The opera star will be joined by Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg on the three-date national tour in July.

Roberto Alagna, one of the world’s great tenors, will make his Australian debut in July with a three-date tour visiting Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Alagna is one of the most in-demand tenors in the world. His Australian concert tour will follow hot on the heels of a three-month season at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, performing the roles of Canio in Pagliacci and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly. Later in 2016 Alagna will give his debut performance in the role of Chevalier des Grieux in Manon, also at the Met, before heading to that most hallowed Wagner stage, Bayreuth, to sing the title role in Lohengrin.

Joining Alagna on his first tour Down Under will be one of Australia’s most promising young singers, Siobhan Stagg. The soprano, who is based in Germany, recently made headlines for her highly acclaimed Covent Garden debut, and for an equally lauded debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Siobhan Stagg

Over the course of his 30-year career, Alagna has sung over 60 of opera’s most iconic tenor roles, but the opera star did not have the professional start one might imagine of such an acclaimed performer. As a young man living in Paris, he studied accountancy, performed in cabaret shows and even released a pop album. Influenced by the films of Mario Lanza, he became fascinated with opera during the mid-80s, and in 1988 when the legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti came to perform in Paris, Alagna saw a golden opportunity too good to pass up.

As Pavarotti signed autographs following his performance, Alagna fought through the throng of fans, and upon reaching his idol, told Pavarotti of his hope of becoming an operatic tenor. Amused by Alagna’s confidence, Pavarotti invited Alagna to sing something. From this impromptu performance, Pavarotti was so impressed that he advised Alagna to enter the Pavarotti Competition in Philadelphia. Alagna did just that, and a matter of weeks later went on the win the entire competition, launching his operatic career overnight at the age of 24.

Roberto Alagna in concert

Nearly 30 years later, Alagna’s youthful dream of becoming an operatic star is a reality, having performed on the world’s great opera stages including La Scala, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and of course, the Met in New York. Noted for his dynamic stage presence, Alagna attributes his famously charismatic performances to his years working in cabaret, before his life as an opera singer began.

Alagna has been an equally prolific recording artists and Deutsche Grammophon and Universal Music Australia have announced that to coincide with this landmark Australian tour, a special edition of Alagna’s double-CD album, Robertissimo, is to be released in July.

Roberto Alagna will perform at the Sydney Opera House, July 21, Arts Centre Melbourne, July 27, and Brisbane Convention Centre, July 30. Tickets on sale from February 10.