Submitted by Raymond Vacchino, Sep 11, 2008 14:44

I have the privilege of knowing Canada's star tenor Jon Vickers, and I always remember a comment he made during a conversation with me and a mutual dear friend, the late Canadian soprano Lois Marshall, regarding "a voice in training." Vicker's thought was, that a voice is always in training, and never stops. The artistic scope of a singer continues to grow and develop in such areas as, diction, poise and focus of tone, stylistic understanding, presentation, and so much more. Should there be the position of becoming the "Top Tenor" of the world, the list of candidates may be no stronger than at this present time. The young singers who are, and will become the opera world's new stars is indeed a magnificent one. One only needs to listen to the various brilliant qualities created by such tenors as Villazon singing Gomes, Florez singing Donizetti, Calleja singing Verdi, and Kaufmann singing Berlioz or Strauss lieder. The young performers that are singing or playing instruments on the concert stages around the world, are demonstrating such "mind boggling" talent, that the performing arts of the twenty-first century, promises to be one that is consumed with virtuosity, power, stamina, and extraordinary memories. In the words of the late award-winning music critic, Harold C. Schonberg, "The lives of the great performing artist's, are the Glorious Ones." Raymond Vacchino M.Mus. (Toronto, Canada)

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