Certainly you are not alone in your estimation of Ian Bostridge.  He
is perhaps the most fascinating tenor around today.  His is a beautiful,
clear voice, with impeccable diction, and he rarely fails to bring
lucid intelligence to his interpretations.  Moreover, his voice is very
distinctive and idiosyncrasic.  I don't much go for bland singers, and
Bostridge is anything but.  He's a specialised taste but very rewarding
to those who are prepared to rise to the challenge.  The "World of" is
a good introduction to his work, and you might want to explore further.

If you like opera, he's particularly good in Britten, although he's sung
a lot of Mozart, and recently, Janacek.  He's a singer in the English
tradition, thus his affinity for Britten is exceptional.  But as you say,
he's less mannered and more relaxed than Pears, so I find him more
accessible.

If you don't want to commit too much yet to opera recordings, you might
like to sample his many Lieder recordings - he is a Lieder singer first and
foremost.  He has a good reputation in Schubert, Schumann and Wolf.  His
early Schone Mullerin won a Gramophone award some years back and is well
regarded.  He sings with a vulnerability and slightly neurotic air which
is absolutely in keeping with the character of the young miller.  His
Schwanengesang, which I prefer, brings out the richness in his voice and
the elegance of his phrasing, and vies with the best recordings.  There's
a new Schubert CD out any day now which may be worth seeking out.  Of his
numerous Britten recordings several are outstanding - my own favourite
being the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings.  He brings an ethereal,
other worldly quality to this, enhancing its dream like qualities, bringing
out the underlying sense of horror not all interpreters relate to.
Similarly his Our Hunting Fathers has a modern, political edge, a lovely
contrast to the lyricism of his singing.

Bostridge's individuality can be heard to advantage in Henze's Six Songs
from the Arabian.  Henze has been writing for voice for 50 years, but
when he first heard Bostridge perform he decided that he wanted to write
something special that would truly bring out the potential in that amazing
voice.  Truly this is a virtuoso cycle which challenges the performer,
stretching him to his limits.  Moreover it's a mysterious, mystical piece:
eroticism mixes with brutality, beauty with death, all infused with
supernatural, exotic overtones.  The challenge is interpretive and
emotional, as well, as it's so psychologically complex.  There are long,
unaccompanied vocal lines which the singer has to shape and colour by sheer
subtlety.  Henze knew what he was doing, writing for Bostridge, who was an
authority on medieval witchcraft when he was at Oxford.  This is a landmark
recording, which will be a benchmark for years to come.

There's a website, which is an delightful, warm hearted read, and also
a Bostridge-List.  If you'd like any further information, I'd be glad
to help.  http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/1185/bostridge.html

Anne
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