Mario Frangoulis
Mario Frangoulis is an international Classical Crossover artist and tenor known the world over for his powerhouse vocals and charismatic live performances. Billboard calls him, “daring and inspiring!” while CNN.com says, “his world is distilled to pure sound, all voice.”
Born in Africa and raised in Greece, he attended London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he was discovered by producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh who cast him in the role of Marius in Les Misérablesin London’s West End after which he was invited by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber to play the role of Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera. He also won the role of Tony in the only production of West Side Story ever presented at Teatro a la Scala in Milan, Italy. He is the winner of the Maria Callas Prize, the Pavarotti Competition, and was mentored by the late Carlo Bergonzi and Marilyn Horne. The most influential figure in his life, however, was the acclaimed tenor Alfredo Kraus who accepted Frangoulis as his only private student. After traveling the world and studying with Kraus, he attended the Juilliard School of Music in New York, solidifying his vocal skill..
Frangoulis has released over 19 personal albums and his first two international releases, Sometimes I Dream and Follow Your Heart (2002-2004) held the #2 and #3 positions on Billboard’s Classical Crossover charts for over 50 weeks. In 2011, Frangoulis was voted “Best Male Classical Crossover Artist,” as a result of his newest release, Beautiful Things, which was immediately followed by his third public television special— a live concert with the legendary Boston Pops, Mario Frangoulis Live with The Boston Pops. His latest international release was with 6-time Grammy winning maestro, arranger and producer Jorge Calandrelli, and the London Philharmonia Orchestra to create Tales of Christmas, Mario’s first spiritual holiday album and has currently released his 4th PBS Speciall called Sing Me An Angel.
Throughout his 25+ years on stage, he has been unwavering in his life-long commitment to humanitarian causes, especially those that pertain to the protection of children. He is an International Ambassador for the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans in the United States and Canada, and Ambassador of Peace for Nobel Peace Prize Winner Betty Williams’ World Centers of Compassion for Children International in Europe. The list of charities and philanthropic initiatives he has supported over the years is long, and include the Jose Carreras Leukemia Foundation, Give US Your Poor, The Jericho Project, the Dalai Lama Center for Peace, Prince Charles of England’s Charities, UNESCO and many more.
For Mario, what is most important is connecting with his audiences. He not only wants to be known as a great artist, but above all, as a “human being who did his part to make this world better, safer, and a more peaceful place for all of us.”
