Alessandro Safina, Sumi Jo

Classical and pop crossover operatic tenor Alessandro Safina was born in Siena, Italy on October 14, 1963. At the age of 9, he began to study music, attending a music academy at the age of 12. Five years later, he was accepted into the Conservatorio di Musica ‘Luigi Cherubini’ in Florence, Italy. Alessandro Safina first came to prominence in 1989 when he won the Concorso Lirico Internazionale (in Manatova, Italy), which led to his opera debut in 1990. He spent most of the 1990s performing at many of the world’s most prestigious venues including London, England’s Babican and the Teatro Bibiena in Montova, Italy. Also influenced by modern rock artists like U2, the Clash, Depeche Mode, and Genesis, he started recording music that brought opera and pop music together. He released his ‘opera rock’ debut album, Insieme A Te, in 1999. Alessandro Safina made his commercial breakthrough in November 2000 when he performed at The Night of the Proms in the Netherlands. After the well-received performance, Insieme A Te was released in over 30 countries, making him an international star. The album contained the international hit “Luna”. In 2001, he performed a cover version of Elton John’s “Your Song” with actor Ewan McGregor on the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge. In July 2002, Alessandro Safina received the Mario Lanza trophy, as a worldwide ambassador of Italy’s ‘Musica Lyrica’. In September 200, he released the critically acclaimed album Musica Di Te, which featured the London Chamber Orchestra and guitar icon Carlos Santana. Alessandro Safina’s 2007 album Sognami was another hit and included his unique versions of John Denver’s “Annie’s Song” and Charles Aznavour’s “Les Visages De L’amour”. On the album, he performs 13 songs in 5 different languages: Italian, English, Spanish, French and even some Turkish. A busy personal life and many international performances meant that it took another seven years before he released his next album, Dedicated (2014).