Roberto Alagna: The Sicilian

While researching Sicilian folk music online, we came across some videos of a French tenor named Roberto Alagna singing songs from an album he recorded called The Sicilian. Intrigued, we looked up his background and discovered that he was born to Sicilian parents in France. Apparently, this album is his tribute to his family and heritage.

Roberto's story reads like a fairy tale. As a small boy in Paris, he sat mesmerized listening to his father, uncle and visiting family members sing traditional Sicilian songs after Sunday lunch; this inspired him to pursue a career as a singer. At 24 years old, he approached Luciano Pavarotti when the latter was signing autographs in a French department store, and walked away with an invitation to audition. He won the Pavarotti Competition in Philadelphia and was on his way. Over the course of a brilliant career, Roberto has performed in all of the great opera houses around the world, and won numerous awards and accolades.