A new classical crossover album featuring star tenor Placido Domingo performing songs based on the poetry of the late Pope John Paul II made its debut in Italy on Friday.

Featuring a dozen tracks, Amore Infinito (Infinite Love ) debuted at the Vatican the same day it hit Italian music retailers.

"These songs are for everyone," not simply the religious faithful, said Domingo, who said he originally pitched the album to John Paul in 2004 — just one year before the pontiff's death.

The 67-year-old Spanish tenor said he chose poems by John Paul that provided insight into human emotions that "appeal to all of us," from a mother's love, to appreciation of nature, to anguish felt by a labourer.

Other singers featured in duets with Domingo on the album include:

  • Katherine Jenkins.
  • Josh Groban.
  • Andrea Bocelli.
  • Vanessa Williams.

The music is performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.

Record label Deutsche Grammophon will release the multilingual album — songs are in Italian, English and Spanish — next month in Mexico, where Domingo grew up.

The worldwide release follows in January.

John Paul was an actor and wrote plays as well as poetry — even publishing collections of his writing — before he became a priest. He continued to write after being elected leader of the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican has also published collections of his poetry.

With files from the Associated Press