Franz Xaver Gerl low vocal range; Branscombe (1991) observes that the very low notes that Mozart included in the part of Sarastro have been "the despair of many a bass singer since." By 1787 he had joined the theatrical company of Emanuel Schikaneder, for which he sang the demanding role of Osmin in Mozart's opera "The Abduction from the Seraglio" and other roles. In 1789 the troupe settled at the Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna. Gerl participated in a system of joint composition used by Schikaneder's troupe, in which "Singspiele" were produced rapidly by having several composers collaborate. As such, Gerl may
Lisette Oropesa at the Ravinia Festival as Susanna in "Le nozze di Figaro", conducted by James Conlon; for Opera New Jersey as Lucia in "Lucia di Lammermoor"; at Arizona Opera as Gilda in "Rigoletto", again as Lucia; and at the New Orleans Opera as Gilda and as Leïla in "Les pêcheurs de perles". In April and May 2012, Oropesa appeared with the Pittsburgh Opera as Konstanze in a production of "The Abduction from the Seraglio" set on the Orient Express in the Pasha's private train car. In October 2012, she again performed the role of Lucia with the Arizona Opera to success.