David Daniels
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David Daniels (born 12 March 1966) is an American singer. He is one of the best-known and highly regarded countertenors in modern operatic history. He is greatly admired for the power, agility, and tonal beauty of his voice as well as his rugged good-looks and stage presence.
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[edit] Youth
Daniels was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the son of two singing teachers. He began to sing as a boy soprano, moving to tenor as his voice matured. He studied music at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Dissatisfied with his achievements as a tenor, Daniels switched to singing countertenor during graduate studies at the University of Michigan.
[edit] Professional debut
Daniels made his professional singing debut in 1992. In 1997, he won the Richard Tucker Award. In 1999, he made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera as Sesto in Giulio Cesare. His repertoire has grown to include other major Handel's roles, including Julius Caesar: Arsace in the comedy Partenope (at the Lyric Opera of Chicago), the title role in Tamerlano and Arsamene in Xerxes. At the Bavarian State Opera in Munich he played the title roles in Rinaldo and Orlando as well as David in Saul. Furthermore he interpreted Ottone in Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea. In Vivaldi's opera Bajazet, he sang the role of Tamerlano.
Daniels has also branched out from the baroque roles usually associated with counter-tenors to include Oberon in Benjamin Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream at the Metropolitan Opera and as Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
[edit] Art songs
In addition to his operatic work, Daniels also gives regular recitals, for which he has developed a repertoire that includes nineteenth and twentieth century art songs not usually associated with countertenors, with works by such composers as Berlioz and Poulenc.
