Second Cup Café: David Daniels

David Daniels is considered one of the world's best operatic countertenors. Hailing from South Carolina, he was the first countertenor (the highest range in the male voice) ever to give a recital on the main stage of Carnegie Hall.

His new album, "A Quiet Thing," pairs him with Australian guitarist Craig Ogden. Daniels stopped by The Saturday Early Show's Second Cup Café to perform a few songs from the new CD.

"A Quiet Thing" contains a mix of popular and lesser-known songs drawn from different centuries, countries and traditions. On his Web site (www.danielssings.com), Daniels explains that he wanted to continue expanding his repertoire outside of the music that's normally associated with the countertenor voice, and perform songs that might appeal to more mainstream audiences.

So, Daniels chose songs that are special to him. The music, he says, deals with issues and feelings that are part of people's everyday lives.

Daniels was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the son of two singing teachers. He began to sing as a boy soprano, moving to tenor as his voice matured, then went on to earn an undergraduate degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Dissatisfied with his achievements as a tenor, Daniels switched to the countertenor range during graduate studies at the University of Michigan.

His debut disc was "Handel: Opera Arias" conducted by Sir Roger Norrington, followed by "Sento Amor," "Serenade" and other works. Daniels's recording of Handel's "Rinaldo" received a Gramophone Editor's Choice Album of the Year award in 2002. Daniels has won other prestigious awards, including Musical America's Vocalist of the Year in 1999 and the Richard Tucker Foundation Award in 1997.