# The First Three Tenors



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Enjoyed this article concerning three of the top tenors of the 1950 / 60s.

https://josmarlopes.wordpress.com/2012/07/29/three-titanic-tenors-del-monaco-corelli-and-tucker/

Any comments? preferences?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

The author likes tenors who make a big exciting noise. I concede we could use a few such. But Corelli's "greatest triumphs" - in French opera? _French_ opera?


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Who would you consider today for the 3 top tenors?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Three? Hard to say exactly, but I've been impressed by Jonas Kaufmann, Rolando Villazon, Juan Diego Florez, Joseph Calleja, and Bryan Hymel, from oldest to youngest. If you haven't heard Hymel, who's 36, here's a recent sample:






Interesting that none of guys has a "big" voice like the ones in the article, except maybe Kaufmann (hard to tell from recordings). Seems to be a sign of the times. If anybody knows of a first-rate dramatic tenor other than Kaufmann, I'd like to hear him.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Woodduck said:


> The author likes tenors who make a big exciting noise. I concede we could use a few such. But Corelli's "greatest triumphs" - in French opera? _French_ opera?


It depends who he is triumphant with - critics or public!

As you say though, big and exciting. Which tended to rule out the likes of Bergonzi and Di Stefano


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

An interesting article. I disagree on some points made in it. There seems to be some errors too. Like Del Monaco's car accident which happened in 1963. I'm a big fan of Corelli, but his greatest triumphs certainly weren't French operas. Personally I would have replaced Tucker with Di Stefano


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

I expressed myself incorrectly. What I meant was who would you choose today as the "3 tenors" in place of Domingo, Pavarotti and Carreras?
I guess my choices would have to be:
Kaufmann/Beczala/Fabiano
But there is some kind of good line-up of great tenor voices today. Sadly, Villazon wore his fine instrument out.
But there are still the likes of Calleja/Alagna/Hymel/Alvarez/Antonenko/Lee/Florez/Polenzani and maybe Grigolo.
Too bad that the only one who could stand beside the Tucker/Corelli/del Monaco/Vickers brand was Giordani but he is now past his prime.
In the category of dramatic tenors today, there isn't one I can think of. Strange, isn't it?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I think (besides Kaufmann) Calleja and Grigolo doing very well :tiphat:


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## graziesignore (Mar 13, 2015)

Are we talking "commercial" Three Tenors, or vocal qualities only?

Because if we're looking to start a new and marketable Three Tenors, I would have Kaufman, Beczala and Saimir Pirgu - who may not be as famous as the others, but who would definitely be bankable once people got a look and listen at him.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

nina foresti said:


> I expressed myself incorrectly. What I meant was who would you choose today as the "3 tenors" in place of Domingo, Pavarotti and Carreras?
> I guess my choices would have to be:
> Kaufmann/Beczala/Fabiano
> But there is some kind of good line-up of great tenor voices today. Sadly, Villazon wore his fine instrument out.
> ...


We've had discussions around here about where the "big" voices have gone. Now we have Alagna pretending to sing Otello.

Was Giordani ever in a class with the big boys you mention? The last time I heard him (a Met _Aida_ broadcast) he sounded wretched - not even potential Radames material. Past retirement time, Marcello!


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Woodduck said:


> We've had discussions around here about where the "big" voices have gone. *Now we have Alagna pretending to sing Otello. *
> 
> Was Giordani ever in a class with the big boys you mention? The last time I heard him (a Met _Aida_ broadcast) he sounded wretched - not even potential Radames material. Past retirement time, Marcello!


Why on earth would he do that?


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

graziesignore said:


> Are we talking "commercial" Three Tenors?.


no-one has suggested Urs, Sebastian and David - hahahah!

sorry, Carlos, three's company, four's a crowd :devil:


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

DavidA said:


> Why on earth would he do that?


Dunno. Maybe it's a trial run for Siegfried.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Three? Hard to say exactly, but I've been impressed by Jonas Kaufmann, Rolando Villazon, Juan Diego Florez, Joseph Calleja, and Bryan Hymel, from oldest to youngest. If you haven't heard Hymel, who's 36, here's a recent sample:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Where would Stephen Gould rank? I found his Tristan at ROH a year ago stunning.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Woodduck said: "Was Giordani ever in a class with the big boys you mention? The last time I heard him (a Met Aida broadcast) he sounded wretched - not even potential Radames material. Past retirement time, Marcello"

I would have to agree with your first sentence, but for today's crop, the closest to them "WAS" Giordani at one point in his career.
If you missed his performance with Eve Queler conducting at Carnegie Hall in a concert version of _La Gioconda,_ singing a magnificent, bring-down-the-house "Cielo e Mar" circa 2007-8, with a cold no less, you missed a winner of a performance. The place went wild. He had the goods but through the years his voice was very inconsistent. Finally, like Villazon, his throat gave out on him. Too bad. He had plenty of power!
(By the way, in person, he is a very sweet and kind man.)


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Yes, he sounded very sweet in his interview during that _Aida_ broadcast. I felt sad about having to tell him to hang it up, so I didn't pick up the phone.


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