From an interview with José Carreras:

"I have always been very keen to try to sing original music from many countries in the world, not only the classic countries in music like Italy, France, England, Germany and Austria, but also from more exotic countries. This album is a collection of music from around the world that is not necessarily the classic pieces that everybody knows. It gave me tremendous pleasure to be able to sing very different musical styles in many different languages. I hope the audiences will enjoy the CD as much I enjoyed making it."

José Carreras sings popular and traditional songs from 16 countries in 11 languages: French, Catalan, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Maori, English and Polish. The great tenor collaborates on various tracks with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the arranger/conductors John Cameron and Christian Kolonovits, singer/songwriter Klaus Meine and the Crouch End (London) Festival Chorus.

This album also includes tracks produced by Frank Peterson, the highly acclaimed producer of Sarah Brightman's best-selling CDs.

Release Information:
UPC 8573-85798-2
Recording Dates January 6-28, 2001

Liner Note (John Cameron)

I never cease to be amazed by the breadth of José Carreras' repertoire. Every concert performance seems to be different and will invariably produce a new gem, often obscure but never less than beautiful, from some little explored musical avenue. So it came as no surprise to hear that he was planning to record a project bringing together songs from as many different countries as was possible to assemble on one CD. Having collaborated with José as an arranger/conductor on Passion and Pure Passion where the material was based on pre-existing classical material, it was exciting to be confronted with songs from Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Korea and China, as well as songs from hidden corners of Europe in languages as diverse as Mandarin and Catalan. Some like Manha de carnaval (from the classic Brazilian film Black Orpheus) were old friends while others such as Paroules d'amour and Alfonsina y el mar were destined to become contemporary song classics in their own right.

Then there were the unexpected bonuses: José's voice sounding so delicate in Japanese on Kawa No Nagare, the fusing of Italian lyrics onto the beautiful, brooding Polish melody Ludzie W. Drodze, Midnight in Moscow in Spanish! And of course the new interpretations of such well known songs as Greensleeves and Hymne à l'amour. As I listened to José's voice, sometimes dramatic, sometimes gentle yet wonderfully sensitive to detail, I started to realise how universal emotions and musicality could be in popular songs of whatever language when sung by such a consummate musician. And I think this is the most lasting impression I have of the whole project: namely the obvious enjoyment and musicality that José brought to this disparate but hugely entertaining collection of songs from Around The World.

Track Listing

1. Hymne à l'amour - France
2. Paraules d'amor - Catalonia
3. Quando sento che mi ami (When you tell me that you love me) - America
4. Alfonsina y el mar - Argentina
5. Kawa no nagare no yoni - Japan
6. Vurria - Italy
7. Kumbaya my lord - America
8. Manha da carnaval - Brazil
9. Nosotros - Argentina
10. A la luz de una luna azul (Midnight in Moscow) - Russia
11. Hine e hine - New Zealand
12. Wind of change - Germany
13. With love - Korea
14. Volver (Ta trena pou figan) - Greece
15. Island in the Sun - Trinidad
16. Sorrow of the red beans - China
17. Greensleeves - England
18. Senza ritorno (Jezeli) - Poland

Copyright © 2001 Warner Classics