Favourite tenor voices of today

[Barbirollians]

I am just listening to a recital disc by Joseph Calleja caled rather naffly the Maltese Tenor I bought following hearing him sing in La Boheme . Although I enjoyed hearing him sing with Renee Fleming in La Traviata a couple of years ago I think his singing has improved. It seems so effortless and he does to my ears sing with individual expression directed to the text of each aria. Hyperbole perhaps but there is an almost Bjorling like quality to my ears. It is a lovely record .

I think with Jonas Kaufmann singing so splendidly and Grogolo inconsistent but capable of knockout performances such as in Manon with Anna N we are doing alright for tenors generally nowadays .

Heldentenors on the other hand ....

[Belgrove]

Kaufmann without a doubt, a remarkable and rare talent. Greatly looking forward to seeing him in The Trojans later in the summer.

I was saddened to hear of the medical problems that Toby Spence has faced this year and sincerely hope he makes a complete and speedy recovery. His was the best performance in Covent Garden's revival of The Mastersingers (not often, if ever before, that David takes the palm) and was compelling in The Turn of the Screw.

[aeolium]

For the repertoire that I am interested in, Mark Padmore and (until he recently retired) Ian Partridge. I also liked the performances Robin Tritschler has been giving recently at WNO productions. John Mark Ainsley's recording of the Britten Serenade (with David Pyatt) was very good imo.

[DracoM]

Jonas Kaufmann
Ben Johnson

[Stephen Smith]

Toby Spence - heard him in Turn of the Screw, Don Giovanni and Meistersinger last year (think I have also seen him in The Rakes progress) and he was very good indeed. I also sang in the chorus when he sang Gerontius. In final rehearsal he turned round to face the performers at "Take me away" and it was a simply glorious sound **(and its good to read in Opera magazine how positive he is about performing Gerontius). I'm so glad to see such a talent young singer is back on the road to full health.
** Apparently (he told our concert manager) this is is his regular practice.

I also enjoyed Piotr Beczala (Gounod Romeo & J, ROH) and will watch out for him. But yes there are othes- Ainsley (a fine Vere). I haven't heard Kaufman much, but in reaction I am not bowled over (I wonder if it seems to me a more baritonal sound. whatever the pitch?). In the opera house, I always value a tenor who doesn't make me anxious for them- so for a secure tenor, if they don't look the part, I can close my eyes and expect to enjoy the live sound.

[DracoM]

Is this correct - Toby Spence recovering from serious throat probs apparently?

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Is this correct - Toby Spence recovering from serious throat probs apparently?

Yes, thyroid cancer. He's back on the road to recovery, although has had to reluctantly withdraw from Vere in new ENO Billy Budd.

[gurnemanz]

Of tenors we have heard live recently I think of Christoph Prégardien (Between Life and Death Songs & Arias recital Wigmore and a great Winterreise with instrumental accompaniment on CD), Jonas Kaufmann, for me the most individual and versatile modern tenor around (ROH and a few weeks ago in Birmingham and Richard Strauss lieder on CD, Mark Padmore.