The Impossible Dream

The term Irish tenor may be fraught with as many wrong-headed, anachronistic characterizations as any phrase in music. But Ronan Tynan not only returns here to the PBS airwaves that helped spread his fame as a member of the Irish Tenors trio, but he overturns a few clichés while delivering a live concert (recorded at the Royal Dublin Society in June 2002) that encompasses everything from Broadway and pop chestnuts to Italian operatic repertoire. Tynan rewards Irish traditions old and new (a medley of Brian Kennedy's and U2's "Life, Love & Happiness"/"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For") and even makes left turns into folkie songstress territory (Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now," Sarah McLachlan's "Angel"). Backed by RTE Orchestra, the unlikely international star invests himself completely in all of it, his strong, crystalline voice playing off the traditions, while forging strong new bonds with the contemporary. --Jerry McCulley