Alfred Giovanni Roncalli Boe (born 29 September 1973) is an English tenor and actor, notably performing in

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

. He is best known for his performances as

Jean Valjean Jean Valjean () is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel ''Les Misérables''. The story depicts the character's struggle to lead a normal life and redeem himself after serving a 19-year-long prison sentence for stealing bread to feed his ...

in the

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...

'' at the Queen's Theatre in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, the '' 25th Anniversary Concert'', the 2014 Broadway revival and the '' All-Star Staged Concert''. He played the lead role in '' Finding Neverland'' on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

beginning 29 March 2016. As well, Boe shared a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

with the other members of the ensemble cast of

Baz Luhrmann Mark Anthony Luhrmann (born 17 September 1962), known professionally as Baz Luhrmann, is an Australian film director, producer, writer and actor. With projects spanning film, television, opera, theatre, music and recording industries, he is re ...

's 2002 revival of ''

La bohème ''La bohème'' (; ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions '' quadri'', '' tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giusep ...

'' in 2003. He has sold more than one million albums in the United Kingdom. One of his most recent performances include Together in Vegas (with

Michael Ball Michael Ashley Ball (born 27 June 1962) is an English singer, presenter and actor. He made his West End debut in 1985 playing Marius Pontmercy in the original London production of ''Les Misérables'', and went on to star in 1987 as Raoul in ...

). On October 2022 he announced that he would be doing a solo tour in 2023.

Background

Boe, the youngest in a family of nine children, was born in

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre rivers, and is ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancas ...

, and brought up in nearby

Fleetwood Fleetwood is a coastal town in the Borough of Wyre in Lancashire, England, at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 25,939 at the 2011 census. Fleetwood acquired its modern character in the 1830s, when the principal lando ...

. He is of

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

and

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

descent. His mother and father named him after the Italian name of

Pope John XXIII Pope John XXIII ( la, Ioannes XXIII; it, Giovanni XXIII; born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, ; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Roman Catholic Church, Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 28 Oc ...

. He attended St Wulstan's and St Edmund's School and

Cardinal Allen Catholic High School Cardinal Allen Catholic High School is a mixed 11–16 voluntary-aided Roman Catholic faith school in Fleetwood, Lancashire, England. Curriculum Art, Craft and Design, Business and Communication Systems, Catering and Hospitality, Computer Sci ...

in Fleetwood. His earliest musical memories were of listening to his father's

Richard Tauber Richard Tauber (16 May 1891 – 8 January 1948) was an Austrian tenor and film actor. Early life Richard Tauber was born in Linz, Austria, to Elisabeth Seifferth (née Denemy), a widow and an actress who played soubrette roles at the local theat ...

records and he discovered Puccini's ''

'' for the first time. Boe's first public performance, aged 14, was at Fleetwood's Marine Hall in a "Songs from the Shows" presentation organised by inspirational local singing teacher Lottie Dawson. He said that although he sang only a couple of lines he was extremely nervous. At the age of 17, Boe became an apprentice mechanic at the TVR factory in Bispham, Blackpool. He enjoyed entertaining his colleagues by singing opera arias while he polished the cars, and one day was overheard by a client with connections in the music industry who was so impressed that he suggested Boe should go to London and audition for the

D'Oyly Carte Opera Company The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company is a professional British light opera company that, from the 1870s until 1982, staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere. Th ...

. His audition was a success and he gave up polishing cars to embark on a singing career. Boe has not been able to trace the customer who suggested he go for the audition, having lost the man's

business card Business cards are cards bearing business information about a company or individual. They are shared during formal introductions as a convenience and a memory aid. A business card typically includes the giver's name, company or business af ...

Singing and acting career

Boe moved to London and studied singing at the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the undergraduate to the doctoral level in all aspects of Western Music including perform ...

, the

National Opera Studio The National Opera Studio in London, England was established in 1977 by the Arts Council as a link between the music colleges and the six main UK opera companies. It was resident at Morley College in Lambeth until 2003, when it gained use for th ...

and the

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal ...

's Vilar Young Artists Programme. In 1999 and 2000, he was featured as the "opera dude" on albums by

the Clint Boon Experience The Clint Boon Experience (stylised as The Clint Boon Experience!, also known as CBX) are an English alternative rock band formed by ex-Inspiral Carpets keyboard player Clint Boon after Inspiral Carpets disbanded in the mid 1990s. Background B ...

, led by the former organist of the

Inspiral Carpets Inspiral Carpets are an English rock band, part of the late-1980s/early-1990s Madchester movement. Formed in Oldham in 1980, the band's most successful lineup featured frontman Tom Hingley, drummer Craig Gill, guitarist Graham Lambert, bassi ...

. In 1999 he sang Ernesto for Scottish Opera in their Opera-Go-Round production of ''

Don Pasquale ''Don Pasquale'' () is an opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti with an Italian libretto completed largely by Giovanni Ruffini as well as the composer. It was based on a libretto by Angelo Anelli for Stefano Pavesi's ...

'', touring widely throughout Scotland.

Broadway and West End

, who had spent two years looking for the lead for his

production of ''

'', approached Boe for the role. Boe subsequently appeared (credited as Alfred Boe) on the 2002 Broadway Cast Recording released by Bazmark Live. Boe and the other principal leads received the

Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre The Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre is a non-competitive award created by the American Theatre Wing in 1990. They are presented to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but ...

in 2003. He has also sung the role at

Glyndebourne Glyndebourne () is an English country house, the site of an opera house that, since 1934, has been the venue for the annual Glyndebourne Festival Opera. The house, located near Lewes in East Sussex, England, is thought to be about six hun ...

and the

English National Opera English National Opera (ENO) is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera. ENO's productions are sung in English ...

. In 2006, Boe was signed to the Classic FM Presents label as their first signing in a new venture for the radio station, and his album ''Classic FM Presents Alfie Boe'' reached number three in the

UK classical chart The UK Classical Charts are three record charts based on classical music in the United Kingdom: the Classical Artist Albums Chart, the Classical Compilation Albums Chart and the Specialist Classical Albums Chart. The charts are commercial monitori ...

. At the 2006

Canterbury Festival The Canterbury Festival is Kent's international festival of the arts. It takes place in Canterbury (England) and surrounding towns and villages (including Faversham, Whitstable and Margate) each October/November and includes performances of a vari ...

, on 27 October, Boe performed with soprano

Hayley Westenra Hayley Dee Westenra (born 10 April 1987) is a New Zealand classical crossover singer and songwriter. Her first internationally released album, '' Pure'', reached number one on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million ...

at a concert in

Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the ...

. In November 2006 he was signed to the

EMI Classics EMI Classics was a record label founded by Thorn EMI in 1990 to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogues for internationally distributed classical music releases. After Thorn EMI demerged in 1996, its recorded mus ...

label and his first album on that label, ''Onward'', was released in March 2007. Boe toured the United Kingdom with the

Fron Male Voice Choir The Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir ( cy, Côr Meibion Froncysyllte), also known as the Fron Choir ( cy, Côr Fron), is an amateur male voice choir based in the village of Froncysyllte (pronounced roughly ''vron-cuss-ulth/ tay''), Wrexham County Borou ...

in February 2007 and took part in the first Classic FM

webcast A webcast is a media presentation distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand. Essentially, web ...

concert with soprano Natasha Marsh in March. The same month, he was appointed as an ambassador of the Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation, a British educational charity working to inspire and educate children by introducing them to the arts. Boe's role being to bring music, and opera in particular for those children involved. In April, Boe starred opposite

Lesley Garrett Lesley Garrett, CBE (born 10 April 1955) is an English soprano singer, musician, broadcaster and media personality. She is noted for being at home in opera and "crossover music". Early life Garrett was born in the town of Thorne, near Donc ...

and

Willard White Sir Willard Wentworth White, OM, CBE (born 10 October 1946) is a Jamaican-born British operatic bass baritone. Early life White was born into a Jamaican family in Kingston. His father was a dockworker, his mother a housewife. White first beg ...

in the ITV ''Music of Morse'' concert at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

. He was also nominated for a Classical BRIT for Best Album, missing out to

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

at the ceremony on 3 May 2007. Boe performed with

in the

production of '' Kismet''. His live performance of the song " Stranger in Paradise" from ''Kismet'' on the

Michael Parkinson Sir Michael Parkinson (born 28 March 1935) is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his television talk show '' Parkinson'' from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007, as well as other talk shows and programmes both in the U ...

show was released as a download single on 25 June 2007. In August, Boe realised an ambition to record an album of Neapolitan songs which was released in November under the title ''La Passione''. On 24 August 2007 he performed at the Arundel Festival alongside Natasha Marsh. On 19 October 2007 he performed at

during the

. Boe performed at the annual Festival of Remembrance at the

on 10 November 2007. On 31 January 2008, Boe performed at the Pleasure Beach Arena,

to more than 1,600 local children in a special Music Quest concert to introduce the classics to a new generation. The concert celebrated the end of the Music Quest three-year project, which was sponsored by the Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation and Classic FM MusicMakers.

''Les Misérables''

On 3 October 2010, Boe took the role of

in a concert performance of the musical ''

'' at the

O2 Arena O2 Arena may refer to: *The O2 Arena (London) *O2 Arena (Prague) *The 3Arena The 3Arena (originally The O2) is an indoor amphitheatre located at North Wall Quay in the Dublin Docklands in Dublin, Ireland. The venue opened as The O2 on 16 Decemb ...

in London to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the show, released on DVD and

Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of st ...

Disc. The concert encore performance of " Bring Him Home", credited as the "Valjean Quartet" – Boe with

Colm Wilkinson Colm Wilkinson (born 5 June 1944), also known as C. T. Wilkinson, is an Irish tenor and actor who is best known for originating the lead role of Jean Valjean in ''Les Misérables'' (in the West End and Broadway) and for taking the title role in ...

, John Owen-Jones and Simon Bowman, each of whom has portrayed Valjean in various theatrical productions, was re-recorded at the

Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music ...

and released as a charity CD single and download on 13 December 2010. On 16 December 2010, Boe once again performed as Valjean in the

Royal Variety Performance The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal ...

in front of

Charles, Prince of Wales Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...

and

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Camilla (born Camilla Rosemary Shand, later Parker Bowles, 17 July 1947) is Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III. She became queen consort on 8 September 2022, upon the ac ...

singing " What Have I Done?", and "Bring Him Home" again alongside Wilkinson, Owen-Jones and Bowman. Boe appeared as Valjean in ''Les Misérables'' at the Queen's Theatre in London from 23 June to 26 November 2011. His friend

Matt Lucas Matthew Richard Lucas (born 5 March 1974) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television presenter. He is best known for his work with David Walliams on the BBC sketch comedy series ''Little Britain'' (2003–2006, 2020) and '' Come Fl ...

also joined the cast as Thenardier. During his run as Valjean, Boe appeared in the "''Les Misérables'' v Lend Me a Tenor Battle of the Tenors" at

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was deve ...

's Winnett Street in London on 13 July 2011. In August, Boe performed with the

National Symphony Orchestra The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1930, its principal performing venue is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It also performs for the annual National M ...

at Beau Sejour and Gloucester Hall. In 2015, he reprised the role of Valjean in the Broadway revival of ''Les Misérables'' at the

Imperial Theatre The Imperial Theatre is a Broadway theater at 249 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1923, the Imperial Theatre was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. He succeeded

Ramin Karimloo Ramin Karimloo ( fa, رامین کریملو; ; born September 19, 1978) is a Canadian actor, singer and composer recognized for his work in London's West End and Broadway theatre. He has played the leading male roles in both of the West End's ...

, who played Enjolras in the 25th Anniversary concert, on 1 September 2015. In February 2019, Boe announced he would reprise the role of Valjean at the Gielgud Theatre in a staged concert production of ''Les Misérables''. Boe shared the role with John Owen-Jones and starred opposite Michael Ball (Inspector

Javert Javert (), no first name given in the source novel, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel ''Les Misérables.'' He was presumably born in 1780 and died on June 7, 1832. First a prison guard, and then a polic ...

); with whom he has performed on numerous occasions and

(Thénardier). The production opened on 10 August 2019, at the Gielgud Theatre and closed 2 December 2019.

Other performances

In January 2011, Boe performed for

in ''

La Bohème ''La bohème'' (; ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions '' quadri'', '' tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giusep ...

'' and ''

The Mikado ''The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations. It opened on 14 March 1885, in London, where it ran at the ...

''. In March 2011, Boe performed three concerts in

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Monta ...

: two in

Rexburg Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, United States. The population was 39,409 at the 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Madison County and its largest city. Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg, ID Micropolitan Statis ...

, and one in Sun Valley. In April, Boe appeared in ''The Great British Musical – The Famous and the Future'' at the

Criterion Theatre The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre at Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has a seating capacity of 588. Building the theatre In 1870, the caterers Spiers and Pond began develop ...

and the

St George's Day Saint George's Day is the feast day of Saint George, celebrated by Christian churches, countries, and cities of which he is the patron saint, including Bulgaria, England, Georgia, Portugal, Romania, Cáceres, Alcoy, Aragon and Catalonia. Sai ...

celebration concert in

Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, laid out in the early 19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. At its centre is a high column bearing a statue of Admiral Nelson comm ...

. In May, Boe performed at the

Classical BRIT Awards The Classic BRIT Awards (previously Classical BRIT Awards) are an annual awards ceremony held in the United Kingdom covering aspects of classical and crossover music, and are the equivalent of popular music's Brit Awards. The awards are organ ...

ceremony at the

, in the

Isle of Man ) , anthem = " O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europ ...

, and headlined the

Hampton Court Palace Festival The Hampton Court Palace Festival (also promoted as the Hampton Court Palace Music Festival) is an annual musical event at Hampton Court Palace in London. Established in 1993, the Festival is known for presenting artists across the music genres ...

finale on 18 June 2011. Boe appeared in the BBC Last Night of the Proms concert at the

Caird Hall Caird Hall is a concert auditorium located in Dundee, Scotland. It is a Category A listed building. History The site currently occupied by the building was occupied by a series of closes and tenements. The foundation stone for the building was ...

on 10 September 2011 and the Llanelli Choral Society's Grand Performance Concert at Tabernacle Chapel,

Llanelli Llanelli ("St Elli's Parish"; ) is a market town and the largest community in Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is located on the Loughor estuary north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carma ...

on 24 September 2011. Boe began the "Alfie Boe 'Bring Him Home' UK Concert Tour" in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city, Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Glouces ...

on 6 December 2011, finishing in Gateshead Sage on 4 February 2012. In October 2011, Boe announced that he would appear in the Lytham Proms Festival Weekend on 4 August 2012. The festival is hosted in the town of

Lytham St Annes Lytham St Annes () is a seaside town in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England. It is on the Fylde coast, directly south of Blackpool on the Ribble Estuary. The population at the 2011 census was 42,954. The town is almost contiguous wi ...

, close to his hometown of

. The local newspaper ''

Blackpool Gazette The ''Blackpool Gazette'' (locally marketed as simply ''The Gazette'') is an English daily newspaper based in Blackpool, Lancashire. Published every day except Sunday, it covers the towns and communities of the Fylde coast. It was founded as '' ...

'' described his concert as a homecoming, using the title 'Bring HIM Home'. On 6 May 2012, Boe performed at the

Kauffman Center The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center in Downtown Kansas City, downtown Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri, USA, at 16th and Broadway, near the Power & Light District, the T-Mobile Center and the Crossr ...

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more th ...

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

. On 4 June 2012, Boe performed at the

Diamond Jubilee Concert The Diamond Jubilee Concert was a British music concert and celebration held outside Buckingham Palace on The Mall in London on 4 June 2012. The concert was organised by Take That singer-songwriter Gary Barlow and was part of Queen Elizabeth ...

for the Diamond Jubilee of

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states durin ...

. He sang " 'O sole mio" leading into

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...

's " It's Now or Never". He also performed " Somewhere" from ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play '' Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid ...

'' with American soprano Renee Fleming on the balcony of

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

. He appeared on ''

The One Show ''The One Show'' is a British television magazine and chat show programme. Broadcast live on BBC One weeknights at 7:00 pm, it features topical stories and studio guests. It is currently co-hosted by Alex Jones, Jermaine Jenas, and Ronan ...

'' on 30 August 2012. On 2 October 2012, Boe embarked on a major U.S./Canada concert tour starting in

Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

and ending in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

on 29 October. In December 2012, Boe was featured as a guest artist for the holiday concert series of the

Mormon Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for ...

Orchestra at Temple Square The Orchestra at Temple Square (Orchestra) is a 110-member orchestra located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Orchestra was created in 1999 under the direction of Gordon B. Hinckley, then the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sai ...

and Bells on Temple Square. The concerts also featured broadcaster

Tom Brokaw Thomas John Brokaw (; born February 6, 1940) is an American retired network television journalist and author. He first served as the co-anchor of ''The Today Show'' from 1976 to 1981 with Jane Pauley, then as the anchor and managing editor of '' ...

, who narrated the story of

Gail Halvorsen Colonel Gail Seymour "The Candy Bomber" Halvorsen (October 10, 1920 – February 16, 2022) was a senior officer and command pilot in the United States Air Force. He is best known as the "Berlin Candy Bomber" or "Uncle Wiggly Wings" and gained f ...

(who also made an appearance) and the candy bombers of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. Boe performed several Christmas favourites as well as "Bring Him Home". The live performances were recorded and released as '' Home for the Holidays feat. Alfie Boe''. Boe returned to the U.S. in late January 2013 for an eight-city tour, starting in Albany,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

27 January and ending in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

9 February. In February 2013, Boe, colloquially known as the Lancashire Michael Bublé, was awarded two platinum albums by the BPI for ''Alfie'' (2011) and ''Bring Him Home'' (2010). Boe performed a three-week, 14-city tour, which started in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...

and ended in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

, Northern Ireland. On 15 April 2013, Boe was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Music from his alma mater. On 26 May 2013, Boe sang "Bring Him Home" at the U.S. National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

in Washington, D.C. In 2014 he recorded an orchestrated version of

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Towns ...

Quadrophenia ''Quadrophenia'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released as a double album on 26 October 1973 by Track Records. It is the group's third rock opera, the two previous being the "mini-opera" song "A Quick One, Whil ...

, with the

London Philharmonic Orchestra The London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is one of five permanent symphony orchestras based in London. It was founded by the conductors Sir Thomas Beecham and Malcolm Sargent in 1932 as a rival to the existing London Symphony and BBC Symp ...

. He said "I've always thought the classical voice can lend itself to this kind of repertoire. It's harder than opera but thrilling to sing. The music is so full of excitement, positivity and strength - I wouldn't separate it from a symphony by Beethoven or Mozart" (liner notes). The album was released as Pete Townshend's Classic Quadrophenia. Boe performed at VE Day 70: A Party to Remember at

Horse Guards Parade Horse Guards Parade is a large parade ground off Whitehall in central London (at grid reference ). It is the site of the annual ceremonies of Trooping the Colour, which commemorates the monarch's official birthday, and the Beating Retreat. H ...

in London on 9 May 2015. On 4 and 5 June 2015, Boe performed two concerts at Symphony Hall with the

Phoenix Symphony The Phoenix Symphony is an American symphony orchestra based in Phoenix, Arizona. The orchestra performs primarily at Phoenix Symphony Hall, and is the only full-time, professional orchestra in the state of Arizona. History Founded in 1947, the ...

, filling in for

, who was forced to drop out due to illness. From 7 April to 13 May 2017, Boe starred as the romantic lead Billy Bigelow in Rodgers and Hammerstein's ''

Carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in SA) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular pl ...

'' in a limited run at the

directed by

Lonny Price Lonny Price (born March 9, 1959) is an American director, actor, and writer, primarily in theatre. He is perhaps best known for his creation of the role of Charley Kringas in the Broadway musical '' Merrily We Roll Along'' and for his New York d ...

, opposite mezzo-soprano

Katherine Jenkins Katherine Maria Jenkins (born 29 June 1980) is a Welsh singer. She is a mezzo-soprano and performs operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre, and hymns.Mr Selfridge ''Mr Selfridge'' is a British period drama television series about Harry Gordon Selfridge and his department store, Selfridge & Co, in London, set from 1908 to 1928. It was co-produced by ITV Studios and Masterpiece/WGBH for broadcast on ITV ...

''. In 2016 and 2017, Boe and Michael Ball appeared in two

ITV Specials ''ITV Specials'' are a selection of programmes which focus on some of the biggest stars in music, dance and magic. Since 15 January 2000, stars including Cheryl, Michael Flatley, the Spice Girls and Duran Duran have featured in these special pro ...

, ''Ball & Boe: One Night Only'' and ''Ball & Boe Back Together''. Boe replaced

Aled Jones Aled Jones, (born 29 December 1970) is a Welsh singer and radio and television presenter. As a teenage chorister, he reached widespread fame during the mid-1980s. Since then he has worked in television with the BBC and ITV, and radio (for ...

as presenter of ''Christmas Carols on ITV'' in December 2017''.'' On 3 March, Boe performed in 'The End of the Show Show' on ''

Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway ''Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway'' (referred to simply as ''Saturday Night Takeaway'' or ''SNT'') is a British television variety show, created and presented by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloquially known as Ant & Dec), an ...

'' alongside Michael Ball. Boe is a participant in the current reality competition series ''

Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof ''Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof'' is a British reality television competition series presented by Holly Willoughby and Lee Mack. The series began broadcasting on BBC One on 12 April 2022. The series follows eight celebrities who are trained by ...

''. In 2022, Boe appeared on ITV’s Love Island singing for Davide and Ekin-Su as part of their final date.

Personal life

Boe met his wife Sarah while rehearsing ''La Bohème'' in

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

. They have two children, a daughter, Grace, and a son, Alfred Robert. He is a member of the Grand Order of Water Rats. Boe was appointed

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(OBE) in the

2019 Birthday Honours The 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as ...

for services to music and charity. On 24 August 2020, Boe announced that he and his wife Sarah had separated and that everything was "very amicable".

Solo recordings

*''Classic FM Presents Alfie Boe'' (Classic FM, 2006/Reissued with alternate cover photo, Universal Music, 2008/Reissued with alternative title ''The Sound of Alfie Boe'' as HMV exclusive on Decca, UK, February 2011) *''Onward'' (physical CD contains 12 tracks – some download versions feature an additional track "Where'er You Walk (from ''Semele'')" – EMI Classics, 2007) *''A Living Prayer (Radio Edit)/Abide With Me'' (EMI Classics, 2007 – download single) *''Stranger in Paradise'' (Live on Parkinson)/''You'll Never Walk Alone'' (EMI Classics, 2007 – download single) *''Live at Abbey Road – The Napster Sessions'' (Napster exclusive four-track download includes three live songs from "La Passione" and a cover of The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" – EMI Classics, 2007) *''La Passione'' (physical CD contains 15 tracks – some download versions feature an additional track "Lolita". Another track "La Paloma" recorded but not issued. EMI Classics, 2007) *''Franz Lehár: Love Was A Dream'' (Linn Records, 2009/Reissued as "Love Was A Dream" with new artwork on Decca, July 2011) *''Bring Him Home'' (studio version, credited as the Valjean Quartet – Alfie Boe, Simon Bowman, John Owen-Jones and Colm Wilkinson – Cameron Mackintosh Limited, 2010 – CD/download charity single) *''Bring Him Home'' (includes duets with Kerry Ellis & Matt Lucas, Shakira and

Melanie C Melanie Jayne Chisholm (12 January 1974 - 25 December 2022), better known as Melanie C or Mel C, is an English singer-songwriter and media personality. She is best known as one of the five members of the Spice Girls, during which time she was ni ...

– Decca Records, December 2010) *''You'll Never Walk Alone – The Collection'' 16-song compilation CD features six songs not included on Boe's solo CD albums – two songs from ''Eternal Light'', plus "Where'er You Walk", "Brindisi", "Abide With Me" and "Fratello Sole, Sorella Luna". (EMI Classics, 21 March 2011) *''Alfie'' UK version – 15 tracks, includes tracks featuring Michael Ball & Robert Plant (Decca Records, 31 October 2011) *''Alfie'' US version – 15 tracks, includes tracks featuring Nick Jonas and Robert Plant. The U.S. version substitutes the "Empty Chairs" duet from Michael Ball to Nick Jonas, and deletes "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" replaced with the studio version of "Bring Him Home". (Decca Records, 5 June 2012) *''Storyteller'' UK version – 13 tracks (Decca Records, 12 November 2012) *''Storyteller'' UK download version – 16 tracks [adds "Always A Woman To Me", "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You (Secret Rehearsal Take)", and "Bring Him Home (Live Version)" plus four "Song Commentary" video clips (Decca Records, 9 November 2012 – Amazon.co.uk and iTunes UK] *''Storyteller'' UK Sainsbury's Entertainment version – 15 tracks (adds "Wayfaring Stranger – Bonus Track – Live From Dallas", and "Rank Strangers To Me – Bonus Track – Live From Dallas" (Decca Records, 12 November) *''Storyteller'' US version – 14 tracks includes exclusive bonus track "Angel" (Decca Records, 6 August 2013) *''Trust'' UK version – 12 tracks (Decca Records, 11 November 2013) *''Trust'' US version – 13 tracks – adds a bonus version of "Danny Boy" (Mr. Selfridge version) (Manhattan Records, 29 April 2014)

Also appears on

*"Johann Strauss: Die Fledermaus – Sung in English – D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, John Owen Edwards – conductor" (The first released studio recording of Alfred Boe – two-CD, Sony Classics S2K 64573, 1995) *''

The Compact Guide to Pop Music and Space Travel ''The Compact Guide to Pop Music and Space Travel'' is the debut album by The Clint Boon Experience, which is the band formed by Inspiral Carpets organist Clint Boon in the late nineties. "White No Sugar" was released as a single, as were "Yo ...

'' (The Clint Boon Experience! aka CBX! – guest appearance on two tracks: "Comet Theme Number One" & "Only One Way I Can Go" – credited as Alf Boe: Opera Vocal – Artful Records, 1999) *"Gilbert & Sullivan: HMS Pinafore – The 1999 D'Oyly Carte Cast Complete Dialogue & Songs Recording" (Performing the role of Ralph Rackstraw, credited as Alfred Boe – two-CD, TER, 2000 – Reissued 2008) *''

Life in Transition ''Life in Transition'' is the second album by The Clint Boon Experience, which is the band formed by Clint Boon in the late nineties. The album cover artwork features a photograph of Clint's son Max Presley Boon, who was 5 years old at the time. ...

'' (The Clint Boon Experience! aka CBX! – guest appearance on four tracks: "This is the Sound", "Life in Transition", "17 & Over!" & "In Chaos I See" – credited as Alf Boe: Opera Vocal – Artful Records, 2000) *"The Most Happy Fella – First Complete Recording – Studio Cast" (three-CD Box Set – appears on six tracks, performing the role of Giuseppe, credited as Alfred Boe. Recorded 1997–1999 – JAY, 2000 – Reissued on TER, 2010) *"Verdi: Aida – The 2002 Opera in English Recording" (two-CD Box Set – appears on two tracks in the role of "A Messenger" – credited as Alfred Boe – Chandos "Opera in English", 2002) *"La Bohème – The 2002 Broadway Cast Recording" (credited as Alfred Boe – Bazmark Live Pty Ltd., 2002) *"Barry Banks Sings Bel Canto Arias" (Alfred Boe as Pilades duets on "Palace of Horrors! – Ah, How Can I Hide the Flames" from Rossini's "Ermione", Recorded September 2001 – Chandos "Opera in English", 2004) *"Sleigh Ride" (Alfred Boe appears on two tracks: "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" & "O Holy Night" – The Boston Pops Orchestra – Conducted By Keith Lockhart, Artemis Classics, 2004) *"Myleene’s Music For Romance" (Myleene Klass – two-CD Compilation features previously unreleased Alfie Boe track "Fratello Sole, Sorella Luna" written by Donovan from the Zeffirelli film "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" – EMI Classics, 2007) *"Elizabeth Marvelly" (Self-titled debut CD features Alfie Boe duet on "Stranger in Paradise" – EMI, 2007) *Howard Goodall, ''Eternal Light: A Requiem'' (tenor soloist on four tracks, with Natasha Marsh;

Christopher Maltman Christopher Maltman (born 6 February 1970) is a British operatic baritone. Christopher Maltman was born in Cleethorpes and was educated at Warwick University where he received a degree in Biochemistry and subsequently studied music at the Royal A ...

; Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford;

London Musici London Musici is a chamber orchestra founded in 1988 by Mark Stephenson. It has given over 1000 performances as the associate orchestra for the Rambert Dance Company Rambert (known as Rambert Dance Company before 2014) is a leading British da ...

; and Stephen Darlington; EMI Classics, 2008) *"Natasha Marsh" (Self-titled CD featuring Alfie Boe duet on "Brindisi" (La Traviata) – EMI Classics, 2008) *"Pride of the Nation" (The Band of the Coldstream Guards, CD featuring Alfie Boe on "Jerusalem" (Parry, arr. Eyton) – Decca CD/DVD + Download, 28 March 2011) *"Downton Abbey" (Original Music from the Television Series – Alfie sings two tracks " If You Were the Only Girl (In the World)" and "

Roses of Picardy "Roses of Picardy" is a popular British song with lyrics by Frederick Weatherly and music by Haydn Wood. Published in London in 1916 by Chappell & Co, it was one of the most famous songs of the World War I, First World War and has been recorded ...

") – Decca CD + Download, 19 September 2011) *"First Night" (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Alfie sings "Un'aura amorosa", duet "Volgi a me (Fra gli amplessi)" and appears on an ensemble track "Fortunato – Act II Finale", all from Mozart's "Così fan tutte" – Sony Classical CD + Download, 17 October 2011) *"Summon The Heroes" (The Band of H.M. Royal Marines – Alfie sings "Over the Hills and Far Away" – Decca CD + Download, 14 November 2011) *"One Vision" (Alfie Boe & Kimberley Walsh featuring Youth Music Voices Choir – Decca (UMO) UK Download Only, 11 May 2012) *"Sing – E.P." (Gary Barlow & the Commonwealth Band Feat. Alfie Boe & Military Wives – Alfie sings on "Land of Hope and Glory" – Decca CD + Download, 28 May 2012) *'' Home for the Holidays feat. Alfie Boe'' (Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD + Download + DVD, 15 October 2013)

Discography

Studio albums * ''Classic FM presents Alfie Boe'' (2006) * ''Onward'' (2007) * ''La Passione'' (2007) * ''Franz Lehar: Love Was a Dream'' (2009) * '' Bring Him Home'' (2010) * '' Alfie'' (2011) * '' Storyteller'' (2012) * '' Trust'' (2013) * ''

Serenata In music, a serenade (; also sometimes called a serenata, from the Italian) is a musical composition or performance delivered in honor of someone or something. Serenades are typically calm, light pieces of music. The term comes from the Italia ...

'' (2014) * ''

Together ''ToGetHer'' (, aka Superstar Express) is a 2009 Taiwanese drama starring Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit, Rainie Yang and George Hu. It was produced by Comic International Productions ( 可米國際影視事業股份有限公司) and directed by Linzi ...

'' (with

) (2016) * '' Together Again'' (with Michael Ball) (2017) * '' As Time Goes By'' (2018) * '' Back Together'' (with Michael Ball) (2019) * '' Together at Christmas'' (with Michael Ball) (2020) Compilation albums * ''You'll Never Walk Alone – The Collection'' (2011) * ''Solo & Apart: A Collection of Songs from Their Past'' (with Michael Ball) (2017) Video albums * ''Alfie Boe Live – The Bring Him Home Tour'' (2012)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Boe, Alfie 1973 births 20th-century English male actors 20th-century British male opera singers 21st-century English male actors 21st-century British male opera singers Alumni of the Royal College of Music English male musical theatre actors English people of Irish descent English people of Norwegian descent English Roman Catholics English tenors Living people Male actors from Lancashire Musicians from Lancashire Officers of the Order of the British Empire Opera crossover singers People from Blackpool People from Fleetwood