Who Do You Consider Is The Best Lyrical Tenor This Century. ?

[HansUrbancka]

My choice would be the following chap:-



Hans.

[mightymouse]

Jonas Kaufmann or Piotr Beksala.

[ladybirder]

This is something you will never get agreement on as you will probably know. Look at any list compiled naming the great lyrical tenors and you will get mostly, but not all, the same names but in a different order.
As a child growing up I listened to Enrico Caruso, Beniamino Gigli, then Nicolai Gedda, Jussi Björling and of course the wonderful Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti. Lately it is Juan Diego Florez and Jonas Kauffmann. So so hard to pick just one but I am afraid your choice Hans doesn't do a thing for me. Sorry, but there are many many better than him IMO.
BTW I shan't expect BA;-)

Here's a treat, the definitive version on The Pearl Fishers Duet. You won't hear it sung better. Old but never beaten.



Opera is my passion as you may have guessed.

[HansUrbancka]

^^^^ Both Jonas Kaufmann or Piotr Beksala can go into the frame of runners. However, Jussi Bjorling is from the 20th Century and , whilst he was a favorite tenor of mine, I regret excluding him in this instance.

However if folk wish to include the last century then I am going to nominate John McCormick as the greatest of all Bel Canto Tenors :-



Hans.

[ladybirder]

OK, sorry, this century then has to be Kauffmann and Beksala.

[HansUrbancka]

I am thinking that perhaps I am on a loser because the two correspondents to my question (mightymouse and ladybirder) are in agreement that the tenors to be noted are....Jonas Kaufmann and Piotr Beczala. :-)

Nevertheless I will comment and say that I consider Beczala to be more lyrical than Kaufmann; the latter being, in my opinion, a spinto tenor....A heavier voice than a true Lyrical Tenor.

Hans

[ladybirder]

Hans there doesn't have to be a winner or a loser. You will still love Villazon, whatever we say. We can all enjoy so many glorious voices on the opera stage. I'd have loved to have been an opera singer but had no voice for it as my family will confirm.

[HansUrbancka]

I agree ladybirder ...." there doesn't have to be a winner or a loser". It is nice to have differing opinions without any conflict ensuing.

Thanks for having responded to my question, along with mightymouse.

Hans.