Andrew Molefe
Andrew Molefe
I know many people who consider opera to be the boring, prehistoric music of Europeans will think I have gone bonkers.
But then they missed the chance to witness the rebirth of this form of classical music as accessible, modern and a sound that you can boogie to.
Attend the Ten Tenors performance, as I did on Saturday at the Civic Theatre in Johannesburg, and you soon banish the thought that opera is sung only by big Italian mommas and poppas like Pavarotti.
Here were 10 polished young men from Australia whose voices together pierce the heart and induce goose bumps.
They have turned this "boring" music on its head, infused it with the elements of pop.
As a result, the Tenors have attracted young fans from all over the world. At the last count, they had performed on four continents to 77million people.
The Tenors fuse their repertoire with theatre and a wacky sense of humour.
Their performances are polished and slick while offering audiences a potent medley of opera, rock, pop, folk music and everything else in between.
Hear them sample Simon and Garfunkel and you could imagine that phenomenal duo of the 1960s performing all over again. The group also honoured their "greatest hero" - Freddie Mercury - elevating his hit song Who Wants to Live Forever to new heights. But it was when they performed the Bee Gees, that there were tears in the eyes of many middle-aged, white folk present.
The Ten Tenors closed their two hour-long concert with a selection of songs from their latest album, Here's to Heroes.
I would have kicked myself had I missed this show.
Ten Tenors strike notes to pierce hearts
Andrew Molefe
Andrew Molefe
I know many people who consider opera to be the boring, prehistoric music of Europeans will think I have gone bonkers.
But then they missed the chance to witness the rebirth of this form of classical music as accessible, modern and a sound that you can boogie to.
Attend the Ten Tenors performance, as I did on Saturday at the Civic Theatre in Johannesburg, and you soon banish the thought that opera is sung only by big Italian mommas and poppas like Pavarotti.
Here were 10 polished young men from Australia whose voices together pierce the heart and induce goose bumps.
They have turned this "boring" music on its head, infused it with the elements of pop.
As a result, the Tenors have attracted young fans from all over the world. At the last count, they had performed on four continents to 77million people.
The Tenors fuse their repertoire with theatre and a wacky sense of humour.
Their performances are polished and slick while offering audiences a potent medley of opera, rock, pop, folk music and everything else in between.
Hear them sample Simon and Garfunkel and you could imagine that phenomenal duo of the 1960s performing all over again. The group also honoured their "greatest hero" - Freddie Mercury - elevating his hit song Who Wants to Live Forever to new heights. But it was when they performed the Bee Gees, that there were tears in the eyes of many middle-aged, white folk present.
The Ten Tenors closed their two hour-long concert with a selection of songs from their latest album, Here's to Heroes.
I would have kicked myself had I missed this show.