role of maids

Maids are often portrayed as funny and cheeky on the opera stage, even though their lives were very difficult at the time when the operas were written. It is interesting that opera maids have this typical character and that they are usually sung by a soubrette. This paper presents the lives of real maids, their artistic basis and development on the opera stage. Anne Ubersfeld's actantial analysis aims to shed additional light on the motivations of these servants. I have endeavoured to research four different opera roles (Despina, Blonde, Adele, Serpina).