Well Deirdre, if it's the Verdi, that should warm anybody up.   Doesn't he talk about "in flammis"? It's a hot piece--lots of writhing, threatening people with "Dies Irae", pits to fall into, etc, as I recall.

Re: tenors: My only problem is that there seem to be very few of them--and they're really busy. Actually, as the saying goes, some of my best friends are tenors--and altos, sopranos, and basses. I did ask a tenor to come to my SATB caroling and he told me he'd been reserved a year in advance for that date.. So I reserved him for this coming December. I did find two who were willing to come. (But one says he is now a baritone).

In fact I got drafted to sing tenor myself in a Telemann piece--one in a never-ending series of "Telemannsters"-- by the leader of my old madrigal group.   He had been asked to re-write the music to raise the tenor part so a former alto could do it. She said it was too high, so he re-wrote it again lower. Then she had to have an operation so she couldn't make it to the service where it was to be performed. So he called me.   I sure don't have a tenor voice--but I have a strong falsetto and can carry the part.   He said it came out fine. But that was a small group.

And my "tenor" who had come for the caroling was a baritone for this year's "Telemannster".   So it was virtual role reversal.

I actually find my voice has sunk. Low E's and D's are much easier than ever.   So it's only the falsetto that gives me any kind of decent range. God bless the Beach Boys.