Il Divo tour announces initial dates for North America in spring 2009

Classical singing group Il Divo has officially announced dates for its 2009 world tour, which features a spring jaunt across Canada and the United States. Currently set at 19-dates, the outing begins in Canada on April 28 at the Metro Centre in Halifax, NS, and similarly ends north of the border on May 31 at the Save-On-Foods Centre in Victoria, BC.

Only six U.S. dates have been confirmed so far, starting with a May 8 performance at the Patriot Center in Washington, DC (Fairfax, VA), and ending with a May 19 concert at the Roseland Theatre in Chicago, IL. Mostly focused on the Northeast region of the States, the run includes a May 14 stop at Agganis Arena in Boston, MA.

Presales for most U.S. gigs began December 1 at 10 a.m. (local time), and close on December 3 at 3 p.m. (local time). The general on-sales follow on December 8 and 9. Tickets for the Canadian dates are already available to the public.

The 2009 World Tour is the first under the group’s recently inked deal with Live Nation that covers tour promotion, merchandise, fan club management, VIP ticket packages and sponsorships. Tour and concert promoter Live Nation signed a similar deal with Jonas Brothers earlier in the year, spanning more than 100 concerts at theaters and arenas around the world.

Il Divo is touring behind its sixth album, “The Promise,” which was released in the United States on November 18. The album debuted at the No. 5 position on the Billboard 200 and sold more than 161,000 units in its first week, according to a statement on the group’s Web site.

The internationally successful operatic pop group was developed by American Idol icon Simon Cowell and is composed of singers from France, Spain, Switzerland, and the U.S. The quartet debuted in 2004 with an eponymous album that topped eight album charts around the world and placed within the top five positions on nine other charts, including the Billboard 200.

Il Divo itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)