Puerto Rican

countertenor A countertenor (also contra tenor) is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of the female contralto or mezzo-soprano voice types, generally extending from around G3 to D5 or E5, although a sopranist (a ...

Benjamin Marcantoni is an

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

singer. He is known for his dramatic connection to the material and a voice of uncommon size and range.

Life and career

Marcantoni was born Rafael Alfonso Quiñones in

San Germán, Puerto Rico San Germán () is a historic San Germán barrio-pueblo, town and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality located in the Sabana Grande Valley of southwestern region of Puerto Rico, south of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Mayagüez and Maricao, Puer ...

. Even untrained, his boy soprano caught the ear of his school's music teacher early on. He went on to study voice as a tenor at

Interamerican University of Puerto Rico The Inter American University of Puerto Rico (Spanish: ''Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico''; often abbreviated to ''UIPR'' or ''Inter'') is a private Christian university with its main campus in San Germán, Puerto Rico. It also has ...

, and then received his graduate degree from

University of Nevada, Reno The University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada, the University of Nevada, or UNR) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Reno, Nevada, United States. It is the state's flagship public university and prim ...

. He came to New York City in late 1999 where he is well known in the underground and experimental theater scene. Displeased with his accomplishments as a tenor, Marcantoni officially changed fachs circa 2001. A member of the internationally renowned

Great Jones Repertory Company The Great Jones Repertory Company is the Repertory Company of La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in the East Village of Manhattan, New York City. The company is named after Great Jones Street, where La MaMa's rehearsal building is located. As descr ...

of La MaMa, E.T.C. since 2003, he is currently on the voice faculty at the

, San Germán campus. He is a member of the early music ensemble Camerata Vivace, as well as being a part of the music, art, dance, and theater fusion project known as Iluminata.

References

External links

Benjamin Marcantoni
on

Myspace Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...

Benjamin Marcantoni 2
on

Benjamin performs Bertarido's aria from Handel's Rodelinda
Operatic countertenors People from San Germán, Puerto Rico University of Nevada, Reno alumni Puerto Rican opera singers Year of birth missing (living people) Living people {{Opera-singer-stub