My acting tutor Norman Cooley recommends his students to think about the Seven Holy Virtues and the Seven Deadly Sins when trying to create a rounded and detailed character for performance. I find this tool very useful as even the nastiest of villains can have a glimmer of virtue, which makes them more human and in turn approachable for the audience. It also helps me map out how a character develops during a story. I thought I would share my thoughts on how I used this technique when focusing on the character of Cunegonde, from the operetta “Candide”. A role that I loved performing. I included “Glitter and Be Gay” as the last aria on my album: Songs from Our Balcony. I’d love to hear from you, and what you think of this tool. – It’s fun to negotiate these scorings, so please let me know if you agree or disagree. I like to regularly evaluate my character analysis, as sometimes it is easy to miss certain details.
The idea is to split 10 points between each opposing pairing.
| Seven Deadly Sins | Seven Holy Virtues | ||
| Pride | 8 | Humility | 2 |
| Envy | 3 | Kindness | 7 |
| Wrath | 5 | Patience | 5 |
| Sloth | 4 | Diligence | 6 |
| Greed | 7 | Charity | 3 |
| Gluttony | 7 | Temperance | 3 |
| Lust | 1 | Chastity | 9 |
At the beginning of the Opera, Cunegonde is extremely happy because she believes that she lives in the best of all possible castles, in the best of all possible countries. It is said that she knows that she is not only the highest born maiden in the land but also the prettiest. This perhaps suggests she is not the humblest amongst her community. Cunegonde is saving herself for marriage, but she does quite fancy Candide and often swoons at his handsomeness. She considers what she would hope for in a marriage, and describes a life of luxury with private yachts, silk and satin robes, and strings of pearls. The fact that she is most looking forward to marriage, as an opportunity to expand her material wealth suggests that she is perhaps a ‘little’ greedy and gluttonous. Cunegonde is quite excitable about her studies, which tips the balance towards a higher score in diligence. I place Wrath and Patience in the middle, as she has not yet had to face many hardships at this point in her life, and perhaps these skills have not yet been put to the test.
End of Act One
| Seven Deadly Sins | Seven Holy Virtues | ||
| Pride | 5 | Humility | 5 |
| Envy | 3 | Kindness | 7 |
| Wrath | 4 | Patience | 6 |
| Sloth | 4 | Diligence | 6 |
| Greed | 7 | Charity | 3 |
| Gluttony | 7 | Temperance | 3 |
| Lust | 8 | Chastity | 2 |
Cunegonde starts to show a growing interest in Candide. Inspired by one of Pangloss’ physical experiments, she invites Candide to take part in said experiment with her – after all, it is in the name of Science! Just in the nick of time, they are interrupted by her Brother. However, the future of Cunegonde’s chastity is looking bleak. When war strikes, Cunegonde is captured, raped and then sold to become a courtesan, shared between two men. (It is at this moment, she sings Glitter and Be Gay). Her sins of Greed and Gluttony help her to find the positives in such a gloomy scenario, she chooses to focus on the diamonds and champagne to keep her spirits up. Candide stumbles back into her life by chance and she tries to hide her unfortunate fate and puts on a brave face. Candide duels her captors and after successfully winning, they bravely flee Paris together. During their flight, she wakes up in the middle of the night to check on her valuables and they are all stolen. She immediately panics and cries where will we find other generous and rich men to reimburse them – Showing that she is still struggling with the sins of Gluttony and Greed. They arrive in Cartagena, Columbia and after Candide falls Cunegonde, but their happiness is quickly thwarted as the couple are separated again. Cunegonde then peaks the attention of a wealthy Governor, and she agrees to live in his palace – she is a survivor after all.
End of Act Two
| Seven Deadly Sins | Seven Holy Virtues | ||
| Pride | 4 | Humility | 6 |
| Envy | 3 | Kindness | 7 |
| Wrath | 5 | Patience | 5 |
| Sloth | 4 | Diligence | 6 |
| Greed | 9 | Charity | 1 |
| Gluttony | 7 | Temperance | 3 |
| Lust | 9 | Chastity | 1 |
The Governor becomes tired of Cunegonde and she is disposed of in a sack on a boat, which is sailing off to Europe. She arrives in Venice and takes up the work of a scrubwoman. Her path crosses with Candide once more, but on this occasion, she is working in a gambling hall, trying to encourage the attendees to gamble and swindle them of their money. Unfortunately, she tries to Swindell a masked Candide. Candide is disgusted by what she has become. Cunegonde is really hurt by this and recognises that she has lost her youth, beauty and chastity, but she can offer him a happy simple life where she will cook and together they will make their garden grow.
Cunegonde has been on a huge journey in this operetta, perhaps gaining more sins than virtues. But in the end, she learns that humility can cure pride and she can work towards leading a simpler life and being happy with growing flowers, and their own food.
I love to perform Cunegonde’s aria Glitter and Be Gay from “Candide” and included it when I won the Pendine “Voice of the Future” competition at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod on 4th July 2018 and was thrilled when I was invited back the following year to perform alongside Rolando Villazón and Rhian Lois. I have included an excerpt of me singing Glitter and Be Gay with the British Sinfonietta from this gala concert which was conducted by James Hendry.
