Mario Frangoulis When Greeks hear of his name an individual phenomenon comes to their minds. An unique individual who managed to build and maintain a low profile career at a very early age. Mario Frangoulis is a Greek tenor and theatre actor that decided to dedicate his life to musical shows, ancient drama, and opera. He was born on December 18, 1967 in Zimbabwe, Africa. By the age of four his parents (both Greeks) decided to send him in Greece in order to stay with his uncles and go to school. He was only eight when his innate talent arose. Mario started his child career by participating in choirs and by the age of 11, he played the part of Issachar in a school production of Andrew Lloyd Webbers Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. From then on, he started participating in various other school performances and won the first prize for singing at the school choir Mikis Theodorakis’ “Axion Esti”* (soloist, played the part of the folk singer). Marios Frangoulis studied the violin for twelve years and he won the first prize by the age of 14. In 1985 he went to London to study professional acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. There he realized that his voice potentials was much greater than those required for a simple prose, or even theater and musical theater. He played William Shakespeare’s character Robin Goodfellow (PUCK) in A Midsummer Nights Dream, a production in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company for the Arundel Festival. In 1988, he won Maria Callas’ Opera scholarship without even having finished his university studies. He also played the lead in the James McConnel /Kit Hesketh-Harvey ]musical Orlando,, where he was spotted by Cameron Mackintosh who, after an audition, offered him the part of Marius in the West End production of Les Misérables at the Palace Theatre (1988–1989) under the direction of Trevor Nunn. In 1989 Frangoulis went to Busseto, Italy to continue his studies by attending a six month course at the Verdi Academy given by Carlo Bergonzi (tenor). In 1990, he left Busseto to go to Rome and become Alfredo Kraus’ first private student (after a successful audition for the conductor Nicola Rescigno). In 1991 Frangoulis was invited by Andrew Lloyd Webber to play in Phantom of the Opera (Raoul part) at Her Majestys Theatre. A bit later he also appeared at the charity gala “Serenade to a Princess” at the Whitehall Palace, celebrating the birthday of Diana, Princess of Wales. 1992, Frangoulis moved to New York to continue his Opera studies by attending a three year course at the Julliard School of Music next to Dodo Protero. Both Onassis Scholarship and his mentor Marilyn Horne motivated him in order to continue his academic life. In 1992 he also moved to Liverpool, to participate at an Opera Gala (celebration of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America, hosted by Sir Peter Ustinov).
Posted on: Sun, 27 Apr 2014 12:40:42 +0000
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