Today’s leading bel canto tenor - and one of the world's biggest opera stars - celebrates this Christmas season with a very personal choice of sacred arias and songs, including favourites such as Panis Angelicus, Ave Maria and O Holy Night.

As well as the the glorious coloratura for which he is celebrated, the album also reveals the more intimate side of Juan Diego Flórez, in new interpretations of much-loved tenor classics for the festive season. These popular hits take their place alongside less familiar treasures including the Qui sedes from Bellini’s Mass in A minor and the virtuosic Alleluia from Fux’s Plaudite, sonat tuba – which call for the thrilling virtuosity that have made Juan Diego Flórez a star in the world's greatest opera houses.

A highlight of the programme is the title track Santo – composed by Juan Diego Flórez himself – and infused with the musical colours and rhythms of his Latin American roots. "My father was a folk-singer and I grew up with Peruvian music. My hobby is to compose and orchestrate, and the melody came to me very easily. The hard part is then to find the right instrumental colours and write for all the instruments and the chorus. But it's fun."

Track Listing:
1. Johann Joseph Fux: Alleluja (Plaudite, sonat tuba)
Ulrich Stephan Breddermann (trumpet)
2. César Franck: Panis angelicus (arr. Alan Boustead)
3. Adolphe Charles Adam: Cantique de Noël (O Holy Night) (arr. Douglas Gamley)
4. Vincenzo Bellini: Qui sedes (Mass in A minor)
Luca Milani (clarinet)
5. George Frideric Handel: Comfort ye – Ev’ry valley (Messiah)  
6. Gioacchino Rossini: Domine Deus (Petite Messe solennelle)
7. Franz Schubert: Ave Maria (arr. Chris Hazell)
8. Gioacchino Rossini: Qui tollis (Messa di gloria)
9. Joseph Haydn: Mit Würd’ und Hoheit angetan (Die Schöpfung)
10. Ariel Ramírez: Kyrie (Misa criolla)
11. Gioacchino Rossini: Gratias agimus tibi (Messa di gloria)
Gianluca Pellegrino (cor anglais)
12. John Francis Wade: Adeste fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful) (arr. Chris Hazell / David Willcocks)
13. Juan Diego Flórez: Santo