I checked out the info on Paul Potts' first CD on Amazon, listened to the sample cuts (about 30" each), read a batch of the many reviews, and came away fearing a bit for his fate.

As at least one reviewer remarked, it's obvious that this CD was rushed into production in order to take advantage of Potts' sudden notoriety, which is laden with enthusiasm and good wishes for the "little guy" getting a chance to live out his dream. But let's hope that dream doesn't turn into a nightmare or crumble into dust. He is simply not ready to begin making CDs yet!

I mentioned above that I noticed some vocal flaws in his singing, and judging from the reviews, I was not the only one. His voice has that beautiful, clear, silvery quality to it that every tenor with operatic aspirations wishes he had, but not all that many tenors are so gifted. But Potts is a bit inconsistent. Sometimes his voice, especially in some of his higher notes, sounds thin and forced, when those same notes somewhere else in the song are full and round. This, I think, is a problem in breath support. Also, he tends to wander off pitch from time to time, or his voice wavers in a somewhat uncontrolled vibrato. Also a matter of breath support.

These are not fatal flaws. Obviously he has had voice lessons. But he needs more, with a teacher who will not only help him correct his inconsistencies in breath support, but coach him in both interpretation (his Amapola drags something fierce!) and diction (a tendency to over-pronounce, especially his Italian).

There are two factors (at least) in making a great opera singer. One is the voice. That's the vocal equipment you are born with (or a "God-given gift," if you will). You either have it or you don't. Many people have great voices, but not necessarily great for opera (as I have said many times on this forum, taking singing lessons will not make you sound like an opera singer; many aspiring opera singers wish it was that easy!). Sheer volume is one part of it. Paul Potts has it. He has the voice to be an opera singer.

The other part is musicianship. How well one can play that voice. And that's what Potts needs to work on. To have help with.

Mario Lanza was turned into a money-factory before he had learned to play his instrument well, so, famous as he was, he never realized anywhere near his full artistic potential. And one singer I worry about is Charlotte Church. She sang her first full-blown concert (which was telecast) at the age of thirteen. She was rushed into recording and concert tours right away, before her brand-new voice, with tremendous potential, had a chance to settle in. A money-factory! Where is she now? I don't know. I haven't heard anything about her for a couple of years. Still singing? Or did she burn out at the age of eighteen?

No, Potts' first CD is patently premature, recorded and issued before he's had a chance to develop artistically. He said he wanted to sing opera. But there is only one operatic aria on the CD—Nessun Dorma. That's the only operatic aria I've heard him sing. How many does he actually know? Can't tell from the CD. There is some beautiful stuff on it, fairly well sung (not as well, I'm afraid, as he could have done it had it not been such a rush job), but only the one operatic aria. I'm sure it will sell many copies and make a lot of money for a lot of people. But—

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. His is too good a talent to go down the tubes.

Don Firth