Classical star Carly Paoli will swap the stage for the shop floor to sign copies of her new album, ‘Due Anime’, in her home town of Mansfield.

She will be at the HMV store in the Four Seasons Shopping centre, Mansfield, at 12.30pm on Monday, 11th November.

‘Due Anime’ is the third album to be released by the classical BRIT nominee, who is also performing at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal this Sunday for BBC Children In Need.

A collection of Italian-themed songs featuring compositions by Ennio Morricone, Luis Bacalov and Romano Musumarra, guest performers on the record include Alessandro Safina and Andrea Griminelli, as well as unique duets with the late MGM hero Mario Lanza, and Carly’s own grandfather Appollonio.

‘Due Anime’ (‘Two Souls’) represents the dual heritage of Carly Paoli’s family. Inspired by her formative years divided between her musical studies in the UK and performing in the piazzas of Puglia in her holidays, the ‘English rose with Italian roots’ has delighted audiences in both countries.

Her career has afforded her the opportunity to perform at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the O2 Arena and the Roman Forum, and alongside luminaries such as Andrea Bocelli, Elaine Paige, David Foster and José Carreras.

In the last 18 months alone, Carly has scored a number one on the classical album chart for her debut ‘Singing My Dreams’ and follow up ‘Live at Cadogan Hall’. In the UK she has appeared on major TV shows (Aled Jones ITV, Sky Arts with Andrea Bocelli); toured and performed with Collabro and Il Divo; signed a publishing deal with Sony ATV; performed on BBC Radio 2, most recently with Michael Bolton from the London Palladium; and been championed by David Mellor (You Magazine and Classic FM) and received a Classic Brit nomination.

Drawing on her Italian heritage has been a constant throughout Carly’s career. Many of the classical techniques associated with classical singing comes from opera, and Carly’s musical apprenticeship in its birthplace was strengthened by her exposure to this.

She said: “I grew up in Nottinghamshire surrounded by my English family, yet across the sea in Southern Italy was – and still today is – a large portion of my maternal family. Summer was always my favourite time of year because it consisted of sand, sun, sea and, most importantly… singing! During those summers I would sing for local events and masses.

“Looking back, it was a priceless experience for a young performer, and I can’t help acknowledging life’s beautiful tapestry.”

The person with most responsibility for enabling Carly to explore her Italian heritage is her Nonno (Grandfather) Appollonio Paoli. An avid singer himself, Nonno is partly responsible for keeping the family’s musical heritage alive, performing – at every given opportunity – with various members of the family including Carly, who has included him on the album for a duet.

Carly added: “Nonno’s apartment block in Spongano became the centre of my teenage world. The minute school holidays started I was there surrounded by uncles, aunts and cousins. I’m so thrilled to feature him on this album on a duet recorded at a family party a few years ago. He’s singing on ‘I’te Vurria Vasa’, a song that he taught me and one that he and his brothers sang.”

In addition to inspirations from Italy, Carly’s other major childhood influence, the classic MGM American musicals, pepper her vocal performances allowing her to carve a unique path in the world of contemporary classical singers. Whilst Carly honoured the MGM classics in her debut album ‘Singing My Dreams’, she now shifts her deep-rooted love of opera and traditional Italian music to centre stage.

On a specially-curated selection of tracks, Carly not only draws from the deep well of Italian classics, but also a catalogue of songs that she says her youth was intrinsically linked to. “When I close my eyes and think of Italy, the nostalgic songs my grandmother introduced me to immediately come to mind. Songs such as, ‘Three Coins in The Fountain’, ‘Arrivederci Roma,’ and ‘Non ti Scordar di Me’, which I vividly remember performing onstage as a child.”

In performing songs composed by Ennio Morricone on ‘Due Anime’, Carly has combined her love of American cinema and Italian classical music. “So many great composers of today are inspired by Maestro Ennio Morricone’s beautiful film music that married with the on-screen action and bought the drama to another level,” explains Carly.

“Also, films inspired a great deal of 20th century music and Mario Lanza played a major role in that movement. With looks that made the ladies swoon and a voice that effortlessly soared across the high notes, he become an international icon. Many of today’s tenors speak of how it was Lanza’s movies that first inspired them to sing so it’s an honor for me to sing this romantic waltz from ‘The Great Caruso’ with the legend that is Mario Lanza.”