Maestro Marek Janowski, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo and the Transylvania State Philharmonic Choir present Giuseppe Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera (1859), together with a stellar cast, headed by Freddie De Tommaso (Riccardo), Lester Lynch (Renato) and Saioa Hernández (Amelia). Un ballo in maschera is Verdi’s tragicomic masterpiece, in which the composer skilfully switches gears between the light and tragic, as well as between his earlier and more mature style. As such, it is both an entertaining and highly sophisticated work.

On a rising crest of a wave, British-Italian tenor Freddie De Tommaso seems likely to add to the approving clamour that greeted last year’s debut collection of Italian songs, Passione, with this rousingly, rapturously sung sophomore survey of arias and duets by Puccini and Bizet.

Decca Classics is thrilled to add Freddie De Tommaso to their history of illustrious tenors on the label: Del Monaco, Bergonzi, Di Stefano, Pavarotti, Calleja. The most exciting lyrico spinto tenor to emerge in over a decade. Marking 2021 as the 'Year of the Tenor', with four milestone centenaries: the births of Mario Lanza (31 January), Franco Corelli (8 April), Giuseppe Di Stefano (24 July) and of the death of the father of all modern tenors, Enrico Caruso (2 August). 'Passione' celebrates the songs they made famous and explores the musical landscape of his father's family from Italy's deep south.