Derek Lee Ragin
Encyclopedia
Derek Lee Ragin is an American
countertenor
.
Ragin studied as a piano major at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. While at Oberlin he took secondary voice lessons with Richard Anderson. He began his operatic career at Oberlin in Benjamin Britten
's A Midsummer Night's Dream
as Oberon. After Oberlin, He worked with singer Max van Egmond
for a summer session at BPI
and went to Europe to pursue his career in Baroque opera.
For the soundtrack of the 1994
film Farinelli
, his voice was electronically blended with that of soprano Ewa Malas-Godlewska
to recreate the famous castrato
's voice.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
countertenor
Countertenor
A countertenor is a male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of a contralto, mezzo-soprano, or a soprano, usually through use of falsetto, or far more rarely than normal, modal voice. A pre-pubescent male who has this ability is called a treble...
.
Ragin studied as a piano major at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. While at Oberlin he took secondary voice lessons with Richard Anderson. He began his operatic career at Oberlin in Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
's A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream (opera)
A Midsummer Night's Dream is an opera with music by Benjamin Britten and set to a libretto adapted by the composer and Peter Pears from William Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream...
as Oberon. After Oberlin, He worked with singer Max van Egmond
Max van Egmond
Max van Egmond is a Dutch bass and baritone singer. He has focused on oratorio and Lied and is known for singing works of Johann Sebastian Bach.- Professional career :...
for a summer session at BPI
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
and went to Europe to pursue his career in Baroque opera.
For the soundtrack of the 1994
1994 in film
1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
film Farinelli
Farinelli (film)
Farinelli is a 1994 biographical film about the life and career of the Italian opera singer Farinelli, considered one of the greatest castrato singers of all time...
, his voice was electronically blended with that of soprano Ewa Malas-Godlewska
Ewa Malas-Godlewska
Ewa Małas-Godlewska is a Polish Soprano, residing in France. Her voice is a Lyric coloratura soprano.Malas is an accomplished opera singer, graduated from the Wroclaw PWSM. Malas is noted for her unique interpretation of Baroque music.Of all her many appearances, the most obvious one is her...
to recreate the famous castrato
Castrato
A castrato is a man with a singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto voice produced either by castration of the singer before puberty or one who, because of an endocrinological condition, never reaches sexual maturity.Castration before puberty prevents a boy's...
's voice.