![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/148\/2012\/06\/Friar-Alessandro.jpg\" "\\"Friar")
<\/a>Alessandro Brustenghi grew up<\/strong> listening to\u00a0American rocker Michael Jackson, and he loves the music of controversial Icelandic singer Bj\u00f6rk, founder of the all-girl punk band Spit and Snot.<\/p>\nAlessandro is too busy, though, to spend all his time on music.<\/strong>\u00a0 The 34-year-old is a Franciscan friar at the monastery at Assisi, where he works as a carpenter\u2014crafting wooden lecterns and restoring furniture.\u00a0<\/p>\n Friar Alessandro\u2019s operatic talent was discovered<\/strong> by British producer Mike Hedges, who had spent years seeking \u201cthe next Italian tenor.\u201d\u00a0 Hedges\u2014who also worked with the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers\u2014recognized Friar Alessandro\u2019s talent and negotiated a contract with Decca Records, part of Universal Music.\u00a0 The friar flew in an airplane for the first time last month, when he traveled to Britain\u2019s Abbey Road studios.\u00a0 On May 21, recording industry executives from 25 different countries flew to London to see his first performance at the 2012 International Decca Conference in Westminster.<\/p>\n Friar Alessandro speaks humbly of his work:<\/p>\n For me, music is a direct line with God and the way that I communicate with him.\u00a0 I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to realize my vocation and spread the gospel to everybody through this wonderful music.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Friar Alessandro\u2019s first album will be released in October,<\/strong><\/strong> but can be pre-ordered at his website<\/a>.\u00a0 Like his brother monks, Friar Alessandro has taken a vow of poverty; so any income derived from record sales will go directly to his religious order, the Order of Friars Minor, to support their charitable work.<\/p>\n