Pope John Paul II will be canonized on April 27, 2014. To honor him, Plácido Domingo will perform repertoire from this album at the ceremony in Poznan, Poland.

One of the most beloved spiritual leaders of the modern era, Pope John Paul II was not only a humanitarian and theologian, but an artist and author. In his pre-Papal life as Karol Wojtyla he wrote plays, essays, and, most notably, poetry. For this CD, Plácido Domingo and his son Plácido Domingo Jr. used a selection of not only religious poetry, but also poems about love and people’s daily life. 

  Much of the music here is of a very accessible nature. “La Tua Semplicita” is a duet that employs a sweeping, cinematic orchestral arrangement, while the gentle, “Gratitude” composed by Plácido Domingo Jr. pairs the opera with R&B crooner Vanessa Williams and features Irish penny whistle.