The Two Tenors story began in 1993 when tenor Barry Craft was settling down into his favorite chair
with a diet soda and popcorn to watch the television program "Pavarotti and Friends." Having been chosen
by Mr. Pavarotti to be one of the few participants in his very first vocal competition in 1980, Barry
chuckled to himself that he wasn't one of Mr. Pavarotti's "friends" on that particular evening.
Pavarotti has always been a person "of the people" and on his Pavarotti and Friends program he performed
with the British rock singer Sting. Barry was amazed that the two singers gave a moving performance of
Cesar Franck's Panis Angelicus, certainly not a song associated with Sting. While observing these two
world-renowned artists perform together using drastically different musical styles, Barry had an idea.
What about having two singers with different backgrounds and styles, one traditional and
and one not-so-traditional, performing a sacred concert together?
Around the same time, churches were caught up in what Barry now lovingly calls the "church music wars."
That is to say, traditional versus contemporary worship styles. Many churches have disintegrated during
this time period not because of theological differences, but because of a difference of opinion about music.
The Two Tenors concert proves that both styles of worship can co-exist and can still tell the Christian
message regardless of the musical style.
And why does Barry lovingly call them the "church music wars"? It's very simple. The "church music wars"
have given the Two Tenors steady work for over thirteen years.
During many concert engagements, The Two Tenors recreate the Pavarotti and Sting version of Panis Angelicus.