Philippe Jaroussky is perhaps the most prominent French counter tenor of the century. He has a voice of great power and beauty the tone of an angel and the virtuosity of the Devil, one French critic wrote.
But a counter tenor? Its important to note that this is a conscious choice for the male singer. He could sing baritone or bass, but chooses to, as voice teacher David Jones phrases it, sing what is a female sound in a male body.
What does it take to enter this field? One must be both courageous and gifted, adventuresome, forward-thinking and extremely agile. The music demands consummate artistry and high hurdles for the voice. Jaroussky seems to have endless breath, singing long extended lines with total ease, writes one reviewer.
An Aquarius with Gemini rising, Philippe Jaroussky seems to have what it takes.
According to voice teacher, David Jones, the counter tenor is a voice type often misunderstood, sometimes thought as a freak of nature. As to why someone would choose to do this, Jones postulates: Perhaps this gets attention. It is certainly the aspect of the counter tenor that fascinates audiences. Jones feels there is a...