Mezzo-Soprano Erika Vasallo will be presenting her lecture recital on “Pants Roles in Opera” at Florida International University, where she is working on her master’s of music degree. She will talk about the following in her lecture: 1) The history of castrati singers and how women were not allowed to perform on stage at the time, 2) Women, mostly mezzo-sopranos/contraltos, were then starting to perform on stage and singing in place of castrati singers, and 3) Why composers intentionally started to write pants roles for women. Erika Vasallo will be singing a few pants role arias from different operas, as well as the finale trio from Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss. Free event for the public.

Jared Peroune, piano