MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Vittorio Grigolo - The Italian Tenor

Vittorio Grigolo was born in Arezzo, Tuscany and grew up in Rome. A soloist in the celebrated Sistine Chapel Choir as a child, he appeared at the Rome Opera as the Pastorello in "Tosca" opposite the great Luciano Pavarotti when only 13 years old. He has since gone on to conquer the world's major opera houses and festivals, collaborating with outstanding singers and today's greatest conductors including Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, Antonio Pappano, Riccardo Chailly, Lorin Maazel and Daniel Oren. His natural charisma and outstanding dramatic abilities complement a voice that possesses all the unique attributes of the Italian tenor: beautiful tone, effortless production and stylish phrasing, qualities which are fully displayed on this album.

"Now and then there are hints of another great Italian-style tenor, the stylish Alfredo Kraus. It's there in the hushed tone Grigolo adopts for the 'Favorita del re!...Spirto gentil' from La Favorita and Manrico's elegant swagger in the cabaletta 'Di quella pira'." BBC Music