Carlos Mena, Countertenor

A revelation among the young generation of counter-tenors, Spanish counter-tenor Carlos Mena has been lauded for his "sensitive, intelligent performances." Born in 1971, he began specializing as a counter-tenor in master classes with Charles Brett. He made his opera debut in 1997 in the role of Orfeo in Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice” at the Teatro Guaira (Brasil) and by 2002 was singing title roles in Handel’s “Radamisto” at the Salzburger Festspiele under Martin Haselböck. In 2003 he worked with René Jacobs in productions of Monteverdi’s “L’Orfeo” (role of Speranza) for both the Innsbruck Festival and the Berlin Staatsoper. In May 2004, he sang the role of Disinganno in Handel’s “Il Trionfo” at the Salzburger Festspiele. Mena records for Decca, Accord, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Glossa, and Alia Vox. Especially noteworthy among his numerous recordings is “De Aeternitate” which won the “Diapason d`Or de l´année” as the best Baroque recital in 2002. His interpretation of “Vespro per voce sola” for Naïve with La Fenice won Telerama’s “ffff” rating. His “Et Iesum” for Harmonia Mundi won “CD Compact 2004,” the best Renaissance recital in 2004, Scherzo prize and Gramophone´s Editor´s Choice. As a soloist, he is a member of several important ensembles including Al Ayre Español, Ensemble Guilles Binchois, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Hesperion XX, and Orphenica Lyra and has been a frequent soloist with American Bach Soloists in California. In addition to performing, he teaches courses in Ancient Music at the University of Salamanca.

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