UNITED KINGDOM: ITALIAN OPERA SINGER ALESSANDRO SAFINA TALKS ABOUT RECORDING SPORTS RELIEF CHARITY VIDEO OF "YOUR SONG" WITH ELTON JOHN

Record ID: 636286

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: ITALIAN OPERA SINGER ALESSANDRO SAFINA TALKS ABOUT RECORDING SPORTS RELIEF CHARITY VIDEO OF "YOUR SONG" WITH ELTON JOHN
  • Date: 1st July 2002
  • Summary: LONDON, UK (RECENT) (REUTERS) SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALESSANDRO SAFINA SAYING, "When opera was born it was a very popular show, now it is an elitist show, because life has changed, now the opera is old, so maybe it is a way to make opera a little bit easier for young people, because young people, I don' know in England, but in Italy young people don't have a culture about classical music and they don't think about going to the theatre, also because is is not easy to find the tickets, and the tickets are very expensive, so maybe our stupid little song can be a little link between two worlds so far from each other."
  • Embargoed: 16th July 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, UK
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Entertainment,General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3F2EL540UPIBQRBNY42DJ1QJ8
  • Story Text: Italian opera heartthrob Alessandro Safina is the man described as having the voice of Jose Carreras and the looks of George Clooney. He has teamed up with Elton John to record a new version of John's classic track "Your Song" in aid of new charity Sport Relief.
    Sport Relief is a new venture between BBC Sport and Comic Relief which aims to raise money to help disadvantaged children both in the UK and worldwide. "Your SOng" which was first a hit for Elton John in 1969 is the official song for the project. The new version, in which Elton JOhn teams up with Italian tenor Alessandro Safina is sure to be a hit too.
    Safina was delighted to be asked to perform on the track.
    "It's beautiful, I am very happy and proud, because this morning I was at a press conference, I knew what Sport Relief was, but now I understand better, and it is a big concept, it is a big idea, and I think it is great because for the children, too much is never enough, and for me and for Elton, people like... of the sport world, it is just a little thing, it is nothing, five minutes, one day, two days and you can make something good and great maybe."
    Elton is well known to be a sports fanatic, he is even president of Watford Football CLub. Safina claims he is not quite as sport mad as his singing partner...
    "I am not a fanatic, but I was playing football a long time, when I was little, but I like sport, I like the moto (motorsports) a lot, and football, in Italy it is not very difficult to find people in love with football, it is a beautiful game."
    Safina is pleased with the results of the collaboration, in which be adds his operatic voice to Elton's vocal, which is true tot he original.
    "It is a beautiful, it is a really famous song, the version I think is good, because it is a new version, Elton sing again the song, and I have some phrases with him in English, and after the second part, I sing something in Italian for the children, I say, Now life is beautiful, it is better together with you. And I never like my works, my songs, I am very critic with myself, but when I received the video clip and the CD the past week , I was very happy, I think it is beautiful, really, what I think"
    But as well as raising money for charity, Safina thinks that the song might help to introduce opera to a younger audience, who perhaps would not normally consider opera as music for them to listen to.
    "When opera was born it was a very popular show, now it is an elitist show, because life has changed, now the opera is old, so maybe it is a way to make opera a little bit easier for young people, because young people, I don' know in England, but in Italy young people don't have a culture about classical music and they don't think about going to the theatre, also because is is not easy to find the tickets, and the tickets are very expensive, so maybe our stupid little song can be a little link between two worlds so far from each other.
    It is certainly the kind of project he would be interested in repeating, and would jump at the chance to work with Elton again.
    "Every day, I think I am very lucky because I have the possibility to work with one of the greatest pop artists, I don't t know if I will work again with Elton, but I hope that I have the possibility to sing live this song, maybe for Sport Relief, maybe for some concert, I hope to sing live this song, because I think it is beautiful."
    All of the royalties from "Your Song" will go to charity, 80% to Sport Relief, and 20% to Elton John's Aids Foundation. The single is released on July 15th.
    ---ENDS---
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