Joyce Castle in action at the Seattle Opera staging rehearsal for “The Daughter of the Regiment” © Alan Alabastro photo
Mezzo-soprano Joyce Castle’s long career has, so far, spanned 43 years, and the opera star is not slowing down any time soon. She is here this month to sing the Marquise in Donizetti’s La Fille du Regiment, (The Daughter of the Regiment) presented by Seattle Opera October 19-November 2. It’s a lighthearted romp with the composer’s trademark enchanting music which, however, requires very talented singers.
Many mezzo roles are character roles, and this is no exception. “The Marquise is a lovely role,” says Castle. “She’s a very exaggerated person, happy and with a high opinion of herself. She’s of noble birth, but she has a secret, and therefore she has problems. She’s in a predicament, but she comes out of it all right.” Much of the operatic comedy revolves around the Marquise’s efforts to make her long-lost niece into a lady. “There’s a singing lesson where I try to teach her how to sing, and I play the piano for it.” Castle plays it herself, too — no faking.
She says she first sang in public at age three, in church with her mother accompanying. She was bitten already by music. She began piano at age six and has continued both ever since. She studied theater and voice at the University of Kansas, and sang some opera there; “small roles, because my voice wasn’t ready to go.”
She was drawn to opera as the most challenging option for a singer. “It asks the most, and there is so much unbelievably beautiful music in the opera world. My life is music.”
© Alan Alabastro photo
This has been the thread which impels her and always has.
Castle has spent much of her career singing 20th century opera, plus late 19th century ones like Wagner, but she has also sung earlier works and those in a lighter vein, from previous performances of Fille, to some Mozart, Rossini’s La Cenerentola among others, and even some Monteverdi, plus some Gilbert & Sullivan. Much of it has been comedy. “Comic roles are often for mezzos,” she says. “Composers think mezzos and basses are older. I’m everybody’s grandmother, mother, aunt, not to mention prioress (In Dialogue of the Carmelites); even a man (Count Orlofsky in Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus).”
At least ten of those roles have been here in Seattle, most recently Marcellina in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. And quite a few have had long-time Seattle opera favorite Peter Kazaras also in the cast, as does Fille, where he is performing as the Duchess.
“I’ve never had a Duchess in drag, I think it’s a wild idea,” says Castle. “Peter is a wonder, and I’m thrilled to be receiving him in my chateau. I think his entrance will be memorable, and we are going to have fun when he walks in.” Frequently working with a colleague in different productions is a good thing, she considers. “We trust each other.”
Despite her years, Castle has no problem memorizing scores. “I think if I stopped and then started again, it might be different, but because I’ve been continually working and also teaching, hopefully it keeps you very sharp. Even if it’s years since you sang a role it comes back very quickly. It’s in your DNA.”
She has kept her voice in good shape by singing in the bel canto style, which requires considerable vocal agility, clean sound and exact pitch, in her studio when she practices, and singing such composers there as Handel. The other part of keeping her voice in good shape she attributes to good health. She’s never had a catastrophic illness, bar a hip replacement, so she’s never had to stop.
“It all depends how much you love the music. And I love to sing.”
Castle sang for 25 years with City Opera of New York, where she performed in over 200 performances in 21 roles. Castle said it was sad to see it die, and she opined it has not been run well for a while, including the bad idea to leave Lincoln Center
However, here she is in Seattle. And, she says, “I love Seattle Opera.”
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