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Anyone hearing the voice of tenor Ernest Revell would have a hard time imagining that he only first began voice lessons just several years ago.
His is a sound that brings the Golden Age of opera into the twenty-first century: a rich, ringing timbre, and the proverbial "tear" in the voice that has been an essential component of every great tenor's work for centuries.
Still, it is difficult to fathom that he was in his fifties before beginning to study music.
He was born to a mother of Neapolitan descent and a father of French descent. Ernest was raised in Paterson and Hawthorne New Jersey. He graduated with an advanced degree in Business from William Paterson University.
His vocal talent was first recognized at the age of eight when the Choir Director at Saint Anthony's School singled him out of the chorus to lead vocal rehearsals. Beyond this, the idea of his singing would not be explored until many years later.
He always loved music, and the voice. With the influences of movies featuring Mario Lanza and recordings by Enrico Caruso to guide him, Ernest became fascinated with singing, and hoped one day to be able to share the happiness it gave him with the rest of the world.
Years would pass that included marriage, raising three, pre-teen stepsons and the inevitable, all-consuming demands of family life. Later came the terminal illness of his father who, on his deathbed, and for seemingly no apparent reason, said to him: "Ernie, you know you could have been a professional opera singer." The statement became an epiphany, and the start of a personal mission.
In 2008, with no idea where to begin, and armed with nothing but the telephone directory listings of voice teachers to guide him, Mr. Revell, began his search for a suitable teacher. His first voice teacher saw his potential, teaching him the great tenor staples like "Nessun dorma" and "Recondita armonia."Auditions, small recitals, concerts, operas and Musical Theater roles would follow, but the road was still not without difficulties.
Finally, in 2010 he read of an international vocal competition in Classical Singer magazine. Mr. Revell decided to enter The Barry Alexander International Vocal Competition and was blessed to have won First Prize. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in January of 2011 at the Winners Recital, less than three years after his first lesson.
He has since had the pleasure and honor to perform at New York area venues including the Kosciusko Foundation Auditorium, The Church of Christ Scientist, The Church of The Savior, The Unitarian Society and The Enrico Caruso Room in The Grotta Azzurra Ristorante.
His repertoire includes Puccini's Tosca and La Fancuilla del West, Cilea's L'Arlesiana, Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. In 2010 Ernest performed in Opera691's inaugural production at the Carl Pfeifer Performing Arts Center as Amantio in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi. He has also performed lead roles in musical theater productions of Beauty and the Beast as Lumiere and in Annie as Daddy Warbucks.
Blessed with a talent that makes him destined to take on all the great tenor repertoire and The Great American Songbook with ease, elegance, and the power of what many are beginning to call a "truly magnificent voice," it would seem that a well-worn axiom guides not only the future of Ernest Revell, but the public that will hear him now and in years to come: "good things come to those who wait."
Performed works are: Amor Ti Vieta from "Fedora" by Umberto Giordano Recondita armonia from "Tosca" by Giacomo Puccini E'la Solita Storia (Lamento Di federico) from "L'Arlesiana" by Cilea Panis Angelicus by Cesar Franck Vesti le giubba from "Paliacci" by Ruggero Leoncavallo E'Lucevan le stelle from "Tosca" by Giacomo Puccini Ave Maria by Bach/Gounod Ch'ella mi creda from "La fanciulla del West" by Giacomo Puccini Ideale by Paolo Tosti Che gelida manina from "La Boheme" by Giacomo Puccini Nessun Dorma from "Turandot"(continued)
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