{"id":50673,"date":"2018-01-25T16:36:35","date_gmt":"2018-01-25T21:36:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=50673"},"modified":"2018-01-25T16:36:35","modified_gmt":"2018-01-25T21:36:35","slug":"scrutiny-tenor-joshua-guerrero-tells-his-life-story-in-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2018\/01\/25\/scrutiny-tenor-joshua-guerrero-tells-his-life-story-in-song\/","title":{"rendered":"SCRUTINY | Tenor Joshua Guerrero Tells His Life Story In Song"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_50676\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-50676\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-50676\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/01\/KLP180123-_DSC1158.jpg\" alt=\"Joshua Guerrero, tenor; Andrea Grant, piano (Photo: Kevin Lloyd)\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/01\/KLP180123-_DSC1158.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/01\/KLP180123-_DSC1158-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/01\/KLP180123-_DSC1158-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-50676\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joshua Guerrero, tenor; Andrea Grant, piano (Photo: Kevin Lloyd)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>Songs and arias by Malavasi, Tosti, Gardel\/La Pera, Fields\/Kern, de la Luz, Britten, Sorozabal, Torroba, and Puccini. Joshua Guerrero, tenor., Andrea Grant, piano. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre. Jan. 23, 2018. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>For Toronto tenor fans, the cup truly runneth over this winter. The COC\u2019s <em>Rigoletto<\/em> that opened last week featured the spectacular singing of American tenor Stephen Costello as the Duke of Mantua. In two weeks, we\u2019ll get to hear the Canadian debut of the superb Swiss tenor Mauro Peter, as Belmonte in <em>The Abduction from the Seraglio<\/em>. As if that\u2019s not enough, there is a third tenor, American Joshua Guerrero, who just made his Canadian debut yesterday, in a free noon-hour concert at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre.<\/p>\n<p>As a follower of the Domingo Operalia competition, Joshua Guerrero had been on my radar screen for some time. His career took off after winning Second Prize at Operalia 2014. He made his European debut in 2015 as Gabriele Adorno in <em>Simon Boccanegra<\/em> at Bordeaux. A former young artist at the Santa Fe Opera, Guerrero stepped in to replace an indisposed Stephen Costello in the July 29 performance of SFO\u2019s <em>Romeo et Juliette<\/em>. Sadly I missed him by one performance, but I did hear the resplendent singing of a fully recovered Costello in the next show. Costello is, of course, the other Duke of Mantua currently at the COC.<\/p>\n<p>Critics have been uniform in their praise of Guerrero. Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times calls him \u201ca gifted young tenor.\u201d \u00a0His Gabriele Adorno was noted for its \u201cyouthful impulsiveness\u201d and \u201cperceptible lyricism.\u201d\u00a0 Based on the many video clips of his performances on Youtube, I cannot agree more.\u00a0 His singing \u201cTorna ai felici di\u201d from <em>Le villi<\/em> which earned him Second Prize at Operalia was remarkable for its bright, focused and gorgeous tone, complete with a thrilling top:<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pGRiDVHoeNs?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Here\u2019s another one, an aria from the zarzuela <em>Luisa Fernanda<\/em>, in the same competition, conducted by Domingo:<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/17zOYYd5Zf4?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Given his three performances of <em>Rigoletto<\/em> are scheduled later in the run, Guerrero made his Canadian debut in this noon-hour concert at the RBA. It was a real pleasure to finally hear him in person, and it wasn\u2019t just any old recital, but one with a personal touch.\u00a0 How often does one get to hear a concert with a name like \u201cMy Story through Song\u201d?! \u00a0I\u2019ve attended countless recitals in over 50 years, but his was unique in being truly, intensely personal. He explained to the audience that he came to opera in a most circuitous fashion, singing ten songs that have special meaning for him.<\/p>\n<p>He spoke of growing up Mexican American, the son of divorced parents in Las Vegas, of studying in the seminary with the intention of entering the priesthood.\u00a0 But he fell in love with music and ended up working in the Venetian (casino) as a gondolier! His recounting of living in Macau for two years to train other gondoliers there brought gales of laughter from the audience. His early love of singing was inspired by Andrea Bocelli\u2019s singing of \u201cRomanza.\u201d Given his exposure to pop culture in Las Vegas, Guerrero showed off his exceptionally stylish pop voice, offering the audience Neapolitan numbers the likes of \u201cA vucchella\u201d and \u201cMarechiare\u201d to Sinatra-style crooning of \u201cThe Way You Look Tonight.\u201d\u00a0 He even threw in \u201cSanta Lucia\u201d not listed in the program!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_50677\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-50677\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-50677\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/01\/KLP180123-_DSC1292.jpg\" alt=\"Joshua Guerrero, tenor; Andrea Grant, piano (Photo: Kevin Lloyd)\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/01\/KLP180123-_DSC1292.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/01\/KLP180123-_DSC1292-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/01\/KLP180123-_DSC1292-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-50677\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joshua Guerrero, tenor; Andrea Grant, piano (Photo: Kevin Lloyd)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>From the first note on, one is struck by his bright, clear, totally focused, beautiful lyric tenor, forwardly placed, Italianate in timbre, with an easy top. It possesses a sunny Latin quality that\u2019s truly endearing. His vibrato is distinctive but not obtrusive, with just the right frequency and intensity, an indication of a very healthy instrument technically. Later in the concert, he talked about being accepted (unexpectedly) into the LA Opera, and Placido Domingo became his life-long mentor. Throughout the recital, U of T pianist\/coach Andrea Grant offered solid support, as always.<\/p>\n<p>Being of Mexican parentage and under the tutelage of Domingo, Guerrero is superb in zarzuela, which he showcased in the great arias \u201cNo puede ser\u201d and \u201cDe Este Apacible Rincon.\u201d\u00a0 I have to say I was surprised he didn\u2019t win the Zarzuela Prize in Operalia that year, despite his excellence. \u00a0He ended the formal part of this recital with the Puccini aria that won him Second Prize, \u201cTorna ai felici di,\u201d sung with beauty of tone and expression. The very impressed audience gave him a standing ovation. Given the amount of music and talk, it was already past 1 p.m., but the very generous Mr. Guerrero sang an encore, the perennial favourite, nearly obligatory \u201cGranada.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>My final thoughts?\u00a0 Do not miss Joshua Guerrero as the Duke of Mantua this season! \u00a0And it\u2019s nice to know that next season, he\u2019ll return as Rodolfo in <em>La boheme<\/em>. I, for one. look forward to his Pinkerton in <em>Madama Butterfly<\/em> this summer at the Santa Fe Opera.<\/p>\n<p>Joshua Guerrero sings Duke of Mantua in <em>Rigoletto<\/em> on Feb. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/events\/2018-02-11\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">11<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/event\/coc-rigoletto\/2018-02-17\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">17<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/event\/coc-rigoletto\/2018-02-23\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">23<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><b><i>LUDWIG VAN TORONTO<\/i><br \/>\n<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><i>Want more updates on Toronto-centric classical music news and reviews before anyone else finds out? Follow us on\u00a0<\/i><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LudwigVanToronto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u><i>Facebook<\/i><\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/span><i>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/i><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LudwigVanTO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u><i>Twitter<\/i><\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/span><i><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\u00a0<\/span>for all the latest.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-48756 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/10\/LudwigVan-head-text-looking_right.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"35\" height=\"55\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/10\/LudwigVan-head-text-looking_right.jpg 833w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/10\/LudwigVan-head-text-looking_right-190x300.jpg 190w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/10\/LudwigVan-head-text-looking_right-768x1213.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/10\/LudwigVan-head-text-looking_right-648x1024.jpg 648w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 35px) 100vw, 35px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"abh_box abh_box_down abh_box_business\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For Toronto tenor fans, the cup truly runneth over this winter. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":50677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[14761,76,19,52,63,70],"tags":[16123],"yst_prominent_words":[16112,16126,16124,16130,16128,16111,16134,16129,16127,16116,16110,16125,16132,16133,16131,7164,16114,16115,16113,16109],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/01\/KLP180123-_DSC1292.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-dbj","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50673"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50673"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50673\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50678,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50673\/revisions\/50678"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50673"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=50673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}