Vittorio Grigolo is one of the most acclaimed tenors of his generation and has already been hailed as the successor to Luciano Pavarotti, his greatest qualities including his rampant energy and charisma on stage. On Feb. 19 Grigolo celebrates his 40th birthday and as a result OperaWire takes a look at some his most acclaimed roles

The Duke in “Rigoletto”

Vittorio Grigolo has toured this Verdi masterpiece around the world. Most notably, Grigolo appeared alongside Plácido Domingo in a film version. The version garnered an international audience, giving him more exposure in the opera world. The film shows the tenor’s ardent voice and his acting abilities as he throws himself into the role of the Duke. Grigolo has also sang the role at the Royal Opera House, which was also recorded in HD as well as at the Metropolitan Opera. He also opened a new production at the Teatro alla Scala.

Corrado in “Il Corsaro”

Before Grigolo took on many of the French roles that he has been doing of late, the tenor showed some promise when he performed the little-known Verdi gem “Il Corsaro.” When he did the work in Zurich in 2009, many expected that he would continue down the Verdi repertoire. While that ultimately didn’t happen, Grigolo’s portrayal was memorable and a reminder that Grigolo could return to this repertoire at some point in the future.

Rodolfo in “La Bohème”

If there is a role that has given the tenor a lot, it is Rodolfo in Puccini’s “La Bohème.” The tenor made his Metropolitan Opera debut in the role and he later made his Live in HD debut as the bohemian. He later went on to perform it at the Royal Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper and the Teatro alla Scala.

Des Grieux in “Manon”

The role of Des Grieux is another that is important in Grigolo’s career because it announced his presence in the operatic world. Alongside Anna Netrebko, Grigolo outshone the diva and became the star of the night when the two performed the work together in London. He later repeated it at the Metropolitan Opera where his performance with Diana Damrau created an instant classic and new operatic golden couple. The two would later go on to perform in Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” and Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette.”

Hoffmann in “Les Contes d’Hoffmann”

Girgolo’s Hoffmann is  currently the toast of opera houses around the world. The Italian singer has had his interpretation filmed twice from the Metropolitan Opera and the Royal Opera House. His performances of the role have been acclaimed and he will continue to do it this season with Diana Damrau from the LA Opera. He will also return to the role next year at the Metropolitan Opera.