Could
the phrase "flawless coloratura" possibly be descriptive of
a male voice?
YES! The highest male voice - male soprano perhaps, or a male alto,
but more properly called countertenor. A singing voice whose musical
comfort zone lies in the falsetto register. It has made a comeback in
recent years, concurrent with the new-found fervor for early music -
usually taken to be synonymous with the works of Monteverdi (the father
of opera), Gluck, Purcell, Handel, Haydn and Mozart, to name the most
famous. Today the countertenor has found his place in oratorio, orchestral
works and opera, reclaiming for the male voice some of the"trouser
roles" that after Mozart's time (and the end of the era of castrati*
singers) came to be sung by the (female) mezzo-soprano. Thus it is a
voice that takes some getting used to - even for the moderately tutored
ear that has become comfortable with, or takes delight in, the female
appropriation of young men's roles. One can expect that this will increasingly
no longer be the case as Baroque or early-music opera becomes a part
of the standard repertory, and with the rise of singers like David Walker.
David Walker’s highly acclaimed performance of Nero in The
Coronation of Poppea at the English National Opera in the autumn
of 2000 led The London Times to exclaim that David Walker “has
now joined the rank of top flight countertenors.” Following his
New York City Opera debut as Arsace in Partenope, The New York
Times praised Mr. Walker as “a poised and cultivated artist.”
In opera, oratorio, and orchestral performances on the world’s
most celebrated stages, David Walker continues to display the artistry
that has earned him enthusiastic and international acclaim.
Engagements for Mr. Walker in the 2002-2003 season include performances
of new roles: the title part in Philip Glass’ Akhnaten
with Opéra du Rhin in Strasbourg, the title part in Handel’s
Flavio with New York City Opera, and the Refugee in Jonathan
Dove’s Flight with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Mr.
Walker returns to Boston Baroque for performances of Handel’s
Theodora, to the Richmond Symphony for performances of Messiah,
and performs works of Bach and Vivaldi with the Cathedral Choral Society
at Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral.
Mr. Walker performed the role of Oberon in a new production of A
Midsummer Night’s Dream with Central City Opera in the summer
of 2002. During the 2001-2002 season, he returned to New York City Opera
as Ottone in Agrippina; sang Polinesso in Ariodante
with San Diego Opera; he returned to Boston Baroque for performances
of Bach’s Cantata BWV 213 (“Hercules auf dem Scheidewege”);
and sang Messiah with the Richmond Symphony.
David Walker began the 2000-2001 season with his English National Opera
debut as Nero in The Coronation of Poppea. Other highlights
included his New York recital debut at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital
Hall; Nireno in Giulio Cesare with Los Angeles Opera; Goffredo
in Handel's Rinaldo with the Bayerische Staatsoper; and Ottone
in Agrippina with Glimmerglass Opera.
Mr. Walker’s engagements in the 1999-2000 season included Glimmerglass
Opera as L'humana fragilità and Pisandro in Il ritorno
d'Ulisse; his debut with Opera North (UK) in the title role of
Handel's Radamisto; a return to Boston's Handel & Haydn
Society as Athamas in Semele; performances of Rinaldo with
the Academy of Ancient Music in London, Zürich, and Cologne; his
debut with Florida Grand Opera as Tolomeo in Giulio Cesare;
Messiah with Boston Baroque; and Carmina Burana with
the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.
In the spring of 1998, David Walker performed the role of Alessandro
in Handel's Tolomeo with the Göttingen Handel Festival
under the baton of Nicholas McGegan. Mr. Walker returned to Glimmerglass
Opera in the summer of 1998 as Armindo in Handel's Partenope,
and he made his New York City Opera debut that fall as Arsace in Partenope.
His other engagements in the 1998-99 season included Messiah
with both Boston Baroque and the Richmond Symphony; Ottone in L'incoronazione
di Poppea with Opera/Columbus; the Sandman in Hansel and Gretel
with New York City Opera; and the Page in Wolf-Ferrari's Sly
with the Washington Opera. He also performed as soloist in Bach cantatas
in the inaugural concerts of the New York Collegium, conducted by Gustav
Leonhardt, in both New York City and Boston.
David Walker's engagements in recent seasons have included Satirino
in Glimmerglass Opera's 1996 production of Cavalli's La Calisto;
the role of Ottone in L’incoronazione di Poppea with
Orlando Opera; performances of Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice
at Florida State Opera; Bach's Mass in B minor at Harvard University,
Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Aspen Festival;
the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas with the Boston Early Music
Festival; Messiah with the Handel and Haydn Society; and the
Pergolesi Stabat Mater with New York City Ballet. Mr. Walker's
previous orchestral and oratorio engagements include Purcell's Verse
Anthems with the Boston Early Music Festival; Carissimi's Jephte
and Mozart's "Coronation" Mass with the Winter Park
Bach Festival; and Scarlatti's Salve Regina with the Orlando
Philharmonic.
Clearly, David Walker -- Miami-born, holder of a graduate degree from
Florida State University, 1998 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions
winner, 1998 Sullivan Foundation Career Grant Winner, First Place Winner
of the 1997 Florida Grand Opera Competition, and now 1999 ARIA awardee
-- a voice ascendant, singing to ever more receptive ears, will rise
to even greater heights.
*Castrati singers were the most popular singers
of the 17th and 18th centuries when women, following St. Paul's admonition,
were held to strict silence in church and on the stage. The singular term
castrato refers to a male singer who as a boy showed great vocal
promise and was consequently castrated so he could sing female roles well
after puberty. It was a ticket to fame and fortune. Of course, with the
crescendo in women's voices, the amputative practice has been discontinued
and happily today's equivalent, the countertenor, sings intact.
GO TO:
performance calendar
an
interview with David
about Countertenors
David's website
David Walker's Management:
CAMI - Ken Benson 165 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, (212) 841-9545 |
