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Tenor

Episode 2 of 4

Antonio Pappano explores the great roles and the greatest singers through the prism of the main voice types. He continues with the tenor, opera's glamour boy.

Series in which conductor Sir Antonio Pappano (music director of the Royal Opera House since 2002) explores the great roles and the greatest singers of the last hundred years through the prism of the main classical voice types - soprano, tenor, mezzo-soprano, baritone and bass. Through discussion, demonstrations and workshops, Pappano explores every aspect of the art of great singing.

The tenor is opera's glamour boy, the king of the high Cs, the leading man. Whether the tragic hero or the young romantic lead, whether dramatic or lyric, the tenor usually gets the girl, even if they rarely live happily ever after. Antonio examines the techniques behind the bravura performances, featuring great tenors such as Enrico Caruso, Luciano Pavarotti, Franco Corelli, Fritz Wunderlich, Jon Vickers, Peter Pears and Mario Lanza.

With contributions from leading tenors of today - Jonas Kaufmann, Juan Diego Florez and Jose Carreras - and a voice lesson from Thomas Allen, Antonio seeks out the tricks of the trade. How does a tenor 'colour' his voice? Why do his high notes provoke an animal response in audiences? How does he sing from bottom to top of his two-octave range without seeming to change gear? Why did the tenor only come centre stage in the 1830s? Why is Enrico Caruso still regarded as the greatest and most influential tenor ever? And what does it do to your nerves to sing a high C?

59 minutes

Last on

Mon 4 Nov 2019 01:05
主播大秀 Four

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Soprano

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Mezzo-Soprano

See all episodes from Pappano's Classical Voices

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:02

    Giacomo Puccini

    Turandot: Nessun Dorma!

  • 00:03

    Enrico Caruso

    I Pagliacci: Recitar!...Vesti La Giubba

  • 00:03

    The Three Tenors

    Mattinata / Wien, Wien, Nur Du Allein / Amapola / O Sole Mio

  • 00:09

    Gianandrea Gavazzeni

    Intermezzo

    Performer: National Philharmonic Orchestra.

Credits

Presenter Antonio Pappano
Executive Producer Mark Cooper
Series Producer David Jeffcock
Director Dominic Best
Participant Jose Carreras
Participant Thomas Allen
Participant Juan Diego Florez
Participant Jonas Kaufmann

Broadcasts

Soprano to bass: Can you find your voice?

Do you know what sort of voice you have? Find out with Tim Rhys Evans's iWonder guide.

Can your voice fill an opera house?

How do singers make themselves heard without amplification? Mary King investigates.