Tag

Michael Spyres

Tristan und Isolde in HD – 2026

March 21, 2026

Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde holds a unique position in the annals of opera. To some, it is the peak of the art form; its supreme achievement. To others, it is an interesting work full of declamatory singing, occasional bombast, and much inspired music. I fall into the second camp. Regardless of where you’re positioned, it […]

Michael Spyres Baritenor – Review

September 29, 2021

American tenor Michael Spyres has released a new album – Baritenor. It contains 18 selections which are presented in approximately the order in which they were written. They consist of arias composed for tenor, tenor or high baritone, and baritone. Spyres has always shown a unique ability to adjust the character of his timbre; he […]

A Few Random Bits

February 10, 2020

Michael Spyres made his long awaited Met debut this month. He appeared all of two times in the title role of Berlioz’s The Damnation of Faust. Alas, he wasn’t in very good voice; at least from the evidence of last Saturday’s broadcast. He’s been singing the most taxing of roles all over the place and […]

Fervaal

January 4, 2020

Fervaal is an opera by Vincent D’Indy (1851-1931). First performed in Brussels in 1898, it had a few performances after the premiere, but has largely been ignored over the past century save for an occasional concert presentation. It’s based in part on the lyric poem Axel by the Swedish author Esaias Tegnér. D’Indy was largely […]

MICHAEL SPYRES – Cessa di più resistere

June 18, 2019

Cessa di più resistere is an aria for the tenor (Almaviva) in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. It occurs near the end of of the opera. For a very long time it was omitted – for two reasons. First it place the focus on the tenor at the expense of both the title character and […]

Michael Spyres High Notes and as a Bass

February 10, 2019

First a YouTube compilation of tenor Michael Spyres singing high notes – some of which can only be heard by dogs. Spyres has mastered mixing, without a noticeable break, all the registers that a tenor can use. His highest notes from operas written before tenors sang high Cs and above from the chest employ voix […]

Michael Spyres in Philadelphia

November 30, 2018

New York’s Metropolitan Opera is suffering from a plague of inadequate tenors. Major productions have chugged along with tenors not up to the standard one would expect from the world’s most important opera house. The recent stagings of Samson et Dalila and Aida clearly demonstrate the Met’s tenorial difficulties. Yet the company does not engage […]

Michael Spyres – Espoir

September 9, 2017

Michael Spyres’ just released CD is entitled Espoir (Hope). A better title would be Michael Spyres Sings Gilbert Duprez. Duprez (1806-96) was the tenor who pioneered the high C from the chest. He is the forerunner of the modern tenore di forza. This recording features arias, and one duet, that were associated with the French tenor. […]

Michael Spyres – The Great American Tenor

March 28, 2017

I first wrote about Michael Spyres six years ago. I have since wondered why he has not been engaged by the Met. The perpetually becalmed company keeps recycling tenors who are well past their expiration dates. Spyres who has continued to improve since I became aware of him has achieved a vocal technique unique in […]

Michael Spyres – The Great American Tenor

Michael Spyres Sings Bellini’s A tanto duol From Bianca e Fernando

March 22, 2016

Michael Spyres is probably the best tenor now active never to have sung at the Met. This aria is in dog whistle country. In case the video disappears a link to it is below. A tanto duol Spyres

Michael Spyres Sings Bellini’s A tanto duol From Bianca e Fernando

Ciro in Babalonia – Rossini Opera Festival

December 25, 2012

Here is a complete performance of Rossini’s early opera from the Rossini Festival in Pesaro last Summer. The three principals are splendid. The fabulous (at age 60 she’s still unique) Polish contralto Ewa Podles takes the title role. The American tenor Michael Spyres continues to dazzle in rare roles; he’s the villain of the piece – Baldassare (Belshazzar). […]

Ciro in Babalonia – Rossini Opera Festival

La Muette de Portici Premiered at Opéra-Comique

April 5, 2012

Daniel Auber’s rarely performed opera La Muette de Portici was stage by the Opéra-Comique in Paris yesterday. It featured the rising young American tenor Michael Spyres. The opera was a success at its premiere in 1828, but then disappeared from the repertory and is known, if known at all, as the first Grand Opera – a genre dominated by Meyerbeer, […]

La Muette de Portici Premiered at Opéra-Comique

Everybody Wants to be Somebody Else

April 20, 2011

I just wrote a short piece on the young American tenor Michael Spyres. Mr Spyres has an alter ego who has delusions of bassness. See the video below. Of course, Spyres is not the first tenor to masquerade as a bass. Enrico Caruso sang the Coat Song from La Boheme during a performance in Philadelphia on December 23, […]

Michael Spyres – Young American Tenor

April 17, 2011

Michael Spyres is a young American (born in Mansfield Missouri) tenor who is just coming to international attention. He has a rich lyric tenor that is bright and focused. Spyres has just about the rarest gift that can be bestowed on a tenor; he can sing softly with full vocal support. The next few years will be critical […]