Classical Notes: June 15, 2007 Archive

More than meets the Eye (and ears)

Posted at 1:29 PM on June 15, 2007 by John Birge

Tenor Paul Potts was an overnight web smash since this clip made the rounds. Turns out that he has some real credentials beyond selling cellphones.

From Wikipedia:
Paul Potts, A 36 year old who lives in Port Talbot in South Wales is a mobile phone salesman, and an aspiring opera singer. He is a student of Ian Comboy. Paul has appeared on national and local television and radio. His claim to fame is his 1999 appearance on Michael Barrymore's My Kind of Music. He has spent two summers touring Northern Italy training with one of the major opera schools, training under top teachers Mario Melani and Svetlana Sidrova, and has taken part in master classes with Vilma Vernocchi, Katia Ricciarelli and Luciano Pavarotti. He has also performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. For the Bath UK based amateur company Bath Opera, he has performed the roles of Don Basilio (Marriage of Figaro), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) and the title role in Verdi's Don Carlos, and Turandot as Prince of Persia and Herald.

More at his tv bio, and here's his semi-final round.