Kendrick Jacocks

Kendrick Jacocks (dramatic tenor, writer, pedagogue born 1971) is one of America's promising singers. Through the guidance of legendary teacher of bel canto, Virginia Zeani, Jacocks developed a large wide ranged tenor voice, which he uses with deep feeling and astute dramatic sensibility. The tenor has also studied with Mignon Dunn and the late Charles Riecker, both long time members of the Metropolitan Opera. Jacocks studied the operas of Richard Wagner with Roberta Knie, a Wagnerian soprano, particularly successful as Isolde in Tristan und Isolde. In 2005, Jacocks sang Verdi's Otello with Opera Donetsk, Ukraine and at the major summer festivals of Spain, including the Municipals of Torremolinos and Don Rodrigo. In 2007, he created the role of Giuseppe Verdi's Otello in Strangers, an opera collage by Janka Voigt (dramaturgie at Oper Wiesbaden) and Florian Lutz, presented in Berlin, Germany at the famous Art Deco styled Hebbel-Theater - 1. His roles include Radames in Aida, Manrico in Il Trovatore, Herod in Salome, Otello and ''Siegfried."

Bel Canto and The Ancient Method

Kendrick Jacocks is the author of Bel Canto: a Professional Manual -- Immediate and Practical ^{ISBN 9781425976699}, and Anatomy of Bel Canto: Stroke of the Mask (coup de masque), Chest Support, and Proof for the Ancient vocal method ^{ISBN 9781434312365} both published by AuthorHouse. The former manual somatically explains the ancient method of 'bel canto' technique in a non-technical and practical style; the latter provides anatomical proof for his statements on the practice of Bel Canto technique. He is the first known author to elucidate the significance of the Ancient Vocal Method in relation to Bel Canto. Both sources are widely available online and in select outlet stores.

Quotation: On national opera traditions

Being a lover of operatic tradition, my beginnings could not have been better. In Spain, they love the bel canto tradition; they want the high notes to be held long and beautifully sustained. In the Ukraine, there is a wonderful appreciation for dramatic action and the "soloisti" or ensemble still exists as it did before the second world war. Unions, activists, forums, etc... do not exist; only work. In preparation for Otello, I worked so hard that I would be disoriented. My voice was stronger than ever, but my body was tired. The productions are all very traditional and rather glamorous, but from this no-nonsense approach one gets the feeling that true artists are created and emerge thoroughly prepared and experienced.

External links

2 website in German