Dear Michelle:
Michelle wrote (among other things) that she doesn't like countertenors, and that "it leaves me cold watching men pretend to be women".
Just a few quick thoughts - I'm not a countertenor so I'll defer to others.
Especially with a long message like yours, some paragraph spacing helps readability!
I think everyone is entitled to their own taste. But I think it is a mistake to lump "countertenors" into a single group - you might generally dislike them but there is quite a variety of sound out there, so be open!
I don't think being a countertenor is strongly connected to sexuality - for some men it happens to be their best and most natural voice. I also don't think countertenors are trying to be women - many of the characters they portray (such as Julius Cesar) are men.
Lastly, as has been mentioned, in other areas of music (rock, gospel, barbershop, etc.) voices that are not "classical" but could be called countertenor are common - does your bias against higher male voices include these styles also?
Cheers,
Michael Gordon
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