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Lawrence BrownleeAmerican tenor
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Biography of Lawrence Brownlee
- Early Career and Love for Bel Canto
- Influences in the Bel Canto World
- Rave Reviews and Memorable Performances
- Differentiating the Works of Donizetti, Bellini, and Rossini
- Choosing Roles and Expanding Repertoire
- Performances and Future Plans
- Impressions of Working in Covent Garden and London
- Returning to the UK
Biography of Lawrence Brownlee
Lawrence Brownlee, an American tenor, has established himself as a promising bel canto voice within a few years. He has earned this reputation by performing the challenging roles of Arturo in "I Puritani," Tonio in "La Fille du Régiment," and Almaviva in "Il Barbiere di Siviglia." The opera world eagerly awaits this rare voice that stands out amongst others and will undoubtedly captivate audiences for decades to come.
Early Career and Love for Bel Canto
Lawrence Brownlee's passion for bel canto operas began when he started listening to recordings of renowned tenors such as Araiza, Blake, Ford, Valletti, and Alva. While he appreciates vocalists in general, he especially admires the singers he mentioned for their superb phrasing, control over their voices, technical mastery, and elegant performance style. He finds something magnetic in the way talented singers hit high notes, such as the impressive "C's," "D's," and "E flats" in his case.
During his childhood, Lawrence possessed a naturally high voice. He and his sister sang in a church choir, and he could sing higher than others. Although his voice went through changes during puberty, his upper range remained intact, making high notes effortless for him. However, years of training and guidance from his mentors helped him learn how to sing correctly based on his physical attributes.
Influences in the Bel Canto World
Lawrence Brownlee considers Rocky Blake, Cesare Valletti, Alfredo Kraus (who shares his birthday on November 24th), Fritz Wunderlich, Bruce Ford, and Francisco Araiza as his role models in the bel canto world.
Rave Reviews and Memorable Performances
After Lawrence Brownlee's performance as Rinaldo in Rossini's "Armida" at the Metropolitan Opera, he received numerous accolades. When asked about his experience and impressions of the production, he expressed his joy at being a part of it. He particularly enjoyed working with Renée Fleming, a wonderful singer and partner. The atmosphere in the theater was filled with mutual respect, as his fellow tenors, John Osborn, Barry Banks, Kobie van Rensburg, and José Manuel Zapata, were also involved in the production. Conductor Riccardo Frizza, a close friend and remarkable musician, added to his positive memories. Lawrence Brownlee felt that he grew into the role of Rinaldo throughout the production. The character's wide vocal range, from low C's to high D's, presented him with challenges that required careful planning and vocal preparation. Despite the difficulties, he thoroughly enjoyed participating in the performance and looks forward to revisiting it at the Metropolitan Opera in the following year.
When asked about his favorite role among those he has performed, Lawrence Brownlee finds it difficult to choose because he appreciates something in each of them. He loves singing fast, high music with florid passages, but he also enjoys the long, expressive legato lines in roles like Arturo in "I Puritani." He finds the beginning of Act 3 in that opera to be one of his favorites due to its dramatic intensity, providing a departure from the typically lighthearted roles he sings in Rossini operas.
Differentiating the Works of Donizetti, Bellini, and Rossini
Lawrence Brownlee observes both similarities and differences in the works of these three bel canto masters. Since they were contemporaries, he believes they influenced each other to some extent. While all three composed elegant music, Rossini's music is more virtuosic and colorful, Donizetti's is more dramatic and lower in tessitura, and Bellini's requires a very high tessitura and occasionally demands a highly sensitive interpretation. As a result, Lawrence approaches each composer's music differently, aiming to use his voice to convey the composer's intentions by employing technical mastery or smooth legato.
Choosing Roles and Expanding Repertoire
Lawrence Brownlee's portrayal of Arthur in "I Puritani," Tonio in "La Fille du Régiment," and Count Almaviva in "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" has helped audiences recognize his rare voice, which extends beyond the range of Juan Diego Flórez. He ensures that he selects roles that suit his voice type and seeks advice from a small group of individuals who understand his voice and its limits. They warn him about the detrimental consequences of overextending his voice, enabling him to resist the temptation of pursuing roles that may be tempting but harmful. Although he occasionally accepts challenging roles, he always sings with his own voice, making the role comfortable for himself rather than trying to fit his voice into the role.
Performances and Future Plans
Lawrence Brownlee's debut in the UK took place during his concert at St. John's Church as part of the Rosenblatt Recitals series. He aimed to create a diverse repertoire for this event, showcasing music different from his usual performances. Having always loved French music, he included works by Duparc in the program for their contrasting shades. Franz Liszt's songs on Petrarch's poetry remind him of arias and contain a range of dramatic moments. John Carter's cantata allows him to remember his African-American roots by incorporating traditional Negro spirituals. Mozart and selected arias demonstrate his technical abilities. Overall, the concert allows him to showcase his versatility.
Regarding the expansion of his repertoire, Lawrence Brownlee recently added the role of Elvino in "La Sonnambula" and hopes to sing more of Mozart's music in the future. He also recorded Rossini's "Stabat Mater" with Antonio Pappano for EMI at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia. While some projects are still being discussed, he cannot disclose any details at the moment. Although he currently does not have any invitations to perform in London, he would gladly return if given the opportunity.
Impressions of Working in Covent Garden and London
Lawrence Brownlee recalls his debut at Covent Garden when he sang the challenging role of Syme in Michael Maazel's adaptation of Orwell's "1984" at the Royal Opera House in 2005. He found it exhilarating to perform a role that was tailored to his vocal characteristics. He expresses gratitude to Maestro Maazel for giving him the opportunity to be a part of this significant project. Despite the demanding nature of the role, which required thorough preparation, he found it more diverse than his usual repertoire. He enjoyed working in the theater and expresses a desire to sing there again if given the chance.
Returning to the UK
Although Lawrence Brownlee does not currently have any invitations to perform in London, he would be delighted to return as soon as possible.
