Hello Musicals.net,

I'm primarily an Operatic Tenor who dabbles in musical theatre from time to time and have been approached to perform a cabaret production for Royal Caribbean Cruises featuring the music of Mario Lanza.

The problem I face is that another requirement is that I sing another set of repertoire from Contemporary Musical Theatre, Pop Rock and R&B.

In the past I have sung the title roles in Jesus Christ Superstar and Les Miserables professionally but I have a funny feeling that these are not good examples of contemporary musical theatre!

Can anyone please recommend some repertoire for a classical voice with a range from around A2 - C5 in musical theatre?

Thank you.

Okay this will sound abit rude maybe- but as far as I know the point of contemporary MT songs is that they are not written for classical voices. So I'm not really sure what to suggest- are you looking for newer stuff than can be sung by a classical voice? because the definition of contemporary music is often pop/rock.

The only thing that really comes to my mind is "Til I hear you sing" from Love Never Dies

I would personally had gone with "I'm alive" from Next to Normal, but I'm more of a contemporary lyrical tenor myself, so I'm not sure how it would sound with someone very classical.

Thanks for the suggestion, Muscialperformer92 - I will have a look.

I thought that contemporary musical theatre was repertoire written in the last ten years or so rather than the style? If it is only pop/rock then I guess I am in trouble!

I wasn't going to post as their are definitely board members who could give you far better answers. But, not many have replied

After reading your posts i thought "rock undertones". A lot of rock-theatre type stuff, can definitely be sung by classically trained. Indeed, it is the responsibility of the performer to healthily adjust their deliverance to suit the style and story of the song.
Miss Saigon not contemporary enough I presume?
Look at JRB Songs For a New World as a starting point. I have heard two JRB songs sung by and Operatic Tenor.
Look at Jekyll and Hyde - Resurrection I believe it's a concept album?
Maybe We Just Made Love - I Love You Because

Note: None of these above are specifically for Operatic Tenors- on cast recordings they are sung by classically trained tenors but in my humble opinion would be beautiful.

This is probably overdone, but my voice teacher is also a classical tenor, and he does an amazing version of "This is the Moment" from Jekyll and Hyde (I guess the role is probably a baritone, but if you have the range, it's amazing sounding!). And while I definitely wouldn't recommend singing some from Les Miserables because of how overdone it is, if one of the songs does fit your voice, I would still consider it. In my opinion, is IT a textbook definition of contemporary musical theatre (I usually define "contemporary" musical theatre from about 1980 onwards, but that's just me).

Also, look at things from Light in the Piazza. The part of Fabrizio is a tenor, and you could definitely use your opera voice for the classical score. I agree with the earlier suggestion of looking at Jason Robert Brown. He is a difficult composer, so since I'm sure having classical technique you also have great musicality, I bet you'd really be able to pull it off.

How versatile is your voice? Can you control your vibrato enough to do more slightly more pop stuff or do you basically just do classical?

JRB's Songs For a New World, although time-wise less contemporary than Light at the Piazza (as per Bway2be) is probably closer to what you're looking to in style. I cannot stress Jekyll and Hyde: The Resurrection enough, honestly it is 'contemporary' and written for classical and 'legit' singers but most certainly has rock undertones.
Personally, I see no problem in doing a song from Les Mis. If it is for a cruise performance, directors and cruise management are going to want fresh & quality performances but still something that cruise audiences are going to want to hear and even recognise.

Both JCS and Les Mis is recogniceble by many so I would say its a good starting point.

If you wants more opera influated songs then any off the phantoms songs from Phantom off the opera might be worth a look.

If JCS is right for you then I might suggest you to take a look into We Will Rock You as well, as Queens music is well known even outside the musical world.

If I would guess what RCCL is asking off you then I would say that the want an hour or so performance (Like a concert) with well known songs from the musical world, songs that you choice. so browse around to find songs that you enjoy and can sing is my advice.