Placido Domingo

An Affectionate Tribute to Italian and Neapolitan songs
Italia ti amo

Three New Opera Recordings Follow Making 2006 Placido Domingo's Year

APRIL 4, 2006 - NEW YORK, NY - On January 21, 2006 Placido Domingo celebrated his 65th birthday - and 30 years after his first solo album for Deutsche Grammophon looks ahead to one of his most productive years ever. No fewer than three complete opera recordings starring Domingo will appear on Deutsche Grammophon: Wagner's Parsifal (Release date May 2006), Puccini's Edgar (August 2006) and Isaac Albéniz's Pepita Jiménez (November 2006). On April 4th, Deutsche Grammophon releases his Italia, ti amo, an Italian and Neapolitan songbook.

Hard to believe, but Plácido Domingo has waited forty years to record repertoire that would seem such a natural choice for a tenor with Mediterranean roots like his. Since Enrico Caruso, Neapolitan and Italian songs have been known for their potential for tugging the heartstrings - they consist of catchy melodies and melodramatic texts that tell about lovesickness and longing and at the same time celebrate the intensity of life and emotions.

In Italia ti amo Domingo pays homage to "the land that has given us some of the most beautiful of all melodies". It has been long overdue for Domingo to turn his attention to Neapolitan and other Italian songs. "I love the dynamism, the emotionality and the exuberance of these songs." Alongside some discoveries, Domingo has also recorded classics like "Core 'ngrato" - the only song on the CD that he's released before: that, in fact, was on his very first solo recording for Deutsche Grammophon, made 30 years ago. He understands the fine line that separates performing large-scale operas and small-scale songs, as did his great predecessor Enrico Caruso. For both, every kind of singing was and is always a matter of serious art.

"Italia, ti amo" is a declaration of love - and further evidence of the versatility of this incomparable artist, who is equally at home in Wagner and zarzuela, Puccini's lyricism, Spanish opera and the life-affirming Italian sunshine.

Check the ePlayer to Play demo songs from Italia ti Amo

Plácido Domingo has a series of high profile engagements this spring with both the Los Angeles Opera and Washington National Opera for whom he serves as Artistic Director. He will also reprise his acclaimed role as the title character in Alfano's Cyrano de Bergerac at the Metropolitan Opera. This fall, he returns to the US for singing and conducting engagements in Los Angeles, Washington DC and at the Metropolitan Opera where he will take part in the premiere of composer Tan Dun's new opera First Emperor (complete dates below).

Placido Domingo on Tour

March 8,11,16 Metropolitan Opera Alfano: Cyrano de Bergerac
March 19 Washington Opera 50th Anniversary Gala-Concert
April 19 Los Angeles Gala-Concert
Mai 20 Metropolitan Opera Gala Concert in honour of Joseph Volpe
September 9 Washington Opera Gala Concert
September 16 Costa Mesa, Segerstrom Hall Concert
September 30 Los Angeles Opera Massenet: Manon October 5, Conducting
October 7 Costa Mesa, Segerstrom Hall Wagner: Die Walküre
October 8,11,15,18 Los Angeles Opera Massenet: Manon 21 Conducting
November 4, 7, 11, Washington Opera Puccini: Madame Butterfly 12 Conducting
November 18,22,25 Metropolitan Opera Puccini: La bohème
December 1, 5 Conducting
December 21,27,30, Metropolitan Opera Tan Dun: First Emperor