(Credit: Craig Gibson)

Decca Classics has announced that it will be signing British-Italian tenor Freddie De Tommaso and releasing his first solo album this April.

The album, entitled “Passione” will hit the market on April 9 and represents an homage to tenor Franco Corelli. The album will feature arrangements made for other  star tenors including  Henry Mancini, Mantovani and Giancarlo Chiaramello, plus arrangements of songs made for Giuseppe Di Stefano by Roberto Negri. Among those pieces are Respighi’s “Nebbie” a well as Puccini’s “Menta l’avviso” and “Sole e Amore;” the latter two were specially orchestrated for this recording.

De Tommaso joins a long time of legendary tenors, including Mario del Monaco, Carlo Bergonzi, Giuseppe di Stefano, Luciano Pavarotti, and Joseph Calleja, in signing for Decca Classics.

“It’s a great honor to join the ranks of illustrious tenors on the Decca Classics roster,” De Tommaso told Gramophone. “Decca’s belief in me is both humbling and inspiring and I look forward to some exciting collaborations ahead. The songs on my debut album are all close to my heart and pay tribute to my heritage and my heroes so I hope to share their passion with as many people as possible.”