I grew up with the sound of Caruso and Pavarotti’s

joyful singing. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend

a lot of time in Italy during my career, appearing most
years in Pesaro’s Rossini Opera Festival and at Teatro
alla Scala in Milan. So naturally, I was thrilled to
record my own versions of these Italian and Neapolitan
favourites and share them with you.

Who doesn’t love these songs? They’re great fun and

transport you to the heart of Italy — you can actually
hear the sunshine!

I was pleased that some wonderful colleagues could join

me on this very personal album. They have all helped to
give it a unique sound which I hope you’ll enjoy!

Arrivederci!

Juan Diego Flórez

2
TORNA A SURRIENTO De Curtis 4.30
ARRIVEDERCI, ROMA Rascel 3.49
AMOR MARINARO (“ME VOGLIO FÀ ‘NA CASA”) Donizetti 3.09
LA CANZONE DELL’AMORE Bixio 3.21
BOLERO (“MI LAGNERÒ TACENDO”) Rossini 3.22
MARECHIARE Tosti 3.25
MATTINATA Leoncavallo 2.17
CHITARRA ROMANA Di Lazzaro 3.31
LA NOVA GELOSIA Anon. 2.17
LA DANZA Rossini 3.03
VAGHISSIMA SEMBIANZA Donaudy 2.30
MUSICA PROIBITA Gastaldon 3.43
NEL BLU, DIPINTO DI BLU (VOLARE) MODUGNO 4.09
L’ALBA SEPARA DALLA LUCE L’OMBRA Tosti 3.10
NON TI SCORDAR DI ME De Curtis 3.29
PARLAMI D’AMORE, MARIÙ Bixio 3.16
’O SOLE MIO Di Capua, Mazzucchi 3.14
J ’ai grandi en écoutant le chant joyeux de Caruso et de Pavarotti. Par la suite,
j’ai eu la chance de passer beaucoup de temps en Italie tout au long de ma
carrière, et je me suis produit presque tous les ans au Festival d’opéra Rossini de
Pesaro et au Teatro alla Scala de Milan. J’étais donc naturellement ravi de graver
mes propres versions de ces mélodies italiennes, en particulier celles de Naples.
Qui n’aime pas ces chansons ? Elles sont fort divertissantes et nous transportent
au cœur de l’Italie — on y entend le soleil !
Je me réjouis que de merveilleux confrères se soient joints à moi sur cet album
très personnel. Ils ont tous contribué à lui donner une sonorité unique. J’espère
que ce disque vous procurera autant de joie qu’à moi.
Arrivederci !

Juan Diego Flórez

I ch wuchs mit dem Klang von Carusos und Pavarottis lebensfrohem Gesang auf.
Ich habe in meiner Karriere so viel wunderbare Zeit in Italien verbracht und hatte
viele unvergessliche Auftritte beim Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro und am Teatro
alla Scala in Mailand. Und so freute ich mich natürlich darauf, diese italienischen
und insbesondere neapolitanischen Klassiker jetzt selbst aufzunehmen.
Wer liebt diese Lieder nicht? Sie machen einfach Spaß und versetzen einen
augenblicklich mitten nach Italien — man kann den Sonnenschein förmlich hören!
Ganz besonders hat es mich gefreut, auf diesem sehr personlichen Album mit
einigen fantastischen Kollegen zu musizieren. Sie alle haben zum einzigartigen
Klang dieser Aufnahme beigetragen. Ich hoffe, dieses Album schenkt Ihnen so viel
Freude wie mir.
Arrivederci!

Juan Diego Flórez

S ono cresciuto accompagnato dal meraviglioso canto di Caruso e Pavarotti.
Durante la mia carriera ho avuto la fortuna di passare molto tempo in Italia e
di partecipare quasi tutti gli anni al Rossini Opera Festival di Pesaro e lavorare
alla Scala di Milano. Sono stato quindi entusiasta di registrare le mie versioni di
questi intramontabili brani italiani e napoletani in particolare.
Chi non ama questi motivi? Sono bellissimi e ci portano dritto nel cuore dell’Italia
— si sente persino il sole!
Sono stato molto contento di avere avuto la compagnia di colleghi meravigliosi
per quest’album molto personale: ognuno di loro ha dato il suo contributo a una
registrazione unica. Spero che vi regali la stessa gioia che ha dato a me.
Arrivederci!

Juan Diego Flórez

C recí con el sonido del canto alegre de Caruso y Pavarotti. He tenido la

suerte de pasar mucho tiempo en Italia a lo largo de mi carrera y he
cantado casi todos los años en el Rossini Opera Festival de Pésaro y en el Teatro
alla Scala de Milán. Por ello, me entusiasmó poder grabar mis propias versiones
de estas melodías predilectas italianas y, en particular, napolitanas.
¿Quién no ama estas canciones? Son maravillosas y nos transportan al corazón
de Italia: ¡pueden oírse los rayos de sol!
He tenido el placer de contar con colegas estupendos para este álbum tan
personal. Todos ellos han contribuido a darle un sonido único. Espero que les
procure tanta alegría como a mí.
Arrivederci!

Juan Diego Flórez

P 2015 Decca Music Group Limited
© 2015 Decca Music Group Limited

www.juandiegoflorez.com
www.deccaclassics.com

Written by Ernesto de Curtis (Tracks 1 and 15); Renato Rascel (Track 2); Gaetano Donizetti (Track 3); Cesare Bixio (Tracks 4 and 16);
Gioachino Rossini (Track 5 and Track 10: Tarantella napoletana from Les soirées musicales); Francesco Paolo Tosti (Tracks 6 and 14);
Ruggero Leoncavallo (Track 7); Eldo di Lazzaro (Track 8); Stefano Donaudy (Track 11); Stanislao Gastaldon (Track 12); Domenico Modugno
(Track 13); Eduardo di Capua and Emanuele Alfredo Mazzucchi (Track 17)
Arranged by Giancarlo Chiaramello (Tracks 1 and 13); Guido Sodo (Tracks 2, 4, 16 and 17); Luis Prado (Tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 12 and 14);
Arthur Luck (Track 7); Paolo Marzocchi (Track 10); Steven Mercurio (Track 11); Marzullo (Track 15)
Lyrics by Giambattista de Curtis (Track 1); Pietro Garinei and Alessandro Giovannini (Track 2); traditional Neapolitan (Track 3);
Bixio Cherubini (Track 4); Pietro Metastasio (Track 5); Salvatore di Giacomo (Track 6); Ruggero Leoncavallo (Track 7); C. Bruno (Track 8);
Carlo Pepoli (Track 10); Alberto Donaudy (Track 11); Flick-Flock (Track 12); Franco Migliacci (Track 13); Gabriele D’Annunzio (Track 14);
Domenico Furnò (Track 15); Ennio Neri (Track 16); Giovanni Capurro (Track 17)
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing Ltd (Track 1); Synch Lab S.r.l. (Track 2); Copyright Control (Tracks 3, 5–7, 10, 12, 14 and 15);
Casa Editrice Musicale Internazdix Ltd (Track 4); Melodi Casa Editrice S.r.l./Henrees Music Co. (Track 8); Subito Music Publishing (Track 11);
Curzi Edizione S.r.l./Kassner Associated Publishers Limited (Track 13); Bixio C.E.M.S.A. Edizioni Musicali S.r.l. (Track 16); Bideri C.E.V.E.L.
S.p.A. (Track 17)
Vocals by Juan Diego Flórez (All tracks). Mandolin by Avi Avital (Tracks 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 17). Accordion by Ksenija Sidorova
(Tracks 2, 3, 6, 8, 12 and 15). Ksenija Sidorova and Avi Avital record exclusively for Deutsche Grammophon. Guitars by Guido Sodo (Tracks 2,
3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 15 and 17), Walter Zanetti (Tracks 2, 3, 5,
6 and 8) and Craig Ogden (Tracks 4 and 16). Double bass
by Massimo Jean Gambini (Tracks 2, 3, 6 and 8). Congas by
Ivan Gambini (Track 2). Solo violin by Ana Julia Badia (Tracks
5 and 12). Clarinet by Davide Felici (Track 11). Orchestra the
Filarmonica Gioachino Rossini (Tracks 1, 5, 7 and 10–15).
Conductor Carlo Tenan (Tracks 1–3, 5–8 and 10–15)
Executive Producer: Dominic Fyfe. Recording Producer and
Tape Editor: Christopher Alder. Recording Engineer: Philip
Siney. Production Co-ordinator: Joanne Baines. Recorded
at Teatro della Fortuna, Fano, Italy, 1–10 September 2014
(Tracks 1–3, 5–15 and 17); Angel Studios, London, 13 April
2015 (Tracks 4 and 16)

With special thanks to

Fondazione Teatro
della Fortuna, Fano

Special thanks to Ermenegildo Zegna for dressing

Juan Diego Flórez
All Photos Simon Fowler except p.6 r.h.s.: Silvano Bacciardi
Booklet Editing & Art Direction: WLP Ltd