Our Vocal Album of the Week features the talented French singer and conductor Nathalie Stutzmann in baroque operatic music showcasing the contralto voice. She compiled this recording to draw attention to the historical importance and contemporary relevance of deep-voiced female singers and shine the spotlight on several underappreciated composers like Porpora, Bononcini, and Caldara.
Stutzmann sings fifteen contralto arias and conducts Orfeo 55, the orchestra she formed a decade ago. Afternoon host Nicole Lacroix spoke with Stutzmann recently and will share a series of interview features that she produced.
"[The recording] pays homage to the contralto singers of the Baroque era, women who were overshadowed by men. This reminds us once more that women are so often expected to take second place. We still have work to achieve a form of equality." -- Nathalie Stutzmann