Word: tenore
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...Portraying the Egyptian princess Amneris is a singer identified in the program as "Carmelita Della Vaca- Browne," a burly Puerto Rican ex-soprano whose voice (since she gave birth to triplets) has darkened to a take-no-prisoners mezzo. In the role of the doomed warrior Radames, all-American tenor "Tex Stolto" can't seem to resist handing out 8-by-10 glossies of himself. And as Ramfis, the high priest, Russian bass "Boris Pistoff" doffs his headdress to reveal himself as a Conehead...
...signature aria Vissi d'arte) all figure heavily in a send-up that shatters every cliche in the trunk. Opera buffs can delight in spotting references to great, legitimate performances -- from Tosca's tigerish poses a la Maria Callas to Cavaradossi's Castilian lisp, a dig at Spanish tenor Jose Carreras...
Siff studied to become a tenor in the Italian bel canto style, but detoured into a career as a cabaret performer and teacher of theater voice. He launched La Gran Scena in 1981, gradually building a repertory based on 19th century classics and a company of free-lance singers, most of whom have opera careers elsewhere in their natural voices. Indeed, Siff is one of only two non- conservatory-train ed singers in the troupe...
Opera: The next great tenor isn't a tenor -- he's a baritone...
Musically, the performance at the Met is excellent. Possessing a voice that is lithe and ripe, mezzo-soprano Maria Ewing was born to sing the title role, and she delivers a performance of untamed carnality. Slovak bass Sergei Koptchak is outstanding as her lecherous father-in-law, and Russian tenor Vladimir Galouzine is appropriately ardent as the lover. In the pit, conductor James Conlon and the Met orchestra rejoice in the score's raw power...