# Help suggest an appropriate opera character... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-suggest-an-appropriate-opera-character/661408 "2013-06-19T23:07:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-suggest-an-appropriate-opera-character/661408/1 "2013-06-19T23:07:41Z")
…please. I’m looking for a female character in an opera who is a manipulator–tries to control everyone around her, men and women. I’m not trying to identify a particular opera, just looking for any that might fit the bill. Carmen is a little limited in scope. I’m thinking more of say a (Game of Thrones characters) Varys or Baelish, but female and in an opera. Thank you in advance. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-suggest-an-appropriate-opera-character/661408/2 "2013-06-19T23:13:35Z")
Not really that manipulative but the Countess Rosina. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-suggest-an-appropriate-opera-character/661408/3 "2013-06-19T23:50:17Z")
Lucrezia Borgia Brünnhilde Delilah Elektra ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-suggest-an-appropriate-opera-character/661408/4 "2013-06-20T00:11:43Z")
Turandot. Although she mainly just manipulates her father into letting her murder as many men as possible. And manipulates men into falling in love with her so she can murder them. Azucena. The Queen of the Night. > [@the\_diego](#): > > Not really that manipulative but the Countess Rosina. Not really manipulative at all. She just wants her husband back. > [@panache45](#): > > Brünnhilde How is Brünnhilde manipulative? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-suggest-an-appropriate-opera-character/661408/5 "2013-06-20T00:13:15Z")
Lulu. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-suggest-an-appropriate-opera-character/661408/6 "2013-06-20T02:18:20Z")
Seconding Lulu. Also, how about Katerina in ‘Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk’? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-suggest-an-appropriate-opera-character/661408/7 "2013-06-20T02:30:22Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Seconding Lulu. > > Also, how about Katerina in ‘Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk’? I always think of her as a victim of circumstances, more than as a manipulator. There’s always Lady Macbeth from Verdi’s _Macbeth_, of course. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-suggest-an-appropriate-opera-character/661408/8 "2013-06-20T02:54:52Z")
_Lohengrin_’s Ortrud. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-suggest-an-appropriate-opera-character/661408/9 "2013-06-20T17:45:56Z")
Thank you all for your suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-suggest-an-appropriate-opera-character/661408/10 "2013-06-21T00:19:27Z")
The title character of Cherubini’s _Médée_ (based upon Euripides’ Medea) is mighty manipulative. When her man (Jason) leaves her for another woman, Médée makes a statement by murdering her own children (after poisoning Jason’s fiancee). Yikes.