User:MARIO FRANGOULIS

Mario Frangoulis is a tenor of the 21st Century, with the ability to sing everything from a hard-rock anthem to an operatic aria ... -Backstage

''While reveling in the standing ovations New Yorkers gave him last weekend, Frangoulis ducks glib compliments, preferring honesty from observers who know his work. "I see the positive direction people are talking about in my career," he says, "but I'm trying to be realistic. It hasn't been easy. My friends help me focus." And as he travels home to Athens for summer concerts in Greece, Sony's new knight has thrown down a collegial gauntlet to his star-tenor counterparts, Warner Bros.' Josh Groban and Philips' Andrea Bocelli: "Caruso." In New York, he brought his show to a shuddering standstill with a wrenching rendition of Lucio Dalla's vaulting ballad. Frangoulis seized the song's massive, climbing refrain -- Te voglio bene assai -- and wrung desperate Pagliacci tears from it '' ....CNN  Porter Anderson

Mario Frangoulis attended London’s prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama to study acting. While at Guildhall he was discovered by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, who is referred to by the New York Times as “the most successful, influential and powerful producer of our time.” Mario immediately was chosen to play the romantic lead Marius at the Palace Theatre in London's West End in 'Les Miserables' in a musical based on the book by Victor Hugo adapted in English for the stage by Herbert Kretzmer and composed by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schoenberg.

In 1991 he played the role of Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera to great critical acclaim. He repeated the role of Marius twice, in 1993 at the Point Theatre in Dublin and once again at the Palace Theatre in the West End in 1996.

Mario discovered the operatic side of his voice in 1988 and won the Maria Callas scholarship to study opera. Juggling this newfound opportunity in opera with an emerging stage career was a challenge; nonetheless he found himself on a path to Italy to study with the world- famous Carlo Bergonzi. Upon the recommendation of one of his mentors, the legendary mezzo- soprano Marilyn Horne, Mario Frangoulis went to Rome to audition for the acclaimed tenor Alfredo Kraus, who was performing with Nicola Rescigno, Maria Callas renowned conductor of Medea in Dallas. Both were impressed. Mario became the first private student that Alfredo Kraus accepted and travelled all over the world, studying and learning while Kraus performed. This intensive daily training cultivated Frangoulis’ solid vocal technique and good high notes, both hallmarks of Kraus’ style. He continued his studies at the Julliard School of Music in New York under the guidance of Dodi Protero, solidifying his skill as a vocalist and musician. In 1993 Mario Frangoulis is one of the winners of the Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition in Philadelphia.

Despite his intensive training Frangoulis is anything but a conventional operatic singer. He won the role of Tony in West Side Story at Milan’s La Scala for the New Millenium in the year 2000.

He has appeared in films, on television, and even in epic presentations of Greek tragedies. In his native Greece, Mario has been acclaimed by critics in roles ranging from high-school hero Danny Zuko in the musical 'Grease' to Aristophanes’ The Birds featuring the songs of Manos Hadjidakis ( Oscar-winning Greek composer of Never On Sunday) in the ancient amphitheater at Epidaurus with the Karolos Koun theatre company 'Theatro Technis'. He played the role of Alfred Drake in Kiss Me Kate in the film De Lovely based on Cole Porters life, portrayed in the movie by Kevin Klein and sang 'So In Love' with Lara Fabian in 2004. This movie marked MGMs 50th Anniversary and Mario performed with Kevin Klein, Ashley Judd, Alanis Morissette, Natalie Cole and John Barrowman in Cannes to celebrate the opening of the film.

2004 was also the year of the World Olympic Games held in Athens where Mario portrayed Greece's greatest hero of ancient times Achilles in a play by Aeschilus trilogy 'Achilleiis' at the ancient greek amphitheatre in Epidaurus. Together with the role of Dionysus in Bacchae by Euripides in 2001 and Prometheus in Prometheus Bound in 2010 Mario was established as a classical actor.

In 1998 Frangoulis began his recording career with SonyMusic and signed his first international recording contract with Peter Gelb in New York with Sony Classical. His producer Peter Asher introduced him to his first Manager Miles Copeland and music producer Steve Wood.

Sometimes I Dream was number #1 and #2 on Billboard’s Classical Crossover charts for 50 weeks alongside with Andrea Bocelli. Mario made special hits 'Nights In White Satin with Justin Hayward from the Moody Blues, Hijo De La Luna by Jose-Maria Cano and Vincero,Perdero by Steve Wood. Oscar winning composer Nicola Piovani creates a song called 'Buongiorno Principessa' for Mario. Sometimes I Dream is a composition by Mario Frangoulis based on the famous Puccini aria 'E Lucevan Le Stelle' from Tosca.

Mario Frangoulis and Andrea Bocelli were the first tenors in the music business to create the genre of Classical Crossover music. Il Divo made a special mention on their first album as a tribute to Mario. Marios' hero, a brilliant tenor that influenced his career was Mario Lanza and one of his favorite movies of all time 'The Great Caruso'. Follow Your Heart, his second international album toped the charts in the USA in 2005 for 43 consecutive weeks. Alejandro Fernandez sings a duet with him called 'Hay Mas' and becomes a success in Mexico.

Mario Frangoulis is best known for his powerful and charismatic live performances. He sings in many languages and he enjoys discovering new audiences all the time. From Tokyo to Africa, from Europe to the US Mario has created standards in Classical Crossover singing by which others are compared.

He is a global ambassador for the Horatio Alger Association of distinguished Americans www.horatioalger.org and an ambassador of peace for the world centers of compassion for children international WCCCI www.wccci.org

Mario was born in Africa and loves his country, Greece. He believes in preserving the culture and heritage of his people and believes in the power of the history of his homeland from the past to today.

As Mario says, “Ultimately, I believe that our lives and purpose should be about preserving what is good in this world -- striving for peace and compassion -- and doing this through music and an undying commitment to love... You have to show your personality, your character, and most of all your truth...You have to express the hopes of your soul and that’s what my music is about... That is the number one thing I do...It’s simply about what it means to be human.'

His vision is to create a space where young people find safety and love and the courage to create a better world to live in....