 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
John Tenaglia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | February 5, 1964 |
John Tenaglia (born February 5, 1964) is a baritone opera singer.
John F. Tenaglia was born in South Philadelphia, February 5, 1964, to parents Frank (Francesco) and Dorothy (nee Cavella). Being up in an Italian-American family, where culture served as a constant guidance. Especially in education, culinary and musical arts, with firm religious aspects. At age 8 John started violin lessons with the famed violinist and conductor Joseph Primavera of the Philadelphia Orchestra and founder of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. Young John had little to no interest in the instrument. In 1978, The Tenaglia Family was invited to a performance of Puccini's Madama Butterfly being presented at the Forum Theater in South Philadelphia. The person singing Pinkerton that night was renowned tenor Frank Munafo (a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music). John was so inspired by Munafo's singing, he instantly knew this is what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Mr. Tenaglia was quoted saying; "I felt that Frank Munafo was singing directly to me, even though there were hundreds in the audience!" Having minimal musical training at this age and limited knowledge of opera, the young man instinctively started listening to recordings found in his families house of Mario Lanza, Mario Del Monaco, Beniamino Gigli and Richard Tucker. This also encouraged him to join local church choirs where he could learn more about the art of singing. Inevitably, for the 13-year-old, nature took its course and John was no longer able to imitate these wonderful tenors. Dejected, he thought he'd never be able to sing like his idol Frank Munafo. His church choir director told him he should start singing in the baritone and bass sections. As John entered junior high he became a member of the choir at Thomas Junior High School. This is where Mr. Tenaglia met his soon-to-be mentor William Yeats. Mr. Yeats was also a renowned tenor (a graduate of Indiana University and Curtis Institute of Music) and the choir director at South Philadelphia High School. Mr. Yeats, would go around to all the local junior high schools to recruit talent for his high school choir. Mr. Yeats recognized talent in Mr. Tenaglia but said nothing to the youngster until he officially became a student of the famous South Philadelphia High School. John had no idea of the background and caliber of his teacher. One afternoon as John was on his way to his next class, when he heard what he thought was a recording playing of Che gelida mania from La Bohème. As John looked into the room from where the music was coming, here it was William Yeats accompanying himself and singing the aria in preparation for an upcoming concert. Tenaglia quietly snuck in the room. Standing there, listening as Mr. Yeats continued to sing the aria as tears ran down the face of the young student, stunned from the sheer beauty of Mr. Yeats's singing. John moved to find a comfortable standing position as a book fell off the desk behind him. Mr. Yeats turned around startled, yelled at him and said; "what are you doing in here?! You're Not Supposed to be in here!!" Tenaglia's answer was; "why are you singing that, you're not Italian!" They both looked at each other and instantly broke into laughter. That is the moment their father, son relationship began. Mr. Yeats explained to John, that he had a talent. So he offered him a deal. "If John promised to take music seriously and pursue it as his career, he in turn offered him free voice lessons every day after school for his remaining time at South Philadelphia High School all free of charge!" There was one catch, Tenaglia had to promise him, that one day he would also give back this service to a young promising student.
John Tenaglia was accepted on scholarship to the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts where he studied with famed teacher Vivian Wagner. John earned a Bachelor of Music and Masters of Music Degrees in 5 years of study finishing in 1986. In the summers he traveled the country as a member of the "Tenaglia Trio" with his future wife Soprano Joan (Kratowicz)Tenaglia and younger brother, Tenor Frank Tenaglia (another prodigy of William Yeats). They performed Operatic and Crossover Concerts. Quite often they were invited to perform as headliners with the Legendary Pat Cooper, the Late Arturo Coppola in Concert Halls and Major Italian Festivals. At age 19, Tenaglia's 1st professional role was Papageno in Mozart's Magic Flute. As a young baritone he performed the roles of Marcello and Schaunard in Puccini's La Boheme, Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Baron Zeta in Franz Lehár's The Merry Widow, Pish-Tush in Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado and Silvio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. As years went by, maturity had begun to develop into the baritone's voice. Noticing that his natural ability was being compromised, Mr Tenaglia desperately searched for a teacher who could help him incorporate his natural ability with a solid technique. Colleagues led him to famed teachers Armin Boyajian, Richard Barrett and Enrico di Giuseppe, all to no avail. Frank Munafo suggested and introduced him to Gary Magby. Mr. Magby was a singer himself, however was recognized as a master vocal coach and conductor. Mr.Tenaglia made such a connection with Gary Magby. Mr. Magby built John's technique and introduced the spirituality and musicality that's needed to accompany it. Subsequently, Mr. Tenaglia was then being hired for more demanding roles such as Tonio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, Sharpless in Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Scarpia in Tosca, Gianni Schicchi-Gianni Schicchi. Germont in Verdi's La Traviata, Rigoletto in Rigoletto and Amonasro in Aida. Mr. Tenaglia was invited to perform the lead roles in world premieres. His first was Mr. Jenkins in Libby Larson's A Wrinkle in Time commissioned through OperaDelaware.
Throughout John Tenaglia's career he has sung with most of the major opera companies in the United States. Some of which include: OperaDelaware, Chautauqua Opera (also where he served his union apprenticeship), Opera Company of Philadelphia, New York City Opera, Pennsylvania Opera Theater, Cape Cod Lyric, Florentine Opera, Florham Opera, Berks Grand Opera, Chicago Symphony, Chautauqua Symphony, Haddonfield Symphony, Warminster Symphony.[ citation needed ]
Aside from John Tenaglia's operatic career he extensively performed the sacred works of Laudes Avangeli (United States Premiere Bruno Rigacci Conductor) Handel's Messiah, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Mozart's Requiem, Verdi's Requiem, Faure's Requiem, Mozart's C Minor, Liszt's Via Crucis. Brahms Requiem, Beethoven's 9th Symphony.
He recently retired after 26 years as Music Director and Conductor of the Adult Choir and Orchestra at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church in Merchantville New Jersey.
Along with a demanding performance schedule, Mr. Tenaglia kept his promise to Mr. William Yeats and manages to maintain a private voice studio of young professional singers free of charge. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
He has won or been a finalist in the:
A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below middle C to the G above middle C (i.e. B2 to G4) in choral music, and from the second B flat below middle C to the C above middle C (B♭2 to C5) in operatic music, but the range can extend at either end. Subtypes of tenor include the leggero tenor, lyric tenor, spinto tenor, dramatic tenor, heldentenor, and tenor buffo or spieltenor.
The War Requiem, Op. 66, is a British choral and orchestral composition by Benjamin Britten, composed mostly in 1961 and completed in January 1962. The War Requiem was performed for the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral, which was built after the original fourteenth-century structure was destroyed in a World War II bombing raid. The traditional Latin texts are interspersed, in telling juxtaposition, with extra-liturgical poems by Wilfred Owen, written during World War I.
Mario Del Monaco was an Italian operatic tenor.
Pagliacci is an Italian opera in a prologue and two acts, with music and libretto by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The opera tells the tale of Canio, actor and leader of a commedia dell'arte theatrical company, who murders his wife Nedda and her lover Silvio on stage during a performance. Pagliacci premiered at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan on 21 May 1892, conducted by Arturo Toscanini, with Adelina Stehle as Nedda, Fiorello Giraud as Canio, Victor Maurel as Tonio, and Mario Ancona as Silvio. Soon after its Italian premiere, the opera played in London and in New York. Pagliacci is the best-known of Leoncavallo's ten operas and remains a staple of the repertoire.
Mario Ancona, was a leading Italian baritone and master of bel canto singing. He appeared at some of the most important opera houses in Europe and America during what is commonly referred to as the "Golden Age of Opera".
Jonathan Stewart Vickers,, known professionally as Jon Vickers, was a Canadian heldentenor.
Jaume Aragall i Garriga, better known as Giacomo Aragall, is a Spanish operatic tenor. He became known for his role singing Rodolfo in Puccini's La bohème in the late 1960s, and it would become one of the most frequently performed of his career. In 1994 he founded the Giacomo Aragall International Singing Competition.
Kamen Tchanev / Kamen Chanev was a Bulgarian operatic tenor who enjoyed an international career.
Barbara Frittoli is an Italian operatic soprano, specializing in operas by Verdi and Mozart. She has sung leading roles in opera houses throughout Europe and in the United States, such as La Scala in Milan and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Her signature roles include Mimì in La bohème, the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Desdemona in Otello.
Giuseppe Valdengo was an Italian operatic baritone. Opera News said that, "Although his timbre lacked the innate beauty of some of his baritone contemporaries, Valdengo's performances were invariably satisfying — bold and assured in attack but scrupulously musical."
Wolfgang Brendel is a German opera singer (baritone), and a professor of voice at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. He has performed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.
Clamma Churita Dale is an American operatic soprano. She portrayed "Bess" in the highly successful 1976 Houston Grand Opera production of Porgy and Bess. The show was transferred from Houston to Broadway and Dale was awarded a 1977 Drama Desk Award for Best Actress in a musical and received a Tony Award nomination. She won a Grammy award in 1978 for Best Opera Recording of the Porgy & Bess soundtrack.
Vasile Martinoiu is a Romanian operatic baritone. A long-time member of the Romanian National Opera, in 2004 he was made a Commander of the Ordinul "Meritul Cultural" for services to Romanian music.
Jacques Pottier was a French operatic lyric tenor and voice teacher. He was a principal tenor with the Opéra National de Paris and made several recordings. He taught at conservatories and trained singers including Sheila and Mireille Mathieu. In 1983 he retired to Melbourne, where he taught at school and the conservatory of the Melbourne University.
Gavin Carr is a British conductor and baritone working with major choruses in the UK and appearing in opera and concert in the UK and around the globe.
George Irving Shirley is an American operatic tenor, and was the first African-American tenor to perform a leading role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
James Pease was an American bass-baritone, notable for his Wagnerian roles. He was also a distinguished Balstrode in Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes, a role which he was the first to perform in the US in 1946, and later recorded under the composer’s direction in 1958.
Tonio di Paolo is an American opera singer. He began his career in the 1970s as a baritone but since the late 1970s has portrayed roles as a leading tenor. His performance credits include appearances with the Metropolitan Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the San Francisco Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, and the Hamburg State Opera among other companies. He has created roles in the world premieres of operas by composers Samuel Adler, David Carlson, John Harbison, and Augusta Read Thomas. He retired from the stage in 2010.
Svetla Vassileva is a Bulgarian opera singer (soprano).
Diego Antonio Torre Villegas is a Mexican and Australian opera singer. He is a resident singer in the Sydney Opera House (Australia).
