Alfie Boe
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| Alfie Boe | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1973 |
| Origin | Fleetwood, Lancashire, England |
| Genre(s) | Classical crossover, Operatic pop |
| Instrument(s) | vocals |
| Voice type(s) | Tenor |
| Years active | 2006-present |
| Label(s) | EMI Classics |
| Website | Alfie Boe |
Alfred Giovanni Roncalli Boe, known as Alfie Boe, (born 1973 in Fleetwood, Lancashire) is an English tenor.
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[edit] Background
Boe, the youngest in a family of nine children,[1] attended St Wulstan's and St Edmunds school[2] and Cardinal Allen Roman Catholic High School in Fleetwood.[citation needed] His earliest musical memories were of listening to his father's Richard Tauber records and at the age of 11 he discovered Puccini's La boheme for the first time.[citation needed]
At the age of 17, Boe became an apprentice mechanic at the TVR factory in Bispham, Blackpool.[3] He enjoyed entertaining his colleagues by singing opera arias while he polished the cars, and one day was overheard by a client who was so impressed, he suggested Boe should go to London and audition for the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. His audition was a success and he gave up polishing cars to embark on a singing career.[3]
[edit] Singing career
Boe moved to London and studied singing at the Royal College of Music, the National Opera Studio and the Royal Opera House’s Villar Young Artists Programme. Baz Luhrmann, who had spent two years looking for the lead for his Broadway production of La boheme, approached Boe for the role. Boe went on to win a Tony Award for his performances.[3]
In 2006, Boe was signed to the Classic FM Presents label as their first signing in a new venture for the radio station and his album, Classic FM Presents Alfie Boe[4] reached number three in the UK classical chart.[3] In November 2006 he was signed to the EMI Classics label[3] and his first album on that label, Onward, was released in March 2007.
Boe toured the United Kingdom (UK) with the Fron Male Voice Choir in February 2007 and took part in the first Classic FM webcast concert with soprano Natasha Marsh in March. The same month he was appointed as an ambassador of The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation, a British educational charity working to inspire and educate children by introducing them to the arts. Boe's role being to bring music, and opera in particular to like for those children involved.[1]
In April, he starred alongside Lesley Garrett and Willard White in the ITV Music of Morse concert at the Royal Albert Hall.[5] His was nominated for a |Classical BRIT for Best Album,[6] missing out to Paul McCartney at the ceremony 0n 3 May.[5][7]
He also performed alongside Michael Ball in the English National Opera production of Kismet.[5] His live performance of the song Stranger in Paradise from Kismet on the Michael Parkinson show was released as a digital download single on 25 June. In August he realised an ambition to record an album of Neopolitan songs which was released in November under the title La Passione.[5] On 24 August he performed at the Arundel Festival alongside Natasha Marsh.[8][9] On 19 October he performed at Canterbury Cathedral during the Canterbury Festival.[10] He performed at the annual Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on 10 November.[11]
On 31 January 2008 he performed at the Pleasure Beach Arena, Blackpool to over 1,600 local children, in a special Music Quest concert to help introduce the classics to a new generation and to celebrate the end of the Music Quest three year project which was sponsored by The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation and Classic FM MusicMakers.[2]
[edit] Discography
- Classic FM Presents Alfie Boe (Classic FM, 2006)
- Onward" (EMI Classics, 2007)
- A Living Prayer / Abide With Me (EMI Classics, 2007 - digital download single)
- Stranger in Paradise (Live) / You'll Never Walk Alone (EMI Classics, 2007 - digital download single)
- Live at Abbey Road - The Napster Sessions (Napster exclusive / EMI Classics 2007)
- La Passione (EMI Classics, 2007)
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Royal honour for Fleetwood opera star", Blackpool Gazette, 2007-03-15. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ a b Ettridge, Lisa. "Fylde-born star gets hero's welcome", Blackpool Gazette, 2008-01-31. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ a b c d e "Superstar hope for Fleetwood tenor", Blackpool Gazette, 2006-11-18. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ "Star Alfie dreaming of a chart success", Blackpool Gazette, 2006-09-08. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ a b c d Duke, Robin. "Another string to his Boe", Blackpool Gazette, 2007-10-08. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ "Sting on Classical Brit shortlist", BBC, 2007-04-02. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ "McCartney scoops Classical Brit", BBC, 2007-05-04. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Arundel Festival events at the castle. Arundel Festival (2007). Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ "Arundel Festival!", BBC, 2007-07-03. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ "Check out this year's Canterbury Festival!", BBC, 2007-08-22. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Halstead, Tom. "Alfie's in demand at Royal Albert Hall", Blackpool Gazette, 2007-11-06. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
