The 20 greatest tenors in history according to the BBC

[TheValentino74]

Pienso que el domingo de los 28 años hasta los 45 aproximadamente ,tuvo la voz más maravillosa que escuché.

[dziady1]

This was so boringly predicable from the tin ears at BBC magazine .A perfect example why no

cares for this magazine .

[frankmaiorana66]

There are several names on here I have never heard from. Juan Diego Flores. Rolfe-Johnson I have never heard of. Del Monaco, Di Stefano, have to be on any top 10 list much less top 20 list.

[reduxmisc]

First, to even make such a list is stupid. It just doesn't mean anything. But it does piss people off !. Maybe that's the point ?

[poolification]

So what can we learn from this? I guess being a well paid professional critic doesn't necessarily give you better judgement. In the end it all comes down to personal taste doesn't it?

[asuos007]

Anything like this is a mirror of our time ,the era of commercial showbusiness.. I Who are the best of the world, the best of all times ...? It is sad.. Example: do you know anyone who can sing the Evangelist in Bachs St Mathews Passion , or St John, as Ernst Haeflinger does? I don´t... Gone are the days of D.F. Tovey and some otthers in the 40s,50s and even 60s.

[crapfacejoe]

Mario Lanza was not a career tenor but he had the best tenor voice and could sing most of the popular arias better than any career tenor on that list. BBC is stupid as usual.

[Maripudelmonaco]

¡¡¡¡ ¿¿¿¿¿¿ MARIO DEL MONACO DÓNDE ESTAS !!!! ??????. CON SEGURIDAD CANTÁNDO A LOS ÁNGELES, QUE TIENEN INFINITAMENTE MÁS GUSTO QUE LOS SRES. QUE HAN  COMPUESTO ESTA LISTA. Cda vez me doy más cuenta del poder de Plácido Domingo.......................­..........., Qué pena

[surreal45]

where is di steffano?????

[joshandm]

Correlli was way too low! There were some English gents ranked a bit higher than deserved. Still enjoyed the list though. I'm glad some people still care about great music and beatiful God given voices. Bravo!

[SHICOFF1]

As far as picking PD over EC Chevrolet sells many more cars then Cadillac but that does not mean Chev. is better. The polls mean nothing, you like who you like. Domingo has to have a sky high IQ to do what he does but number one? All opinion.

[SHICOFF1]

@VIVALDICELLIST Yes--- They may have included that as a factor making the choices but most people think of great tenors as in the world of opera. They might as well have included Daniel's then, as far as popular goes, opera has it. They must be laughing in Italy.

[tomfroekjaer]

For me personally there is Caruso and then all the others. ... Despite the miserable recordings of his genious, we are left with. His way of singing - not bel canto, but singing from the heart - has to this day created the standard for all later tenors.

[tomfroekjaer]

Choosing Domingo as no. 1 was maybe not so wrong as he said it is not me, but Enrico Caruso....

[beignet58]

Domingo first? Lemeshev, Rolfe-Johnson, WIndgassen in and Tucker, Di Stefano, Del Monaco, Lauri Volpi out??? Corelli and Kraus way back behind Schreier and McCormack???Come on, this MUST be a joke!

[Maripudelmonaco]

@beignet58 - Totalmente de acuerdo, además a mí no me gusta eso de los 10, 20.etc.. mejores tenores, todo es muy relativo. hay extraordinarios, buenos acptables y horrorosos cantantes, sin tener que darles un puesto primero ó último, pero de que estoy segura es que DOMINGO. no es el mejor de la  historia porque lo haya dispuesto BBC.Magazine, a mí esto me huele mal....

[jcab2323]

THE MOST FOOLISH RATING OF ALL TIME!!!!!

[Kenshin22able]

Domingo first and Enrico Caruso second this is a awfull joke!!

[Vivaldicellist]

@Kenshin22able Domingo holds the distinction of being the interpreter of the most different operatic roles of anyone in history. I'd figure that played a large part in their ranking. Not that I agree that he tops Caruso by any stretch - I assume that just factored heavily into their choice.

[animandes]

Ya quisieran los embalumados tenores de ayer y hoy poder cantar con la majestuosidad del maestro Don Alfredo Kraus, que entre otras cosas enseñó el camino a quienes ahora se dan el tupe de "autonombrarse" los mejores del mundo, apoyados por el carácter mercadotécnico y mediático de genios como los de la BBC que en una lista elaborada en los contubernios oscuros de la ignorancia más supina, otorgaron al mejor de todos los tiempos el puesto 16. BBC (Bien Brutos Co..) son lo que son.

[animandes]

Oyendo a Alfredo Kraus se entiende a la perfección lo que una vez dijo el genial Einstein respondiendo a lo que podría considerarse en el Universo como "absoluto". No dudó el sabio alemán: la estupidez humana. En (Roma)Caracalla 1990 y los que le siguieron, se impuso el mezquino interés mediático. Un insulto al talento, no haber invitado al mejor tenor de todos los tiempos.Hasta cierto punto comprensible: A QUIEN LE GUSTA QUE LE HAGAN SOMBRA. Que cinismo e ignorancia la de los genios de la BBC

[jrevoredoi]

@animandes Estimado amigo ya lo dice el viejo refrán: "En gustos y colores no han escrito los autores". Y como usted entenderá toda opinión sobre estos temas siempre resultará relativa. Inclusive su propia opinión. Por otro lado entiendo que a Alfredo Krauss no le gustaba mezclar el espectáculo supremo con el popular. Esa es la razón principal a mi entender que no estuviera en Caracalla o en otras semejantes. Además Krauss no creía en un mejor del mundo, tan solo creía en los mejores.

[animandes]

@jrevoredoi . ¡Por favor!, dame argumentos más convincentes, Kraus a los 71 años cantaba mejor que "otros tenores" en su edad joven. Es sólo cuestión de comparar aquellas canciones que cantaron Kraus y los demás, como: La Tabernera del Puerto "No puede ser" de Sorozábal, Granada, Werther, Lamento de Federico, Amapola, Júrame, Valencia, Maitechu Mía, Core'ingrato, Nessum Dorma, O sole Mío, por no citar otros como La Traviata, y su ciclo de canciones latinoamericanas como: Siboney, La Paloma, etc.

[jrevoredoi]

@animandes Bueno la razón principal es que no solo es cuestión de comparar. También depende del comparador. Como ves aqui en este video, no encuentras personas que opinen igual. En cuestión de voces todos pueden tenerlas fenomenales pero los timbres, el cómo suena, mientras gusta a algunos, no gusta a otros y visceversa. Por eso ni el mismo Kraus creía en el mejor tenor del mundo. El pensaba que habían los mejores que era muchos y no sólo un mejor.

[dlh322]

with all due respect to the "experts", when you crown placido domingo as the greatest of all time you've lost any credibility you might have hoped for.

[Tenorliebe]

The best of all time was Enrico Caruso besides Joseph Schmidt. The worse Jonas Kaufmann, Richard Tucker and Peter Schreier!

[gaytenor]

Where are Leon Escalais, Georges Thill, Ivan Koslovsky, Francesco Tamagno, Giovanni Martinelli, Giacomo Lauri Volpi, on a list that including such second raters as Wolfgang Windgassen, Peter Pears, Rolf Johnson! To exclude Tucker, Peerce, Di Stefano, Del Monaco, while including these pains in the ears is an insult to common sense. Try this: Play a Rolfe Johnson Handel performance and then the same aria as done by Jan Peerce. What tenor on this list could touch the beauty of Di Stefano's voice?

[arakoglu]

@gaytenor Tucker in Vespri /watch?v=lr2T7v9SBlM&feature=f­eedu

[paulostroff99]

Nice to see Jon Vickers and Carlo Bergonzi on this list.Where are Franz Volker and Max Lorenz.

[tomfroekjaer]

This rating is absolute nonsense. What kind of tenor ? Dramatic, lyrical, heldentenor, spinto ? Comparing Melchior to Gigli or Pavarotti doesn't make any sense. Domingo fortunately had the grace of declining, saying that Caruso was the best ever. - And maybe he was, overall. Being lyrical (early years), dramatic and spinto - but not as heldentenor (Melchior) as he never recorded Wagner. But Caruso never sang Mozart as did Wunderlich.

All in all not very sensible !

[SHICOFF1]

@vinyltovideo Yes, that could be. In fact in one interview Domingo gave he said Tucker had the Biggest High B he ever heard on stage in house and that was in Tosca. He heard many tenors of course and that includes Corelli. This list is just a pro British pick. I would bet many English people who ever heard some others not mentioned would argue it also.

[SHICOFF1]

As Americans go a few where better then any English tenor on the list or off the list. Tucker, Peerce, Shicoff, Jagel and Hadley all where wonderful. Pears and Johnson? A Handel singer better then say Di Stefano or Tucker ? Very bias for the English, yet no tenor Craig and English tenor who had a pretty good voice.

[SleepingTurtle1]

Just read it again... Pears and Rolfe-Johnson better than Di Stefano? Kill me now.

[GermanOperaSinger]

Of course not a single American on the list. This list is based on the tastes of the British general public, which can hardly be seen as an authority in vocal music. Perhaps the list should be renamed "Top selling tenors in Britain, in order of quantity of records sold."

[gaytenor]

@GermanOperaSinger I know nothing about recording sales in GB but do people actually buy recordings by some of the artists mentioned? While, for example, Peter Schreier has to the best of my knowledge not appeared on any other list why here? Have they never heard of Francesco Alriza? This man was a great tenor in all areas not just a stop gap after the unforunate death of Wunderlich. All too often the undoubted skill of the English critics as writers leads to readers accepting the portage slop.

[SHICOFF1]

@gaytenor who was Anthony Rolfe Johnson? He is better then Tucker, Del Monaco, Martinelli, Shicoff, Peerce, Early Di Stefano,Lauri Volpi? Please, Di Srefano early was one of the best in his time, Tucker as a Spinto the best in his time and one of the greatest of all time. Jan Peerce as a lyric spinto sang with all the musicality of Jussi Bjorling. As for voice Lanza, he had a better voice then any of the English tenors listed but was not considered an opera singer, more an operatic tenor.

[Vivaldicellist]

@SHICOFF1 Rolfe-Johnson may be one of the top interpreters, if not THE top interpreter, of Oratorio on this list. Not saying I agree with his placement, but that would be my best guess as to why he was included.

[VinylToVideo]

Most ridiculous list I've ever seen.

[gaytenor]

@VinylToVideo I'm sure those anal retentive English fops that consider vocal power and beauty as something to be avoided at all costs are delighted with their insular bad joke. But my God how bloody tone deaf do you have to be to vote for Pears and Rolfe-Johnson over Del Monaco, Tucker, Peerce, etc. Perhaps the English should stick to the classical dramas. I keep coming back to Pears and Rolfe-Johnson they have got to be kidding. I doubt that even Domingo feels that he's better than Caruso! OY!!

[VinylToVideo]

@gaytenor I seem to recall when this list was originally released, Domingo actually did find it humorous. I'm quite positive even he would place Tucker before himself.

[VinylToVideo]

@VinylToVideo .. Hell, I bet Mingo would also place Del Monaco and Peerce first. Conley, Crooks, and even Melton should appear before some of the names on this list not to mention great tenors of the French fach like Thill, Jobin, and Simoneau.

[SHICOFF1]

Bloody rubbish! These English writers/critics better stick to High Tea and crumpets . This for the most part (not all) is the dam dumbest list I have ever seen. A 12 year old with a good ear and some listening experience could do better. Pears made the list! HA! HA! They must be laughing in Italy, and Domingo #1, not to take anything away from his great career but this is a joke from across the pond. These guys are seated on their ears.

[gaytenor]

@SHICOFF1 My friend what a bloody good point. I'll never undrstand the Domingo nonsense nor the selection of Peter Pears? and the other English pains-in-the-ear. Where are Del Monaco and Tucker while scoopy Corelli is selected. The English are so RIGHT ON MUSICAL MATTERS and yet Del Monaco and Tucker are passed over in favor of Corelli with his scooping and poor musicianship! And Rolf-Johnson already? Is there any wonder my dear friend why England does not produce decent singers. OH BOO!!!!!!

[silver50072]

@gaytenor Franco Corelli did have his weaknesses, and anybody may prefer Tucker or Del Monaco, but one of the important things any singer should be supposed to possess is VOICE. Corelli had the voice of three or four ordinary tenors together

[gaytenor]

@silver50072 Your not suggesting that Corelli had a better voice than Del Monaco or Tucker are you? Tucker had for what its worth a bigger top and his singing technique was eons above the scooping and often off pitch sounds produced by Corelli. Also, Del Monaco was a true dramatic tenor Corelli wasn't and that should matter even before you factor into consideration the richness and power of Del Monaco who was also much more accomplished in both musicianship and singing technique.

[gaytenor]

@silver50072 Tucker was considered the best tenor in the world by the Italian critics but I guess they don't know what their talking about. Luisa Miller was revived for Tucker not Corelli not to mention that Tucker had better technique, intonation, and a sound compared to Gigli and Caruso, and more powerful top notes. As for Del Monaco he likewise was a much more refined singer and he was, without doubt the greatest dramatic tenor of the past century. I guess poor intonation and scooping are in.

[gaytenor]

@silver50072 Really my friend taking a different tact do you believe that Corelli had a bigger voice than Del Monaco and Tucker? I heard Tucker and it was huge by any standard with immense top notes. Try to listen to Del Monaco and Warren singing 'Si pel ciel' from the 1958 broadcast of Otello at the Met. They shake the rafters! Notice that the have left off the list Thill, Lauri-Volpi(who could sing Corelli under the table warming up), and Martinelli who was adored by an earlier generation.

[silver50072]

@gaytenor Dear sir, I never had the privilege of listening to the great artists we are discussing live. I just meant that everyone knows (there are very many lucky people who may witness that, because they heard him live) that Corelli's voice was amazingly powerful, like Del Monaco's or Tucker's; even Del Monaco conceded that, and Lauri Volpi called Corelli "his heir". You may have your preferences, but I think each of these giants deserve respect

[silver50072]

@gaytenor I think it would be very nice if half the tenors today had the "scooping sounds and poor intonation" of Corelli. In their repertoire, I personally prefer Corelli to Del Monaco, because I find him more vibrant and better in mezza voce; Corelli's timbre suggests more sadness, also. Of course Corelli didn't have the musicanship of Bergonzi, for example. Thank you for your attention. Saluti dall'Italia

[baltoman24]

Certainly an English list- their chauvinism is notorious. It is interesting, but as with all such lists, the issue of taste or tastes is just too personal, "De gustibus non disputandem est"

thank you for posting this.

[kirkenes]

Thanks for Lemeshev at No. 20, but Corelli 15th and Kraus 20th? I want to smoke what they were smoking. Then again, Lemeshev only 3 places behind Kraus. I can take this, LOL.

[badpdx]

I suppose you could make the case that if they were basing this on length of career and variety of roles, then Domingo could conceivably be Number 1. It would be stupid, but you could make that case. But then you have Wunderlich ahead of Jussi Björling . . .? It just doesn't make any sense whatever.

[OperaFanCantor]

Caruso was the Father of the modern tenors. A genius in a league of his own, he was in Pavarotti's own words the "base of the building" for all tenors. No matter what the BBC and some critics can write, he deserves the very top spot possibly with one or two other historic giants. Putting him number two is an insult to his memory, a crime against music and absolute nonsense.

[silver50072]

I do respect all the opinions, but can anybody really think that mr Spears, who is famous primarily for his relationship with B. Britten, was superior than Kraus, Schipa or Corelli? Not to mention Del Monaco, who is not even included among the first twenty! Or Richard Tucker, Giacomo Lauri Volpi...rather shameful, actually

[incredulousG3]

I can't believe Pavarotti even made this list. Bleh. And Domingo first? Try Bjorling or Caruso.

[AmhranaiAlainn]

What I see from this is that the people involved in this list haven't a clue about the true art of singing. If they did, a great deal of singers would not be on the list.

[poolification]

@poolification I guess it's not much of a surprise that the more contemporary ones would get the first places. The biggest surprises for me was that MDM was so high up and that Di Stefano was so far down in the list

[0anaarkadievna0]

well, Placido Domingo always was my favourite tenor so i'm happy he is the 1st. but untill this list came along i never thought he can be better then caruso.

and why isn't carreras on the list? i went to his concert once: man what a voice!

[Belcantormail]

Critics Licensed? What are they expecting from a tenor?? Artistry? voice? Are the singing words understandable?? What is more important: acting throut the voice or msneristic style and refinement? The list is not consistent!! Even nationalism is manifested...

[jrevoredoi]

@Belcantormail So, I show the names of the critics in the full description of the video, and I say that is a list to be taken into consideration because is coming from the BBC magazine. However, as another reference, i mentioned in comments other list from spanish and italian critics (2009). That list was made​on the anniversary of the death of Alfredo Kraus, and we can see there, also, something of nationalism. So, BBC list is a record to be kept in mind, as a reference.

[jrevoredoi]

@Belcantormail Thanks for your comment.

[poolification]

Peter Pears? Anthony Rolfe-Johnson?

[jrevoredoi]

@poolification Yes. I do not agree with the whole list of the BBC. But that was the choice of the BBC. Please read the full description of the video.

[cuckthefardinals]

@poolification Yeah, seems like a bit of British biased.. Although Rolfe-Johnson really is fantastic and doesn't get enough credit.. And I guess the argument for Pears could be the importance he played in premiering and shaping Britten's great works.. But still, its questionable. If anything I would have been OK seeing them come in around 19-20..

[viacrivelli12]

E Lauri Volpi? E Corelli 15????? E Pertile? 

[jrevoredoi]

(3) Among the fourteen members of the jury included the vice president of the Wagnerian Association of Madrid, Rafael Agustin, the advisor of the Teatro Regio in Turin, Giorgio Gualerzi, the writer Oscar J. Muñoz and critics Roberto Andrade, Ricardo de Cala, Fernando Fraga, Giancarlo Landini, Arturo Reverter and Juan Angel Vela del Campo.

[jrevoredoi]

(2) (1) Beniamino Gigli, (2) Alfredo Kraus, (3) Enrico Caruso, (4) Tito Schipa, (5) Aureliano Pertile, (6) Miguel Fleta, (7) Franco Corelli, (8) Jussi Bjorling, (9) Carlo Bergonzi, (10) Nicolai Gedda, (11) Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, (12) Mario Del Monaco, (13) Fritz Wunderlich, (14) Lauritz Melchior, (15) Luciano Pavarotti, (16) Giuseppe Di Stefano, (17) Plácido Domingo, (18) Helge Rosvaenge, (19) Richard Tucker y (20) Richard Tauber.

[gonzalordm]

@jrevoredoi That list was made by Alfredo Kraus fans and "some" critics. And even more important, they are people who don´t like (and in some cases "hate") Domingo. It was the response since they could´t live having Kraus almost at the end of the list, so they gave his the second (was too obvious to put him first) and gave Plácido the number Kraus had in the more important selection. I don´t like none of those lists.

[jrevoredoi]

@gonzalordm Yes, it can be. In any case we can say that the music always generates passions.

[jrevoredoi]

(1) As a reference, in 2009, in Spain, a jury headed mainly by spaniards experts (but also including Italians experts) made​in connection with a course of Asturiana School of Hispanic Studies, and commemorating 10 years since the death of Alfredo Kraus, conducted this new selection:

[MariaCallasLegend]

I was very irritated because they do not include maybe one of the top 3 best tenors who ever lived,even with short carrear:GIUSEPPE DI STEFANO!!!!!

[jrevoredoi]

@MariaCallasLegend Yes, I think a list of the top 30 tenors might have been the fairest, because there are many legends of the opera missing of this list. ( Names as Giuseppe Di Stefano, Mario Del Monaco, Miguel Fleta, Alejandro Granda, etc.) Thanks for commenting.