Choral singing has long had a gender-bending history, but women singing tenor is a recent phenomenon. (Chris Maddaloni / CQ Roll Call via Getty Images) When I was 18 years old, I wanted to sing tenor.

JOSEPH: Male, Tenor – Eleventh and favorite son of Jacob. Confident and charming. Vocally strong. 20 – 40. NARRATOR: Male or Female, Tenor or Soprano – The audience’s guide through the story. The ...

“Don’t you know that a tenor is a being apart, who holds the power of life and death over the works he sings, over the composers and consequently over poor devils of players . . . He is not a denizen ...