Rampant Sony snatches Roberto Alagna

The French-Sicilian tenor has signed for the Berlin-based Japanese label after a long attachment to EMI/Warner, and later with Universal France.

Alagna has big sales in France, needs boosting elsewhere.

press release:

Sony Classical is proud to announce a long-term, multi-album deal with charismatic star tenor, Roberto Alagna. Over a glittering, highly acclaimed international career spanning more than thirty years, Mr. Alagna has built a huge and dedicated following around the world. Acknowledged as Frances most important classical artist and as a cultural icon, he is one of the leading tenors in the world. All in all, Mr. Alagna has sold over 5 million albums in France alone, making him the countrys most successful classical recording artist ever.

Roberto Alagna commented: “I am utterly delighted to become part of the international Sony Classical family. I have long since admired the label and its achievements and I look forward to a long and fruitful association in the years ahead.”

Bogdan Roscic, President of Sony Music Masterworks, added: Not only has Roberto Alagna been a leading operatic presence for many years, he has also become a true force outside of opera by possessing that quality so rare in the classical world the ability to create music across genre boundaries. Not by dumbing down any of those genres but by combining them in ways which are new, surprising and always of the highest quality. I couldn’t be happier that he has decided to continue his recording work with Sony Classical.”