Rolando Villazón FELIZ NAVIDAD

Rolando Villazón is one of the music world’s most critically acclaimed and beloved stars and one of the leading tenors of our day. This is his first Christmas album on Deutsche Grammophon with all famous hits and fantastic collaborators!

The star tenor follows a critically acclaimed Deutsche Grammophon recording of Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito with his first Christmas album for the Yellow Label. Feliz Navidad extends the great tradition of seasonal albums by Fritz Wunderlich, Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo and Bryn Terfel.

Villazón records famous Christmas classics in each of his five languages, including White Christmas, O Tannenbaum, Tu scendi dalle stelle, Petit Papa Noël and Los peces en el río. Heart-warming tracks include duets with German singer-songwriter Sasha and French pop star Julie Zenatti.

Rolando Villazón preserves the seasonal spirit in his latest album for Deutsche Grammophon. Feliz Navidad offers a snapshot of the songs and carols that have shaped the Franco-Mexican tenor’s fondness for the Christmas spirit. He has chosen pieces in the five languages in which he is fluent and from the cultures with which he has a close affinity. They reflect both his personal story and the universal message of Christmas, a time for empathy and community, for family and friends, and for opening our hearts and minds to those in need.

Joseph Calleja / Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana / Ramón Tebar VERDI

Joseph Calleja, one of the world’s leading tenors, returns with his new album, Verdi. The album sees Calleja explore the light and dark in Verdi’s heroic tenor roles and features guest appearances from soprano Angela Gheorghiu and baritone Vittorio Vitelli.

Verdi has a special place in Calleja’s heart, having made his debut as Macduff in Verdi’s Macbeth when he was just 19. Verdi is his first new album in six years with his last solo album Amore having been released in 2013 along with his recording of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra. This latest album marks a significant step into the Verdi repertoire for Calleja as he tackles new roles that he has yet to play on stage.

Among the arias on the new album are “Di quella pira” and “Ah! Si, ben mio…” from Il Trovatore, “Già nella notte densa” from Otello, and “Celeste Aida” from the opening scene of Verdi’s Egyptian opera. Each of the roles on this album celebrate the tenore robusto as the voice-type of an operatic hero and showcase Calleja’s powerful voice.

Calleja’s new album also reflects his flourishing live career. He is a regular performer at the world’s leading opera houses and will be performing in London for a month in the new year to sing Puccini’s Tosca at the Royal Opera House (January 15 – February 7) before heading to Berlin, Monte Carlo and Munich.

Born in Malta in 1978, Joseph Calleja began singing at the age of 16, first in his church choir and then in formal training with Maltese tenor Paul Asciak. One of his native land’s biggest celebrities, Calleja was selected to serve as Malta’s first cultural ambassador in 2012 and earlier this year he was named a brand ambassador for Air Malta. Calleja recently teamed up with Malta’s Bank of Valletta to form the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation which will serve to help children and families in need. Calleja is also the recipient of the 2014 International Opera Awards’ Readers’ Award.