The Twenty Most Beautiful Tenor Arias

From the Classical era on, the heroes and romantic leads in opera tended to be tenors. We imagine them singing plangently and passionately, one hand clasped to the chest, one thrust outwards imploringly. Usually they address a soprano, as jealous baritones and mezzo sopranos plot in the wings. This playlist covers some of the most beautiful arias ever composed for this quintessentially operatic voice type. It stretches back to the beginnings of the Baroque with Monteverdi's 'L'Orfeo' and features some of the best-loved singers of our time in Russian, French, German and Italian repertoire.