A theatre and opera term for a role in which a woman plays a male character — named after the trousers she wears to pass as a man onstage. Pants roles were common in Baroque opera and are still a staple of productions where a mezzo-soprano or contralto plays a young man. Think Cherubino in 'The Marriage of Figaro' or Octavian in 'Der Rosenkavalier.'
She's been cast in a pants role for the spring opera — she plays a young soldier.
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(North America, theatre) A breeches role.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.