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Alexander Kariotis is the Newest Rock-Opera Artist
By: Conor Sheeran Jun. 05, 2013
When people think of great rock voices, Steve Perry from Journey and Freddie Mercury from Queen are some of the first names that come to mind. Take their vocal styles; add to them the sublime sounds of great operatic composers such as Puccini and Verdi, and a completely new and original musical form is born. Blending his two loves, rock and opera, Alexander Kariotis is thrilled to be bringing a new genre to the music scene, stating, "There's room for both rock and opera, even in the same song." And this phenomenal singer does just that; switching from smooth, dramatic Italian vocals with a full orchestra, to gritty rock vocals with searing guitar riffs. Kariotis is not one to set limits, which he proves throughout his eight track self-titled debut album, due in the Fall.
Kariotis has an incredible story that he shares within his music. Growing up in Chicago, Kariotis quickly found his escape through music, inspired by his older brother, Tony, front man of the EMI Records signed band, Gambler. When they played locally, younger Kariotis' band, The Nodes, got the opportunity to open for them. Only 13-years-old at the time, Kariotis thought he was meant to be a rocker, but his brother had another path in mind for him. Tony's instincts were proven correct when he took Alexander to see Opera star Luciano Pavarotti in concert, and saw how fascinated he became with Pavarotti's voice. Conflicted, Kariotis now had an immense passion for both rock and opera.
Determined to excel in classical music, he began studying at the prestigious Mannes Conservatory of Music in New York with Metropolitan Opera tenor Dan Marek, and coaching with Pavarotti's coach and accompanist, John Wustman. After moving to Berlin, Germany, Alexander traveled to Modena, Italy, to study with Pavarotti's voice teacher, Arrigo Pola, and with La Scala tenor Gianni Raimondi in Bologna. From there he went on to perform alongside Tony Award winning actress Elizabeth Ashley in Terrence McNally's "Master Class", a starring role in the one-man Off-Broadway show, "Holdin' On", sing at New York's Avery Fischer Hall, the Berlin Philharmonic in Germany, and receive his Masters in Opera from Northwestern.
Kariotis' success was shattered when the person who had brought music into his life, his brother, Tony, was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS). After his brother's death, Alexander finally realized that he needed achieve both of their dreams, by combining their passions and becoming a rock - opera artist.
Alexander Kariotis' self-titled debut album will release later this year through CEN/RED/SONY. Be on the lookout for his first single, "Nessun Dorma" in the upcoming weeks.
For more information and to stay up to date with Alexander Kariotis, please visit:
www.facebook.com/AlexanderKariotisMusic
www.instagram.com/alexkariotis
www.youtube.com/user/alexkariotis
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