The Next Great Tenor? You Be the Judge

A 27-year old British-Italian tenor Freddie De Tommaso is being hailed as the next great tenor. Opera Now noted that De Tommaso “sounds like a youthful Italian Domingo with a gorgeous baritonal quality to the lower end, building up to a heart-rending top,” BR Klassik hailed his “bombshell voice” and Der Standard described him as a “Vocal Phenomenon.”

His debut album Passione (to be released in April) is dedicated to the centenary of the birth of the great Italian tenor Franco Corelli. In fact, 2021 will mark four important milestone centenaries in the “Year of the Tenor”: the births of Mario Lanza (Jan. 31), Franco Corelli (April 8), Giuseppe Di Stefano (July 24) and the death of the father of all modern tenors, Enrico Caruso (Aug. 2). De Tommaso’s recording Passione celebrates the songs they made famous and also explores the musical landscape of his father’s family from Italy’s deep south.

In addition, the album will feature three world premiere recordings: Respighi’s Nebbie, based on the composer’s original manuscript, and two rare Puccini songs, Mentia l’Avviso and Sole e Amore, all are specially orchestrated for this recording.

Curious? Take a listen and decide for yourself. And then leave a reply and tell us what you think.