Acomprimario is a small supporting role in anopera[1] (or a singer who sings those roles).[2] The word is derived from theItalian "con primario", or "with the primary", meaning that thecomprimario role (or singer) is not a principal role (or singer).[3] The term usually refers to characters who do not sing any full-length arias or long scenes (although mute characters, who do not sing at all, are not consideredcomprimarios).
Many singers began their careers ascomprimario singers; many others end their careers that way when they become too infirm to cope with long roles; some have made a career out of singing such parts. Among these latter are singers such asPiero de Palma,Anthony Laciura,Jean Kraft,Nico Castel, andCharles Anthony of theMetropolitan Opera; others includePlinio Clabassi, Ernesto Gavazzi and Karl Dönch.
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Notablecomprimario roles, in operas which are performed often, include Don Curzio, Antonio, and Barbarina inThe Marriage of Figaro, the Speaker of the Temple, the Two Men in Armor, and The First and Second Priests (the third being a speaking role) inThe Magic Flute, the Police Sergeant and Ambrogio inThe Barber of Seville, Count Monterone's prison guard, Count Ceprano's wife, the page, and Giovanna the nursemaid, inRigoletto, the Messenger inAida, the Count Lerma and the Voice from Heaven inDon Carlos, the Night Watchman inDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg, the Shepherd inTristan und Isolde, the Steersman inThe Flying Dutchman, the physician and the apparitions inMacbeth, the Judge and Silvano inUn ballo in maschera, the Forest Bird inSiegfried, the four noblemen who conspire with Friedrich von Telramund inLohengrin, the individual Grail-knights and the Esquires inParsifal, the First and Second Prisoners inFidelio, the Italian Singer, the Police Officer and the Notary inDer Rosenkavalier, the Police Officer (a different one) and Shchelkalov inBoris Godunov, the Wig-Maker and the Lackey inAriadne auf Naxos, the Wedding Registrar inMadama Butterfly, the Mandarin inTurandot, Orest's servant inElektra, and Morales, Frasquita and Mercedes inCarmen.
