Mon, May 12, 2008
 Young, good-looking, contemporary, the group connects uniquely with fans.
Courtesy of The Ten Tenors
arizona portland cement maintenance electrician Trades/Construction Paragon Electric Electricians General Chapel Haven West Program Staff Restaurants and Clubs Zinburger All Positions Health Care Visiting Angels Caregivers Sales and Marketing Xentel Business & Residential Callers Driver/Transportation Pioneer Landscaping Drivers/End-Dumps AccentThe Ten TenorsPrepare for some aural surprises when these Australian vocalists take Tucson Music Hall's stage
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.06.2006
You would expect a modicum of decorum when the Ten Tenors take the stage, impeccably attired in black suits and ties.
But a few songs after they take their places behind mics arranged in a line stretching from one end of the stage to the other, you quickly get a feeling that this is not your typical operatic recital.
What the heck is that you hear, you wonder? Can that be . . . "Dancing Queen"?
Oh, my, "Rawhide"?
No way! "Bohemian Rhapsody"?
Where am I?
Welcome to the Ten Tenors, part rock stars, part opera divos where, oddly enough, it makes perfect sense to hear a soaring Puccini aria alongside a can't-get-it-out-of-your-head ABBA gem.
In 11 short years, this band of Australian vocalists — who range in age from 21 to 34 and most of whom met while attending Queensland Conservatorium in 1995 — has become a worldwide concert draw. Some 77 million people have seen them in houses as storied as London's Royal Albert Hall (Sept. 28) and as humble as Tucson Music Hall, where they will take up residence Oct. 10-15.
It is the ensemble's first Arizona concert among the 30-odd U.S. states it has toured since 2001.
"When we came to America, we didn't know what to expect," said nine-year member Drew Graham, speaking by phone from London a few days before that sold-out Royal Albert Hall show. "Their reaction was really good. We've had standing O's every concert we've done."
Truth be known, the Tenors had no clue what to expect from anyone when they started out in 1995.
"It was just a bit of fun and to make a bit of money for the weekends," Graham said in his melodic Australian accent. "That pretty much was all it was in the early days."
But the Tenors quickly discovered that fans loved their blend of opera and pop, their quirky sense of humor and their one-on-one connection with the audience. Here were 10 guys in their early 20s or late teens who were good looking, talented and personable. They were all classically trained but very much rooted in the contemporary, connecting with their fans on a level that allowed you to scream — at the top of your lungs if you so desired — in normally staid and proper opera halls.
"Having seen the growth, you start to think, wow, geez, we're making waves in Australia here. We go to Europe and all of a sudden you go to America, and you realize this could be a lifelong sort of thing and develop into a lifelong act that could constantly tour the world," Graham said.
The American tour falls on the heals of a European trek to promote their just-released debut album, "Here's to the Heroes," on American Warner Bros. imprint Rhino. The album reflects the Tenors' live shows, a perfect mix of arias and pop tunes. It was produced by Oscar-winning composer John Barry, who wrote several songs for the disc, including the title track.
"The Ten Tenors are an extraordinary group of talented gentlemen," Barry wrote in the album's liner notes. "They have a unique and distinctive style that is their's alone."
The Sydney Star Observer in their native Australia said of the album, "It is another impressive work from this act."
When it comes to deciding the program each night, Graham — at 29 one of the oldest guys in the group — said everyone has a say. They try to mix their shows with an equal nod to classical and pop.
"For us, being classically trained singers from the early days, our love was originally for the classical repertoire. We always include some of the operatic material in the show," he explained.
The pop leanings come from their varied tastes in music: "Being young guys, we love to sing all different styles of music," he confessed, from ABBA's over-the-top disco hit "Dancing Queen" to what he termed a "fantastic version" of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." Nothing is off limits.
"If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. But if it does, we'll put it in the show," he said.
● Contact Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@azstarnet.com or 573-4642.
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