The Ten Tenors is celebrating 30 years with a national tour. Photo: Supplied.
What started as a one-off corporate gig by a group of young mates in Brisbane has grown into a three-decade success story for The Ten Tenors, having shared the bill with legends such as Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion on the world’s biggest stages as they blend opera with pop, rock and a whole lot of Aussie charm.
Now, the globe-trotting ensemble is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a national tour that takes in Nowra, Thirroul and Canberra this May.
Cameron Barclay, one of the outfit’s longest-standing members, having joined more than 11 years ago, said the milestone had made him sit back and reflect on the 10-member group’s longevity.
“In the mid 90s it took its inspiration from the success of the three singers, and that was why the first gig happened back in 1995,” Barclay said.
“From there it’s really evolved with the tastes of the boys.
“We’ve always got those classical roots, but we’ve had more fun with the repertoire.”
The New Zealander said they had done clever and witty musical medleys of the great boy bands such as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons through to Michael Jackson, classical spins on songs such as Hallelujah to Shallow, and covered Motown to disco, and rock to opera.
“People think of opera when they hear ‘tenor’, but a tenor is also Freddie Mercury, Ed Sheerhan and Meatloaf,” he said.
“It’s a range of voice, not always a style of voice.
“We’ve got all those different types of tenors represented in the group, and therefore we’re able to present all different styles of music.”
He said the group had evolved since its inception, not just with the line-up, but by adding more choreography and expanding its musical range, helping contribute to its success.
“I was thinking this morning about what the group’s been through, from the 90s, and then the early 2000s we had huge success over in Germany with Eurovision, and then the global financial crisis at the end of the 2000s and then COVID four or five years ago,” he said.
“It’s that variation of the music that’s helped, and I think while we have our roots in classical, the show really is just a huge celebration.
“The music is presented with great care and discipline, but it’s presented in a very Aussie, approachable way.
“I think probably one of the biggest additions to the show with time has been the movement and the choreography.”
It’s not just a nostalgic tour, with favourites such as Nessun Dorma and Bohemian Rhapsody to be performed alongside fresh material from a new album recorded just two weeks ago.
However, Barclay admitted there were certain tunes audiences now expected.
“I think there was one show where we didn’t sing Nessun Dorma at the end, and there was a bit of an uproar, so that was changed immediately,” he said, laughing.
“It’s two hours where people can leave what they’re worrying about at the door and we can give them a great time.
“I think the cool thing is we don’t pretend to be the Bolshoi Ballet; we’re 10 singers who move well and are just having a bit of fun.”
The Ten Tenors has shared the stage with and supported some incredible names throughout its history.
“Probably for me, the biggest one was we sang in the same concert in 2018 in Berlin, and we got to meet, Andrea Bocelli,” he said.
“Another special one in 2014 was Celine Dion. We got to meet her because we did a show in Vegas, and members of her orchestra played for our show.
“She was everything you would expect.
“Some of those are pinch me moments, when you think about being just a little kid and what am I going to do with my life, and then you get to go on and meet these really cool people.”
While they’ve circled the world multiple times, gracing the stages of iconic venues such as Royal Albert Hall in London and The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, there’s something about coming back to Australia’s regional venues they enjoy.
“I haven’t been to Thirroul, but I’ve been to Nowra a few years ago, and I was struck by how much it reminded me of what New Zealand looks like,” he said.
“It’s like the middle of the north island [in New Zealand], very green rolling hills.”
Barclay said the ensemble’s close-knit nature meant they were like family, supporting each other through gruelling tour schedules to life events.
“We’re really close and I think that shows on stage,” he said.
“We’re not 17, so we’re not living the rockstar lifestyle, breaking guitars and throwing parties in hotel rooms or anything like that.
“Some of the biggest life events have happened to the boys while on tour – bereavements, marriages, all that kind of stuff.
“It’s just like a traveling family in a way.”
Tickets are now on sale for The Ten Tenors shows on Friday 9 May at the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, Nowra; Saturday, 10 May at Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul; and two shows on Sunday 11 May at Canberra Theatre, Canberra.
