Tenors – the name conjures all sorts of connotations in people’s minds. Within the singing world we have all heard the jokes about tenors, such as: “Tenor is not a voice, it’s a disease!” “How do tenors sing so high? Because they have resonance where their brains should be!” or “There are musicians, singers and then tenors!” This derision comes about because tenors seem to be the most popular voice of the non-opera going public.
The tenore di grazia (tenor of grace) is essentially a lyric voice, but has certain limitations when compared to a standard lyric tenor. It is not only the lightness of sound, but also, crucially, no hint of a baritonal quality that the other tenors seem to have. The tenore di grazia is a voice-type on the rise again, with singers such as Bruce Ford, Juan Diego Florez, Marcello Alvarez and Ramon Vargas leading the way.
The essential repertoire of this voice-type lies before the rise of the familiar tenor repertoire of the mid to late 19th Century. In other words, early Verdi, Donizetti, Bellini, Rossini and Mozart. Therefore, this voice possesses agility and flexibility, as much of these roles require florid singing. Also, their range is often extended above top C, requiring D, E and even on occasion F.
While many of the operas of Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini and Verdi utilise this type of tenor, the most distinguished role seems to be Count Almaviva in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
Although a role of only moderate demands in terms of range (it rarely ventures higher than an A above the stave), it is the sheer virtuosic nature of the writing that requires a tenor of graceful sound. The florid writing requires great agility. Inherent in the lightness of tenore di grazia is the Count’s youthfulness that a heavier tenor sound would destroy. The writing for the Count in the ensembles is as colourful as that for Rosina; he also has two arias within the first twenty minutes of the opera: “Ecco ridente” and “Se il nome sapper voi bramate”. A brief recitative is all that separates that second aria from the duet with Figaro, “All’idea di quel metallo”.
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In the Act I Finale, which is the Count’s next appearance, the writing becomes ever more florid, as the Count tries to impose himself as being billeted in Bartolo’s house by the military (the ruse devised by Figaro and him to gain access to Rosina). Here, he matches Rosina in virtuosic displays, but only occasionally touching as a grace note the B above the stave. However, it is the turns, grace notes and runs in this section that require the lighter tenor.
Act II is equally demanding, (even with the Count’s aria “Cessa di piu resistere” omitted), with a duet with Bartolo at the beginning, the Quintet ”Don Basilio! “, the trio with Rosina and Figaro, and the Finale. The writing in the Quintet is more florid than that for Rosina, and when the two sing together, they sing the same intricate line.
This is a perfect role for the tenore di grazia: it does not involve a huge vocal range, but requires a graceful, elegant style that this voice possesses in abundance. This role provides opportunities for a singer of sophisticated musicianship and dramatic instinct, who will not only have the opportunity for an immense technical display, but also reveal the true meaning of the music.
Ian Wilson-Pope
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