# TENOR TOURNAMENT (Bonus Matchup): Camarena vs Florez vs Brownlee



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Javier Camarena, Mexico, 1976-






Juan Diego Florez, Peru, 1973-






Lawrence Brownlee, USA, 1972-






Who's singing did you prefer and why?


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I was not familiar with Camarena, but his high notes were slightly better than Brownlee's. Florez is the handsomest but his voice seemed underpowered compared to the other two. I had heard reports that Camarena was sensational but this was my first chance to hear him. He had tremendous stage presence in my opinion. Many here in this forum are critical of Brownlee's vocal production, but to my amateur ears it is more beautiful than Florez's. It is a small voice but carries well in the house. I love his vibrant vibrato. Camarena gets my garland for his ringing, beautiful high notes.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Florez is a little past his best. The vibrato is slowing a bit, and the tone, always shallow, hasn't acquired any depth with age. I prefer both of the others, and a choice isn't easy, but Camarena is the more charming.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Camarena is my preference as well. Clear, open, effortless singing with _brio_ and amazing stage presence. Florez lacks substance and it's a chore to listen to. As for Brownlee, it as if he cuts every note too early not letting them ring. High notes require more effort from him while Camarena just propels along without any noticeable difficulty.

P.S. I'll just leave this here, maybe this performance would be of interest to compare with previous ones:


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## Dimace (Oct 19, 2018)

Not a serious competition here. *Javier won this effortless.* The performances of the other two competitors (very good singers) remind me the final examinations in the conservatory. (We MUST sing correctly to take our diploma. We don't take much vocal risks. etc.) Not a stage performance (from Juan & Lawrence) or not a suitable one for this super high level.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I actually saw Camarena as Tonio at Covent Garden not so long ago and he was phenomenal. He actually encored the whole of the top C section and the second time was, if anything, even more spectaular than the first. He was also a terrifically engaging performer and you couldn't help liking him. In fact the whole performance was really wonderful and the soprano Sabine Devieilhe was also terrific. Without a doubt this was the best of the recent productions I'd seen at Covent Garden.

Coincdentally I also saw Florez around the same time, but as Werther, which seemed a few notches too big for him. One felt as if he was harbouring his resources throughout the first three acts and even in the last act, he was underpowered and his whole personality was just too small. For some time Florez had few peers in the bel canto repertoire and his Tonio was rightly celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic. Eight or nine years before this performance he was a lot better, as you can see from some of the staged performances on youtube. That said, he doesn't have Camarena's charm.

I enjoyed Brownlee's performance and I actually prefer the quality of his tenor to Florez's slightly nasal production, but Camarena wins the day for me. If I were to put these three performances in order, it would be 1 Camarena, 2 Brownlee 3. Florez. Sorry Juan Diego.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

They were all excellent, of course. It's a matter of pick and choose.
Camarena's voice was too white for me. I detected a bit of harshness in his sound.
Florez was excellent but again his voice had that "edge" to it.
For my money it is Lawrence Brownlee. His sound is the most appealing to me.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Let's say that from the sounds emitted from these throats, none sounds exactly at ease, but avoid sounding like a strsngulated capon. In the acoustic from which Mr. Camarena is recorded, he sounds driven, especially in the high Cs. 

Mr. Florez has been singing this repertoire for many years. He does so here with a bit more effort than before, but gets through it without too much trouble. 

Mr. Brownlee sounds to me the most mellifluous in timbre and more apparent ease in hitting those high Cs. 

It would be a kindness if the cameramen would refrain from close ups of opera singers in the throes of emitting those stupendous high notes.

All three are at least one rung below the top recording of this aria, held by Mr.Pavarotti, who had a sizable and more beautiful instrument than those above.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

MAS said:


> Let's say that from the sounds emitted from these throats, none sounds exactly st ease, but avoid sounding like a strsngulated capon. From the acoustic frim which Mr. Camarena is recorded, he sounds driven, especially in the high Cs.
> 
> Mr. Florez has been singing this repertoire for many years. He does so here with a bit more effort than before, but gets through it without too much trouble.
> 
> ...


Totally agree with this assessment.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

MAS said:


> All three are at least one rung below the top recording of this aria, held by Mr.Pavarotti, who had a sizable and more beautiful instrument than those above.


I don't believe that we know that. There are plenty of things that one can tell from a YouTube video, but vocal size isn't among them, and assessing vocal timbre is iffy at best.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

wkasimer said:


> I don't believe that we know that. There are plenty of things that one can tell from a YouTube video, but vocal size isn't among them, and assessing vocal timbre is iffy at best.


Camarena's voice was plenty big enough for this repertoire in the theatre, or at least at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He easily filled the theatre and he was perfect in the role.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

wkasimer said:


> I don't believe that we know that. There are plenty of things that one can tell from a YouTube video, but vocal size isn't among them, and assessing vocal timbre is iffy at best.


The repertoire which these gentlemen confine themselves are not usually sung by the big guns, but by light, high voices and all of these estimable gentlemen fall under that category. It had nothing to do with being or not being heard. They can all project, otherwise they wouldn't be singing in the big houses. And even in YT videos, given the limitations of the medium, you can discern a singer's timbre. Otherwise, how can you tell the difference between one singer or another?

And besides I have heard Messiers Pavarotti, Florez, and Brownlee in San Francisco. Pav had by far the more sizable instrument.


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## Parsifal98 (Apr 29, 2020)

MAS said:


> And besides I have heard Messiers Pavarotti, Florez, and Brownlee in San Francisco. Pav had by far the more sizable instrument.


And he was technically more proficient than these three gentlemen (I include Camarena). Technique and projection (resonance, squillo) are of course linked.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

In fact, almost in each given role Pavarotti wouldn't be my first choice. So I think these three gentlemen still have a fair chance to impress me in a good way (Camarena surely did).


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

As a supplement, Camarena vs Brownlee in Rossini's Otello: https://youtu.be/QeH_Nu6J0yU
But on the other hand, do singers that can sing it better, still exist?


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