Roberto Alagna | |
|---|---|
 Roberto Alagna in 2004 | |
| Born | (1963-06-07)7 June 1963 (age 62)[1] Clichy-sous-Bois,Seine-Saint-Denis, France |
| Citizenship |
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| Occupation | Opera singer (tenor) |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Spouses | |
Roberto Alagna (Italian pronunciation:[roˈbɛrtoaˈlaɲɲa]; born 7 June 1963) is a French operatictenor. He obtained French citizenship in 1981, while also retaining his previous Italian citizenship.[2]
Alagna was born inClichy-sous-Bois, outside the city of Paris, in 1963 to a family ofSicilian immigrants. As a teenager, the young Alagna began busking and singing pop in Parisiancabarets,[3] mostly for tips.[4] Influenced primarily by the films ofMario Lanza and learning from recordings of many historic tenors, he then switched to opera, but remained largely self-taught.[5][6] He was discovered byGabriel Dussurget, the co-founder of theAix-en-Provence Festival.[7] He had performed frequently with Romanian sopranoAngela Gheorghiu, whom he first met in 1992 and married in 1996, in concerts and opera productions until their eventual divorce in 2013.
After winning theLuciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition, an initiative backed by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, that started inModena in 1988, Alagna made his professional debut as Alfredo Germont inLa traviata with theGlyndebourne touring company.[8] This led to many engagements throughout the smaller cities in France and Italy, mainly again as Alfredo, a role he would eventually sing over 150 times. His reputation grew and he was soon invited to sing at major theatres such asLa Scala in 1990,Covent Garden in 1992 and theMetropolitan Opera asRodolfo in 1996. His performances of Roméo inRoméo et Juliette byCharles Gounod at Covent Garden in 1994 (oppositeLeontina Vaduva) catapulted him to international stardom.[9]
Alagna opened the 2006/07 season at La Scala on 7 December 2006 in the new production ofAida byFranco Zeffirelli. During the second performance on 10 December, Alagna, whose opening performance was considered ill-at-ease, was booed and whistled from theloggione (the least expensive seats at the very back of La Scala), and he walked off the stage. The tenor's reaction to his public criticism was denounced as immature and unprofessional by La Scala management and Zeffirelli, who said, "A professional should never behave in this way. Alagna is too sensitive, it is too easy to hurt his feelings. He does not know how to act like a true star."[10] The role of Radames was taken over successfully for the rest of the performance by hisunderstudyAntonello Palombi, who entered on stage wearing jeans and a black shirt.[11]
In 2007 while at the Metropolitan Opera singing the role of Pinkerton inMadama Butterfly, Alagna replaced the indisposed tenorRolando Villazón as Romeo inRoméo et Juliette opposite sopranoAnna Netrebko for two performances in September and two performances in December. Alagna was also engaged by the Metropolitan Opera at the last minute to cover for the indisposed Marco Berti in a 16 October 2007 performance ofAida. After the performance, the audience gave him a standing ovation.[12] The 15 December performance ofRoméo et Juliette starring Alagna and Netrebko was broadcast by the Met into 447 theatres worldwide in high definition and seen by about 97,000 people.[13]
In recent years, Alagna has been an advocate of restoring to prominence neglected French operas –Alfano'sCyrano de Bergerac,Massenet'sLe jongleur de Notre-Dame,Lalo'sFiesque, and new works –Vladimir Cosma'sMarius et Fanny and his brotherDavid Alagna'sLe dernier jour d'un condamné. He has also recorded light music with an homage album toLuis Mariano,Sicilien, andPasión.
Alagna was scheduled to make his debut at theBayreuth Festival on opening day, 25 July 2018, in the title role of a new production ofRichard Wagner'sLohengrin. Alagna withdrew from the festival on 29 June 2018 citing failure to learn the role in time.[14]
Alagna's first wife, Florence Lancien, died of a brain tumour in 1994; they had one daughter, Ornella, who was born in 1992. In 1996, he married RomaniansopranoAngela Gheorghiu,[15] having met her in 1992 in the LondonBohème production.[16] The couple announced a divorce in 2009, but had reunited by 2011. However, in January 2013, the couple mutually agreed on a formal divorce.[17] Alagna and Polish sopranoAleksandra Kurzak had begun a relationship, and their daughter, Malena, was born on 29 January 2014.[18] Alagna and Kurzak married in 2015.[19]
Alagna has worked together on several projects with his brothers Frédérico Alagna and the stage director and composerDavid Alagna. The three brothers recorded an album of light music,Serenades, and worked together on the younger brother David's opera based onVictor Hugo'sThe Last Day of a Condemned Man. Alagna has often sung Alfano's Cyrano opposite his sister-in-lawNathalie Manfrino as Roxane.
The government of France named Alagna Chevalier of theLégion d'honneur in 2008.[20]
| Year | Album | Credits | Charts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Wa) [21] | FRA | SPA | SWI | MEX | |||
| 1996 | Chants sacrés | — | 19 | — | — | — | |
| 2001 | Puccini: Tosca | Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna andRuggero Raimondi | — | 89 | — | — | — |
| 2002 | Donizetti: Lucie de Lammermoor | Natalie Dessay, Roberto Alagna,Ludovic Tézier andEvelino Pidò | — | 150 | — | — | — |
| 2003 | Bizet: Carmen | Gheorghiu & Alagna | — | 59 | — | — | — |
| 2005 | Chante Luis Mariano | 14 | 4 | — | 89 | — | |
| 2006 | Tenor | 86 | 40 | — | — | — | |
| Viva Opéra! | 29 | 43 | — | — | — | ||
| 2007 | Credo – Airs sacrés | 56 | 18 | — | — | — | |
| 2008 | Sicilien | 4 | 2 | — | 71 | — | |
| 2009 | Le jongleur de Notre-Dame | — | 198 | — | — | 94 | |
| Sicilien – Live | 72 | 56 | — | — | — | ||
| 2010 | Hommage à Luis Mariano – C'est magnifique! | 53 | 27 | — | — | — | |
| Les stars du classique | — | 191 | — | — | — | ||
| 2011 | Pasión | 5 | 4 | 34 | 100 | — | |
| 2012 | Pasión Live | — | 80 | — | — | — | |
| 2013 | Robertissimo | 24 | 11 | — | — | — | |
| 2014 | Little Italy | — | 71 | — | — | — | |
| Ma vie est un opéra | 50 | 33 | — | — | — | ||
| 2016 | Malèna | Yvan Cassar, London Orchestra & Roberto Alagna | — | 47 | — | — | — |
| 2018 | Puccini in Love | Roberto Alagna /Aleksandra Kurzak | 160 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | Caruso 1873 | Roberto Alagna | — | 40 [22] | — | — | — |
| 2020 | Robert Alagna: Essentials | Roberto Alagna | — | — | — | — | |
| 2020 | Le Chanteur | Roberto Alagna | — | — | — | — | |
| Year | Album | Charts |
|---|---|---|
| FR | ||
| 2003 | "Petit Papa Noël" | 91 |
