Music lovers all over the US received an early Christmas gift last October when Alessandro Safina, renowned operatic tenor, who has become a household name around the world thanks to his passionate and soulful pop opera performances, announced his 2019 American Tour.
Four dates that, in the month of April, will touch both the East and the West coast of the United States: San Jose, CA, on the 4th; Los Angeles, CA, on the 7th; New York, NY, on the 9th; Miami, FL, on the 11th.
Safina, a classically trained singer, managed to successfully crossover to the world of pop opera and performed with the greatest names of music, including Elton John, Cher, Jennifer Lopez and Andrea Bocelli. Among his fans, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Nicole Kidman, Chrissie Hynde (with whom he also sang) and, it is rumored, even Queen Elizabeth II.
In the US, the wider public became familiar with him for his rendition of Elton John’s Your Song, which he performed with actor Ewan McGregor for the Moulin Rouge soundtrack.
L’Italo-Americano had the pleasure to have a virtual chat with the Maestro, to whom we asked about his beginnings, his love for Enrico Caruso and what we should expect from his upcoming US tour.
“I’ve breathed music since I was born” says Alessandro Safina to l’Italo-Americano © Alessandro Safina
Maestro, tell us how your love for singing and the world of opera was born.
Let’s say that I’ve breathed opera music and bel canto since my childhood. As my father was a classical singer – he was a bass- we’ve always listened to lyrical music, so I grew up with this genre in my parental home.
In addition, the great baritone Ettore Bastianini, who came from my hometown of Siena and was famous all over the world, soon became my idol. Unfortunately, he died too young but, despite his very short career, he was an incredibly loved artist.
My dream was to become a baritone like Ettore, so I began studying music with this great aspiration.
The Espinola band will support Safina throughout his US tour, in April © Alessandro Safina
You are a classically trained tenor, who has been performing with success both in the operatic and pop genre: what differences have you encountered between these two worlds, different sides of the same coin?
Yes, I actually started my career as a lyrical singer, a tenor. I performed La Bohème, La Traviata, L’Elisir d’Amore… in short, the classical repertory.
But then, in 1999, a producer sent me some songs and – despite all my theatre friends and colleagues discouraging me – I wanted to give it a try. This is how I approached the beloved genre of crossover, or pop opera.
In these songs I’ve seen the opportunity to experience a new genre. Given the facts, I think it has been a good intuition.
L’Italo-Americano had the pleasure to have a virtual chat with the Maestro, to whom we asked about his beginnings, his love for Enrico Caruso and what we should expect from his upcoming US tour © Alessandro Safina
Opera is one of Italy’s most beautiful gifts to the world, a gift which is probably not enough known by the wider public, especially among the younger generations: do you feel your work has been helping in making it more accessible?
Certainly, lyrical opera has lost the character of popular music that it had back in the days, until the 50s and 60s. Before those years, lyrical singers were real stars. Now opera has become music for only a few, niche music, although it is recognized to be the Italian music genre that has imposed itself all over the world.
I believe and I’m convinced that, through crossover music, many young people are re-discovering this great tradition people have been neglecting. A tradition that has made Italy famous all over the world.
In this sense Pavarotti and Bocelli certainly have helped a lot and I do hope I’m contributing to this result and purpose as well.
You mentioned to be particularly keen on the work and figure of Enrico Caruso: tell us more about it.
Caruso was the most beautiful voice of all times and his greatness is still here with us today, because of the way he influenced singing and singing style.
When we realize he had his career during the late 1800s and early 1900s, we understand his extraordinary role, his instinct and his unicity. If you listen to his colleagues, to the singers of that time, you’ll be amazed by how impressing and different he was, by the profound and innovative way this legendary, unreachable and inimitable artist sang.
Do you have any special memory related to performing in the US or with US artists?
I have many great memories of the USA, first of all those of a training and study session in New York with the great tenor Franco Corelli.
Another very special moment was the day I recorded Your Song with Elton John in New York and, subsequently, my performance at Radio City Hall.
I also remember a wonderful promotion, organized by Interscope, where I met many artists and which gave me the opportunity to appear in important TV shows; really relevant experiences that helped me become, more and more, an international artist.
What are you looking forward the most about touring the US and what we should expect from your concerts in collaboration by the Victor Espinola Band, in April 2019?
I’m impatiently looking forward to this new tour. I hope to make myself more known and appreciated by American audiences with a repertory that will include some of my hits, like Luna, but also Italian and American classics, like Moon River and My Way, and obviously some Neapolitan songs which are loved all over the world, including the USA.
I’m sure that, with Victor Espinola and his band, it will be a fantastic – and I hope, long lasting – collaboration.
And finally, if you had to make the ultimate playlist, which piece, classical or modern, you couldn’t leave out?
The music styles I like are so various that I’m not even capable to answer this question. The playlist could change any day, any moment and as it would depend on my state of mind.
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