First there were the Three Tenors -- or was it the Four Tenors? Sorry, we've lost count. Regardless, the standard was set by hefty gentlemen with booming operatic voices prone to dazzling their audiences with rich and riveting performances. 
Now there's the next generation, a group of twentysomething Australians dubbed the Ten Tenors, all bearing prerequisite good looks, decidedly cocky attitudes and your basic rock star appeal. Call them a modern Menudo with a classical connection. Members may come and go, but no matter -- it's all about the collective voices. And also the image. Not to mention the material.
On this latest jaunt, dubbed "Nostalgia World Tour 2009," they're covering popular standards of the Twentieth Century (many culled from their aptly-titled Nostalgia album), as well as highlights from their first decade of operation.
The brainchild of some young opera students from Queensland
Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane, the group was originally formed as
a way to raise some extra cash. Eventually, they evolved their act into
a lively stage show brought in bundles by defying the notion that opera
as an art form had to be stodgy or sentimental. By early in the
millennium, they were wowing audiences worldwide with nearly 250
performances a year and accumulating any number of prestigious awards,
critical kudos and best-selling albums and DVDs. Leave it to the Land
Down Under to turn an aria upside down.
The Ten Tenors perform Friday, May 22 at the Kravis Center,
701 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach. Show starts at 8 p.m., tickets cost $15 to $100.
561-833-0691; kravis.org
