The Voices at the Opera – Tenor

This year’s last musical illustrated conversation, under “The Voices at the Opera” theme, was held on the early evening of November 14th at Rui Cunha Foundation Gallery. The session paid tribute to the role of the tenors throughout music history.

The tenor is the singer whose voice range is usually between the voice of the countertenor and that of the baritone, being a vocal sound with a clear and brilliant tone, the most acute of male voices.

Many experts consider the tenor voice as one of the most difficult, for being less natural and organic. However, it is probably the most appreciated voice tone, both by the public and the composers. Often, although it is not imperative, the main character of an opera is the tenor, especially in the Romantic Period. And even if the soprano or the baritone get to have the main role, on plenty occasions it is the tenor who stands out with the most beautiful, the most attractive or the most spectacular arias.

This session of “Voices at the Opera” was addressed by Michel Reis, guest of the mentor for the cycle of musical of conferences, Shee Va. The conversation explored the different types of tenors, considering relevant examples such as Enrico Caruso, Beniamino Gigli, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Nikolai Gedda, Mario del Monaco, Carlo Bergonzi, Alfredo Kraus and Juan Diego Flores, among others.

The cycle of conferences, whose special audience has grown in loyalty and numbers over the last three years, was an acclaimed success. The Rui Cunha Foundation took the opportunity, by the end of the event, to express its intention of continuing to support these musical meetings in the upcoming season of 2020.

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