotal female roles from Il trovatore, Azucena and Leonora, and describing their roles and their vocality, this chapter outlines what a singer does to learn a new role performed for the first time, and how they deal with the rehearsal process and performance.
