Carlos Mena (Counter-tenor)

Born: April 7, 1971 - Vitoria, Spain

The Spanish counter-tenor, Carlos Mena, was born in Vitoria (Spain), where he began his musical studies. He first worked as a counter-tenor in master-classes with Charles Brett and in 1992 he went to Switzerland to study toward a Diploma of Renaissance-Baroque Music at the prestigious Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (SCB) of Basel, where he studied with his maestros R. Levitt and René Jacobs, and in master-classes given by Emma Kirkby and others. He also took an interest in medieval music with D. Vellard and in opera, earning his diploma in 1997.

A revelation among the young generation of counter-tenors, Carlos Mena is a sheer delight for the emotion his voice stirs, the quality of its tessitura and his sensitive, intelligent performances. As soloist he is a member of several important ensembles including Al Ayre Español, Ensemble Guilles Binchois, Il Seminario Musicale, Ricercar Consort, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Hespèrion XX, and Orphenica Lyra.

With them Carlos Mena travels around the world singing in Auditorio Nacional of Madrid, Palau de la Música of Barcelona, Konzerthaus of Vienna, Stadtsoper of Berlin, Chapelle Royale of Versailles, Sidney Opera House, Concert Hall of Melbourne, Teatro Colon of Buenos Aires, Alice Tully Hall of New York City, and Sakura Hall of Tokyo.

Carlos Mena records for Decca, Accord, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Glossa, and Alia Vox. He is also very interested in 20^th century repertoire (Igor Stravinsky, Benjamin Britten, Orff, Bernaola, Aracil, Benjamin Britten).

In 1997 Carlos Mena sang the role of Orfeo in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice at the Teatro Guaira (Brasil). He has taught courses in Ancient Music at the University of Salamanca. Among his pupils and/or singers who have attended his master-classes: Emiliano Cano (Tenor), Rocío de Frutos (Soprano), Jorge Enrique García Ortega (Baritone, Counter-tenor), Alejandro Ramírez Sola (Bass).

Sources:
Goldberg - The Early-Music Portal Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (March 2004)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Raphaël Pichon

Alto

C-0 (2011, Video): BWV 244a [1^st recording]
BWV 232: Kyrie & Gloria

Raphaël Pichon

Alto

Member of Ensemble Pygmalion:
C-0 (2011, Video): BWV 244a [1^st recording]

Philippe Pierlot

Alto

With Ricercar Consort:
BWV 4 [2^nd], BWV 4 [3^rd], BWV 18, BWV 53, BWV 106 [2^nd], BWV 106 [3^rd], BWV 131, BWV 150, BWV 161, BWV 182
[U-4] (2011, CD/Video): BWV 110 [1^st recording], BWV 151 [1^st recording], BWV 243 [3^rd recording]
[C-9] (2006): BWV 234, BWV 198
[C-12] (2012): BWV 63, BWV 110, BWV 151
[C-13] (2016): BWV 75, BWV 22, BWV 127
[C-14] (2018): BWV 21, BWV 76
BWV 235, BWV 243 [1^st], BWV 243 [2^nd], BWV 245
Aria from BWV 198

Peter Zajíček

Alto

Video: BWV 35

Links to other Sites

carlos mena (Staatsoper Berlin) [German]
Carlos Mena (Goldberg)
ARTE > La Folle Journée de Nantes 2004 > Carlos MENA: contre [French/German]