- Cyrille Dubois, Orchestre National de Lille, Pierre Dumoussaud: “So Romantique!” (Alpha)
- Benjamin Appl, James Baillieu: “Forbidden Fruit” (Alpha)
- Ashley Jackson, the Harlem Chamber Players: “Ennanga” (Bright Shiny Things)
There are tenors who fuck, and then there are tenors who fuck. Sure, hearing Jonas Kaufmann pump out “Winterstürme” is good for some heady thrills, and I wouldn’t not tuck Jussi Björling’s “Ch’ella mi creda” in my hope chest. But let’s talk for a moment about the ténor de grâce. At first blush, they may seem too lightweight to be seaworthy, carrying none of the Alpine heft of a Wagnerian or the velvet lining of a lyric—tenors who, if we were casting for a Hollywood film, would be played by one of the Chrises (Hemsworth, Pine, Evans… take your pick). The ténor de grâce would be a supporting character, played by Stanley Tucci. But let me tell you something about Stanley Tucci: That guy fucks.