On the other hand, Bel Canto has always inherently been all about glamour, glitter and great melodies and Juan Diego Florez feels perfectly at home in all of them. With his schedule fully booked until 2015 (!), the tenor has kept the promises others have given on his behalf that we could be dealing with one of the most talented operatic singers of the next decades here. This impression is certainly mirrored by the impressive cast of collaborators that has turned up for “Bel Canto Spectacular”: Next to the aforementioned stars, Polish Bariton Mariusz Kwiecien and Mezzo Daniela Barcellona also did not have to think twice to accept his invitation.

The result is a “Best Of” collection in every sense of the word. “The recording sessions for Bel Canto Spectacular were a real pleasure”, Juan Diego Florez said, “simply because they brought together some of the best artists of today. And I’m not talking about myself here! It was a wonderful chance being able to hear them all on one CD. It makes me proud that I’m singing with great singers, great colleagues and great friends here.” The tenor stressed the special role of the singer n Bel Canto, because, as he put it, the orchestra was of a minor importance: “It’s about agility and high notes – there’s lots of them in Bel Canto, especially for the Tenor and Soprano. You also need a lot of expressiveness (...), because it’s all up to yourself. And then, there’s the issue of communication, the message the music needs to get across.”

In a short video shot by record company Decca Classics and available from their website, Juan Diego Florez explains the historical background to “Bel Canto” and provides some information on the recording process that lead up to “Bel Canto Spectacular”.

Homepage: Juan Diego Florez
Homepage: Decca Classics