Classical Crossover Magazine is thrilled to announce that West End tenor, Paul Ettore Tabone, will be joining our network of experts. Paul, who has been nicknamed “The Tenor from Oz,” has had success on the classical stage, singing with the Pavarotti foundation, and has starred in over 1,800 performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera” as Urubaldo Piangi. He recently secured a distribution deal for his debut crossover album, “This is Me.”
When you speak to Paul, you are struck by the fact that despite his success, he is a down-to-earth guy who is extremely grateful for the opportunities he has had and eager to help others. “It’s been a very strange journey for me. I’m from a town in far north Queensland in Australia. It’s a very small town. You know, one would say in the middle of woodwork in Australia, which means in the middle of nowhere… I grew up as a country boy. We grew sugarcane and pumpkins, and watermelons.” Additionally, Paul had several unique pets including a frog, wallaby and kangaroo. Despite his years living in various places in Europe he remains a “very proud Australian.”
Paul’s choice to pursue opera in the sports dominated surrounding was definitely taking ‘the road less travelled.’ Even as a toddler Paul became “infatuated” with opera from watching Pavarotti on TV. “My parents didn’t understand what to do during that time, but when I told them mum and dad, ‘I’d like to play piano’, they knew that that was something that I had to do. My parents sacrificed a lot.”
Paul’s parents’ support of his early training meant the world to him and while learning the instrument was a good first step, it still wasn’t singing which is what he longed to do. “I think for me, the reason why I chose this was because it was safe. As a young boy in this community, I didn’t want to put myself into a bracket of being a singer out of fear of bullying, I suppose.”
Despite his fears the passion continued to grow. “When I was about 13, my piano teacher at the time, Mrs. Phillips said to me, ‘Paul, can you sing at this funeral for me? Because the girl that I have organized can’t do it?’ And I said, ‘No, I don’t think so,’ and she’s like, ‘Please, I’m asking you, can you please do this for me?’ I’m like, ‘Well, give me the music to study and let me see what I can do for you.’”
The song was “Amazing Grace,” and as Paul practiced at home his mother heard and was drawn into his room telling Paul, “You’ve got a great voice, love.” His response was typical teenager, “Mom, can you get out of my room, please!” His mother asked Paul to sing for his father which he absolutely refused to do but that would change after singing for Mrs. Philips. “She shut the piano lid and said, ‘Paul, you have a wonderful voice. And you know, you’re not very good at piano love, because you don’t study.’”
Her frankness was the final push Paul needed and he started singing at the Trinity College. He ended up completing a Bachelor of musical theater at the Central Queensland Conservatorium. Paul’s experience there was very important and he shares, “The relationships I formed there are relationships that I even still have today… especially Kim Kirkman.” Kim was the manager and creator behind the group The 10 Tenors. “For me that was huge. You know, I had someone who had hands on international performing experience as my teacher and my mentor. That’s not what you get all the time.”
Paul next found himself in Italy, “The biggest full circle moment for me is when I arrived in Italy, within I think two months or a few weeks, I got an email for an audition for the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation.” Pavarotti’s own wife Nicoletta Mantovani wrote and invited Paul and asked him to perform something he loved and Paul sang among others ‘Maria’ from West Side Story. Something clicked with Paul and he says, “From that moment on, I realized what it is I truly wanted.” Paul sang on different opera stages in Italy, Romania, and Germany, but he realized that crossover was where his heart was. “My true passion was exactly the same thing that Pavarotti started and that was to bring the music worlds together.” Paul was featured in the Pavarotti Heritage Production that toured in New York and Italy. The show was reminiscent of the ‘Pavarotti and Friends’ concerts that had been beloved to so many and Paul says, “It just felt like home to me, I was completely inspired. And from then on, it’s been my absolute goal to keep doing the work that he did. Slowly but surely, I’m trying to bring those worlds together.”
Although his training brings a certain operatic flair, Paul’s main goal is “to inspire in young people the thrill of the human voice… I think it’s our responsibility as classical crossover artists to continue to strive to help save our wonderful art form.”
Paul has sought to help young artists who struggled during the covid pandemic raising over £2000 pounds and providing free lessons. “I gave one a week during that whole lockdown period to people who needed it… we have to help each other.”
Paul also used the shutdown of the West End to record his debut album, “This is Me.” Something that would have been “impossible” with eight shows a week. “As soon as COVID hit, I just knew. I said, Now is the time, you know.” Paul chose to produce the album independently. “Robin Smith is my producer and a very close friend that I made during my time at the Pavarotti Foundation. He has been an absolute godsend with this production that I’ve made.” He is proud of how it all turned out, “because everything on there is something really special for me.”
Paul recently appeared in the Sydney Harbour production of “Phantom of the Opera” and has been releasing singles for fans including, “Sole,” “Creep,” “Shallow,” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone (Vedrai Vedrai)”.
“I am extremely excited to join the team at Classical Crossover Magazine. The last three years I have really discovered a passion for classical crossover music and look forward to sharing my knowledge, and all my very talented friends, with you all,” Paul says of joining CCM.
Classical Crossover Magazine is honored to have Paul join our team bringing his wealth of knowledge and unique perspective as someone who has performed both on the operatic and Broadway stages. We are pleased to feature Paul’s first interviews with Thomas Cameron and Mirusia in this issue and listeners, stay tuned for many more to come!
Connect with Paul:
www.paultabone.com
