Max Emanuel Cencic
Encyclopedia
Max Emanuel Cencic is a countertenor
, currently based in Austria.
showpiece aria 'Der Hölle Rache' from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte on Zagreb television. From circa 1987 to 1992, Cencic was a member of the Vienna Boys' Choir
(German: Wiener Sängerknaben), with which institution he toured and recorded widely. Recorded performances (in which Cencic was either treble soloist of the Sängerknaben or an independent male soprano) with the Sängerknaben include Händel's Messiah, Haydn's Die Schöpfung, and Mozart's Requiem (which also features countertenor Derek Lee Ragin
), all available on the Capriccio label. Cencic can also be heard in his capacity as the leading treble soloist with the Wiener Sängerknaben in numerous recordings of liturgical and secular music on the Philips label. A particular highlight from his recordings with the Sängerknaben is a performance of the vocal version of Johann Strauss II's Frühlingsstimmen
, a remarkable feat of vocalism for a boy soprano.
although his voice had already broken. Following considerable success as a male soprano (including widely-acclaimed performances as Amore in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice
), he took a sabbatical from singing, during which time he re-trained his voice as a high countertenor. He made his debut as a countertenor in 2001. Prior to adapting his vocal technique to the countertenor range, Cencic made a series of recordings of operatic arias and Lieder for a private record label. These recordings have been sporadically available through Arcadia, the online shop of the Wiener Staatsoper.
) of Saint Alexis' wife (Sposa) with William Christie
and Les Arts Florissants
' traveling production of Stefano Landi's 1631 opera Sant'Alessio
. Cencic also enjoyed notable success in the role of Perseo in the serenata Andromeda Liberata, attributed to Antonio Vivaldi but of dubious authorship, both in a world tour and a recording on the DGG Archiv label with Andrea Marcon
and the Venice Baroque Orchestra.
Cencic made his debut at the Wiener Staatsoper on 28 February 2010, in the role of the Herold in Aribert Reimann
's opera Medea. He will sing three additional performances of the role at the Staatsoper in November and December 2010.
A new studio recording of operatic arias by Georg Friedrich Händel, notably containing music composed for the mezzo-soprano castrato Giovanni Carestini
, was released on the EMI/Virgin label in the UK on 1 March 2010.
Cencic will perform the role of Ottone in Monteverdi's opera L'Incoronazione di Poppea at Madrid's Teatro Real in May 2010, in a production featuring William Christie and Les Arts Florissants. The production will be recorded for DVD release in their Monteverdi series with Les Arts Florissants by the Italian label Dynamic.
Countertenor
A countertenor is a male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of a contralto, mezzo-soprano, or a soprano, usually through use of falsetto, or far more rarely than normal, modal voice. A pre-pubescent male who has this ability is called a treble...
, currently based in Austria.
Early Career as a Boy Soprano
Cencic started singing at a very early age, earning fame in his native Croatia at the age of six after singing the Queen of the Night's coloraturaColoratura
Coloratura has several meanings. The word is originally from Italian, literally meaning "coloring", and derives from the Latin word colorare . When used in English, the term specifically refers to elaborate melody, particularly in vocal music and especially in operatic singing of the 18th and...
showpiece aria 'Der Hölle Rache' from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte on Zagreb television. From circa 1987 to 1992, Cencic was a member of the Vienna Boys' Choir
Vienna Boys' Choir
The Vienna Boys' Choir is a choir of trebles and altos based in Vienna. It is one of the best known boys' choirs in the world. The boys are selected mainly from Austria, but also from many other countries....
(German: Wiener Sängerknaben), with which institution he toured and recorded widely. Recorded performances (in which Cencic was either treble soloist of the Sängerknaben or an independent male soprano) with the Sängerknaben include Händel's Messiah, Haydn's Die Schöpfung, and Mozart's Requiem (which also features countertenor Derek Lee Ragin
Derek Lee Ragin
Derek Lee Ragin is an American countertenor.Ragin studied as a piano major at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. While at Oberlin he took secondary voice lessons with Richard Anderson. He began his operatic career at Oberlin in Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream as Oberon...
), all available on the Capriccio label. Cencic can also be heard in his capacity as the leading treble soloist with the Wiener Sängerknaben in numerous recordings of liturgical and secular music on the Philips label. A particular highlight from his recordings with the Sängerknaben is a performance of the vocal version of Johann Strauss II's Frühlingsstimmen
Frühlingsstimmen
"Frühlingsstimmen" , Op. 410, is a waltz by Johann Strauss II, written in 1882, for orchestra and solo soprano voice.-History:Strauss dedicated the work to the pianist and composer Alfred Grünfeld...
, a remarkable feat of vocalism for a boy soprano.
Post-Sängerknaben Career as a Male Soprano
From 1992 to 1997, he pursued a solo career, singing sopranoSoprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
although his voice had already broken. Following considerable success as a male soprano (including widely-acclaimed performances as Amore in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice
Orfeo ed Euridice
Orfeo ed Euridice is an opera composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck based on the myth of Orpheus, set to a libretto by Ranieri de' Calzabigi. It belongs to the genre of the azione teatrale, meaning an opera on a mythological subject with choruses and dancing...
), he took a sabbatical from singing, during which time he re-trained his voice as a high countertenor. He made his debut as a countertenor in 2001. Prior to adapting his vocal technique to the countertenor range, Cencic made a series of recordings of operatic arias and Lieder for a private record label. These recordings have been sporadically available through Arcadia, the online shop of the Wiener Staatsoper.
Current Career as a Countertenor
Following his re-training as a countertenor, Cencic has enjoyed a successful career that has taken him around the world. An intrepid performer, Cencic's career to date has been marked by a series of dramatically varied portrayals, an impressive example being his performances in the female role (likely composed for a castratoCastrato
A castrato is a man with a singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto voice produced either by castration of the singer before puberty or one who, because of an endocrinological condition, never reaches sexual maturity.Castration before puberty prevents a boy's...
) of Saint Alexis' wife (Sposa) with William Christie
William Christie (musician)
William Lincoln Christie is an American-born French conductor and harpsichordist. He is noted as a specialist in baroque repertoire and as the founder of the ensemble Les Arts Florissants....
and Les Arts Florissants
Les Arts Florissants (ensemble)
Les Arts Florissants is a Baroque musical ensemble in residence at the Théâtre de Caen in Caen, France. The organization was founded by conductor William Christie in 1979. The ensemble derives its name from the 1685 opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. The organization consists of a chamber orchestra...
' traveling production of Stefano Landi's 1631 opera Sant'Alessio
Sant'Alessio
Sant'Alessio is an opera in three acts composed by Stefano Landi in 1631 with a libretto by Giulio Rospigliosi.Sant'Alessio was the first opera to be written on a historical subject. It describes the inner life of fifth-century Saint Alexis. The work broke new ground with a psychological...
. Cencic also enjoyed notable success in the role of Perseo in the serenata Andromeda Liberata, attributed to Antonio Vivaldi but of dubious authorship, both in a world tour and a recording on the DGG Archiv label with Andrea Marcon
Andrea Marcon
Andrea Marcon is an Italian conductor, organist, harpsichordist, and scholar. In 1997, he founded the Venice Baroque Orchestra.-Recordings:*Vivaldi and others: Andromeda liberata...
and the Venice Baroque Orchestra.
Cencic made his debut at the Wiener Staatsoper on 28 February 2010, in the role of the Herold in Aribert Reimann
Aribert Reimann
Aribert Reimann is a German opera composer, pianist and accompanist, known especially for his literary operas. His version of King Lear was written at the suggestion of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau who sang the title role....
's opera Medea. He will sing three additional performances of the role at the Staatsoper in November and December 2010.
A new studio recording of operatic arias by Georg Friedrich Händel, notably containing music composed for the mezzo-soprano castrato Giovanni Carestini
Giovanni Carestini
Giovanni Carestini was an Italian castrato of the 18th century, who sang in the operas and oratorios of George Frideric Handel...
, was released on the EMI/Virgin label in the UK on 1 March 2010.
Cencic will perform the role of Ottone in Monteverdi's opera L'Incoronazione di Poppea at Madrid's Teatro Real in May 2010, in a production featuring William Christie and Les Arts Florissants. The production will be recorded for DVD release in their Monteverdi series with Les Arts Florissants by the Italian label Dynamic.