The 20 greatest tenors in history according to the BBC

On March 11, 2008, the prestigious BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE was released a report which showed the results of a survey conducted among 16 prestigious music critics, to determine the list of the twenty greatest tenors in history. Spanish tenor Placido Domingo won the vote count and, therefore, the jury proclaimed to Domingo as the greatest tenor of all time.

It is important to note that an opinion on this issue could generate debate and discussion , because at this level usually exists very good tenors, and therefore may differ from other views, such as of tastes and styles there is never anything conclusive. However, being an expert opinion, it is good to take into account this comparative record, to using it in future publications.

Plácido Domingo (1941 - )
http://www.youtube.com/embed/q-GtZ2Aq5kU?rel=0&autoplay=1

Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/YTXE2cQiqWk?rel=0&autoplay=1

Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/B1z5uXWsPCk?rel=0&autoplay=1

Fritz Wunderlich (1930-1966)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/h6-5H4i-NUQ?rel=0&autoplay=1

Jussi Bjorling (1911-1960)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/CbGAMmbsPqQ?rel=0&autoplay=1

Lauritz Melchior (1890-1973)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/1M9FKp89kj8?rel=0&autoplay=1

Beniamino Gigli (1890-1957)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/pXE8yupMspo?rel=0&autoplay=1

Jon Vickers (1926-)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/Rq8gJXZm9Xw?rel=0&autoplay=1

Nicolai Gedda (1925-)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/7o_Y3FALzyU?rel=0&autoplay=1

Sir Peter Pears (1910-1986)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/RYgQxkh8iQw?rel=0&autoplay=1

Tito Schipa (1888-1965)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/TL5heFfYQDE?rel=0&autoplay=1

Carlo Bergonzi (1924-)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/yjMUa3syDWk?rel=0&autoplay=1

Juan Diego Flórez (1973-)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/C2HVAL1MRJE?rel=0&autoplay=1
http://www.youtube.com/embed/otBia3spXhI

Peter Schreier (1935-)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/_r7K1jXkIME?rel=0&autoplay=1

Franco Corelli (1921-2003)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/O3hvWRHTlKw?rel=0&autoplay=1

John McCormack (1884-1945)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/wSHnxlf2DPs?rel=0&autoplay=1

Alfredo Kraus (1927-1999)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/cOprXdbdz3Y?rel=0&autoplay=1

Anthony Rolfe-Johnson (1940-2010)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/t86IkN_mDLM?rel=0&autoplay=1

Wolfgang Windgassen (1914-1974)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/zcreY3MGlg0?rel=0&autoplay=1

Sergei Lemeshev (1902-1977)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/Q0q69JvLqag?rel=0&autoplay=1

Only six Tenors from the list, are alive today. Juan Diego Flórez is the most younger of them.

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This is the panel of experts that used the BBC

• John Allison - Editor, Opera magazine
• Ashutosh Khandekar - Editor, Opera Now Magazine
• Hugh Canning - Sunday Times opera critic
• Michael Tanner - Spectator opera critic
• Richard Morrison - Times music critic
• Barry Witherden - Freelance critic

• Howard Goldstein - Music professor at Auburn University, Alabama
• Jan Smaczny - Professor of Music, Queen's University, Belfast

• David Breckbill - Historic recordings specialist
• George Hall - Writer, editor, translator
• David Nice - Writer, biographer
• Michael Scott Rohan - Author, editor

• Catherine Bott - Radio 3 presenter and soprano
• Nick Morgan - Freelance radio producer
• Kate Bolton - Radio 3 producer
• Geoffrey Smith - Radio 3 presenter

a simple review allows us to understand the logic of evaluation:.
Six critics of opera, two university professors of music, four musical records researchers (the past), and four experts about people's musical tastes (the present).

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(I have two names more, but this video is about the opinion of the experts from BBC Magazine Music)

Thank You

Category:

Music

Tags:

• the best tenors
• tenors
• Pavarotti
• Domingo
• Kraus
• McCormack
• Windgassen
• Rolfe-Johnson
• Juan Diego Flórez
• BBC Music Magazine
• history
• top
• Bjorling
• Caruso
• Bergonzi
• Lemeshev
• Corelli
• Schreier
• Schipa
• Pears
• Gedda
• Vickers
• Gigli
• Melchior
• Wunderlich
• Opera Music
• singers
• music

[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.

[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 Thanks for your comment.

[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.

[SleepingTurtle1]

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

[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?????

[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....