Alfie Boe

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Biography

Background

Boe, the youngest in a family of 9 children,
was born in Blackpool , Lancashire , and brought up in nearby Fleetwood . He attended St Wulstan's and St Edmund's School
and Cardinal Allen Roman Catholic High School in Fleetwood. His earliest musical memories were of listening to his father's Richard Tauber records and at the age of 11 he discovered Puccini 's La bohème for the first time.
Alfie's first public performance, aged 14, was at Fleetwood's Marine Hall in a "Songs from the Shows" presentation organised by inspirational local singing teacher Lottie Dawson. He states that although he sang only a couple of lines he was extremely nervous.

At the age of 17, Boe became an apprentice mechanic at the TVR (car)|TVR factory in Bispham, Blackpool .
He enjoyed entertaining his colleagues by singing opera arias while he polished the cars, and one day was overheard by a client with connections in the music industry who was so impressed, he suggested Boe should go to London and audition for the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company . His audition was a success and he gave up polishing cars to embark on a singing career.
Boe has never been able to trace the customer who suggested he go for the audition, having lost the man's business card .

Singing career

Boe moved to London and studied singing at the Royal College of Music , the National Opera Studio and the Royal Opera House 's Vilar Young Artists Programme. In 1999 and 2000, he was featured as the "opera dude" on albums by The Clint Boon Experience , led by the former organist of the Inspiral Carpets . In 1999 he sang Ernesto for Scottish Opera in their Opera-Go-Round production of Don Pasquale , touring widely throughout Scotland.

Baz Luhrmann , who had spent two years looking for the lead for his Broadway theatre|Broadway production of La bohème , approached Boe for the role. Boe subsequently appeared (credited as Alfred Boe) on the 2002 Broadway Cast Recording released by Bazmark Live Pty Ltd.

In 2006, Boe was signed to the Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM Presents label as their first signing in a new venture for the radio station and his album, Classic FM Presents Alfie Boe reached number three in the UK classical chart . Among 2006 Canterbury Festival (27 Oct), Boe staged Cathedral concert with Christchurch soprano Hayley Westenra in the Canterbury Cathedral . In November 2006 he was signed to the EMI Classics label and his first album on that label, Onward , was released in March 2007.

Boe toured the United Kingdom with the Fron Male Voice Choir in February 2007 and took part in the first Classic FM webcast concert with soprano Natasha Marsh in March. The same month he was appointed as an ambassador of The Prince's Charities|The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation , a British educational charity working to inspire and educate children by introducing them to the arts. Boe's role being to bring music, and opera in particular for those children involved.

In April, he starred alongside Lesley Garrett and Willard White in the ITV Music of Morse concert at the Royal Albert Hall . He was also nominated for a Classical BRIT Awards|Classical BRIT for Best Album, missing out to Paul McCartney at the ceremony on May 3, 2007.

He also performed alongside Michael Ball (singer)|Michael Ball in the English National Opera production of Kismet (musical)|Kismet . His live performance of the song " Stranger in Paradise (song)|Stranger in Paradise " from Kismet on the Michael Parkinson show was released as a digital download single on June 25, 2007. In August he realised an ambition to record an album of Music of Naples#Neapolitan folk music|Neopolitan songs which was released in November under the title La Passione . On August 24, 2007 he performed at the Festivals in the United Kingdom#England|Arundel Festival alongside Natasha Marsh. On October 19, 2007 he performed at Canterbury Cathedral during the Canterbury Festival . He also performed at the annual Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on November 10, 2007.

On January 31, 2008 he performed at the Pleasure Beach, Blackpool|Pleasure Beach Arena , Blackpool to over 1,600 local children, in a special Music Quest concert to help introduce the classics to a new generation and to celebrate the end of the Music Quest three year project which was sponsored by The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation and Classic FM MusicMakers.

On October 3, 2010 Boe took on the role of Jean Valjean in a concert performance of the musical Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables at the The O2 Arena (London)|O2 Arena in London to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the show, released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. The concert encore performance of " Bring Him Home ", credited as "The Valjean Quartet" — Boe alongside Colm Wilkinson , John Owen-Jones and Simon Bowman (each of whom has portrayed Valjean in various theatrical productions) — was re-recorded at the Abbey Road Studios and released as a charity CD single and digital download on December 13, 2010. On December 16, 2010, Boe once again performed as Valjean in the Royal Variety Performance (in front of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall ) singing " What Have I Done? ", and also "Bring Him Home" again alongside Wilkinson, Owen-Jones and Bowman.

In January 2011, Boe performed for English National Opera in La bohème and The Mikado . Boe later performed concerts in Idaho , U.S.A. in March. In April, Boe appeared in The Great British Musical — The Famous and the Future at the Criterion Theatre and the St George's Day celebration concert in Trafalgar Square . In May, Boe went on to perform at the Classical BRIT Awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall , in the Isle of Man , and then headlined the Hampton Court Palace Festival finale on June 18, 2011.

He appeared as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables at the Queen's Theatre , London, from June 23, 2011 to November 26, 2011. During his run as Valjean, Boe appeared in the " Les Misérables v Lend Me a Tenor Battle of the Tenors" at Soho 's Winnett St, London on July 13, 2011. In August, Boe performed with the National Symphony Orchestra at Beau Sejour and Gloucester Hall .

Boe appeared in the BBC Last Night of the Proms concert at the Caird Hall on September 10, 2011, and The Llanelli Choral Society's Grand Performance Concert at Tabernacle Chapel on September 24, 2011. Boe commenced the "Alfie Boe 'Bring Him Home' U.K. Concert Tour" in Bristol on December 6, 2011, finishing in Gateshead Sage on February 4, 2012.

In October 2011 Boe announced that he would be appearing in the Lytham Proms Festival Weekend on August 4, 2012. Tickets went on sale on October 14, 2011. The Festival is held in the town on Lytham close to his home town of Lytham St Annes . The local newspaper Blackpool Gazette describes his concert as a 'homecoming' using the title 'Bring HIM Home'.

Alfie's U.S. fans are looking forward to his concert on May 6, 2012 at Kansas City Lyric Opera's Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts|Helzberg Hall . "An Evening With Alfie Boe" is being presented as a benefit for the Irish Museum and Cultural Center|Kansas City Irish Center .

Personal life

Boe moved from England to America to star in a show by Baz Luhrmann. He then moved back to England in 2010. Boe's wife Sarah is an actress whom he met whilst in America. They have one daughter named Grace who was born on 9 May 2008. Their second child Alfie was born on 1 January 2012.

Solo recordings

Classic FM Presents Alfie Boe (Classic FM, 2006 / Reissued with alternate cover photo, Universal Music, 2008 / Reissued with alternate title "The Sound Of Alfie Boe" as HMV Exclusive on Decca, UK, Feb 2011)

''Onward" (Physical CD contains 12 tracks - some Digital Download versions feature an additional track "Where'er You Walk (from Semele)" - EMI Classics, 2007)

A Living Prayer (Radio Edit) / Abide With Me (EMI Classics, 2007 - digital download single)

Stranger In Paradise (Live On Parkinson) / ''You'll Never Walk Alone (EMI Classics, 2007 - digital download single)

Live At Abbey Road - The Napster Sessions (Napster exclusive 4-Track Digital Download includes 3 live songs from "La Passione" and a cover of The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" - EMI Classics, 2007)

La Passione (Physical CD contains 15 tracks - some Digital Download versions feature an additional track "Lolita". Another track "La Paloma" recorded but not issued. EMI Classics, 2007)

Franz Lehár: Love Was A Dream (Linn Records, 2009 / Reissued as "Love Was A Dream" with new artwork on Decca, July 2011)

Bring Him Home (Studio Version, credited as The Valjean Quartet — Alfie Boe, Simon Bowman, John Owen-Jones and Colm Wilkinson - Cameron Mackintosh Limited, 2010 - CD/Digital Download Charity Single)

Bring Him Home (Includes duets with Kerry Ellis & Matt Lucas - Decca Records, December 2010)

''You'll Never Walk Alone - The Collection'' 16-Song compilation CD features 6 songs not included on Alfie's solo CD albums - 2 songs from Eternal Light , plus "Where'er You Walk", "Brindisi", "Abide With Me", & "Fratello Sole, Sorella Luna". (EMI Classics, March 21, 2011)

Alfie" - 15 new recordings, includes tracks featuring Michael Ball & Robert Plant (Decca Records, October 31, 2011)

Also appears on

The Compact Guide to Pop Music and Space Travel (The Clint Boon Experience& #33; aka CBX& #33; - guest appearance on two tracks: "Comet Theme Number One" & "Only One Way I Can Go" - credited as Alf Boe: Opera Vocal - Artful Records, 1999)

"Gilbert & Sullivan: HMS Pinafore - The 1999 D'Oyly Carte Cast Complete Dialogue & Songs Recording" (Performing the role of Ralph Rackstraw, credited as Alfred Boe - 2-CD, TER, 2000 - Reissued 2008)

Life in Transition (The Clint Boon Experience& #33; aka CBX& #33; - guest appearance on four tracks: "This Is The Sound", "Life In Transition", "17 & Over!" & "In Chaos I See" - credited as Alf Boe: Opera Vocal - Artful Records, 2000)

"The Most Happy Fella - First Complete Recording - Studio Cast" (3-CD Box Set - appears on 6 tracks, performing the role of Giuseppe, credited as Alfred Boe. Recorded 1997-1999 - JAY, 2000 - Reissued on TER, 2010)

"Verdi: Aida - The 2002 Opera In English Recording" (2-CD Box Set - appears on 2 tracks in the role of "A Messenger" - credited as Alfred Boe - Chandos "Opera In English", 2002)

"La Bohème - The 2002 Broadway Cast Recording" (credited as Alfred Boe - Bazmark Live Pty Ltd., 2002)

"Barry Banks Sings Bel Canto Arias" (Alfred Boe as Pilades duets on "Palace Of Horrors& #33; - Ah, How Can I Hide The Flames" from Rossini's "Ermione", Recorded September 2001 - Chandos "Opera In English", 2004)

"Sleigh Ride" (Alfred Boe appears on 2 tracks: "'Twas The Night Before Christmas" & "O Holy Night" - The Boston Pops Orchestra - Conducted By Keith Lockhart, Artemis Classics, 2004)

"Myleene’s Music For Romance" (Myleene Klass - 2-CD Compilation features previously unreleased Alfie Boe track "Fratello Sole, Sorella Luna" written by Donovan from the Zeffirelli film "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" - EMI Classics, 2007)

"Elizabeth Marvelly" (Self-titled debut CD features Alfie Boe duet on "Stranger In Paradise" - EMI, 2007)

Howard Goodall, Eternal Light: A Requiem (tenor soloist on 4 tracks, with Natasha Marsh; Christopher Maltman; Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford; London Musici; and Stephen Darlington; EMI Classics, 2008)

"Natasha Marsh" (Self-titled CD featuring Alfie Boe duet on "Brindisi" (La Traviata) - EMI Classics, 2008)

"Pride Of The Nation" (The Band Of The Coldstream Guards, CD featuring Alfie Boe on "Jerusalem" (Parry, arr. Eyton) - Decca CD/DVD + Digital Download, March 28, 2011)

"Downton Abbey" (Original Music From The Television Series - Alfie sings 2 tracks "If You Were The Only Girl In The World" & "Roses Of Picardy") - Decca CD + Digital Download, September 19, 2011)

"First Night" (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Alfie sings 1 solo "Un' aura amorosa", 1 duet "Volgi a me (Fra gli amplessi)" and appears on 1 ensemble track "Fortunato - Act II Finale", all from Mozart's "Così fan tutte" - SONY Classical CD + Digital Download, October 17, 2011)

"Summon The Heroes" (The Band Of H.M. Royal Marines - Alfie sings 1 solo "Over The Hills And Far Away" - Decca CD + Digital Download, November 14, 2011)

Discography

Albums

Title	Album details	Chart positions
Title	Album details	UK
Onward Released: 12 March 2007 Label: EMI Records Formats: Compact Disc\|CD , Music download\|digital download
La Passione Released: 12 November 2007 Label: EMI Records Formats: CD, digital download
Bring Him Home Released: 27 December 2010 Label: Decca Records Formats: CD, digital download
La Passione
Alfie Released: 31 October 2011 Label: Decca Records Formats: CD, digital download

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