Saturday 14 December 2013

Two cheery chaps having a whale of a time (singing a countertenor duet)

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDUEI4RDESo

The chap on the right is James Bowman, who was the first countertenor I heard on a recording (Esurientes, from Bach's Magnificat), and the first I heard in real life (he was in an - obscure, forgettable - opera and, amazingly, had the biggest voice on show!).

Bowman long remained one of my favourite singers, and I attended about three small hall recitals by him in my university - which he consented to perform because he spent his childhood living near where I live, and was on his annual family visit.

He has - as can be seen in this short excerpt - a pleasant and jovial stage persona; one of the few opera stars to evoke from me belly laughs by his 'drolleries'.

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