Andrea Bocelli
"I don't think that one really decides to be a singer. It's decided for you, by the reaction of those around you. Perhaps one shouldn't say 'listen to me, I want to sing for you', but if people say 'please sing for us', well...."
A passionate desire for Andrea Bocelli's voice has spread across the world like wildfire. For Andrea Bocelli possesses a truly remarkable voice - a voice as palpably powerful as it is almost ethereal. It is not simply an extraordinary voice which displays power and fragility, but a potent instrument of emotion and sensitivity which touches the heart, like music itself.
Andrea Bocelli's voice has made him a phenomenon. With his international debut album, Romanza, Andrea seduced millions of willing music-lovers around the world. The true measure of the phenomenon is the manner in which both man and voice reached out to touch, in emotional communication rendering barriers of language and culture immaterial.
Andrea was born in 1958, in Lajatico, rural Tuscany. The traditions of the region, and the strong influence of parents who taught their son never simply to accept defeat - but rather to draw strength from it - have left indelible impressions on the man.
Andrea does not remember life without passion for music. He recalls his early fascination with the great Italian tenors, such talents as Del Monaco, Gigli, and especially his idol, Franco Corelli. Enflamed by the music of the opera, Andrea's lifelong dream and ambition was to become a great tenor, and the great operas were learnt by ear and heart. The gentle teasing of his contemporaries about Andrea's love for this seemingly-antiquated music never prevented them from pleading for performances. Approaching his teens, Andrea won a number of singing competitions. However, as adult life approached, youthful ideals of a life devoted to music were to be undermined by doubt and reality.
Andrea travelled to Pisa to attend university, taking a degree in Law. Throughout is studies, he enjoyed playing in local piano bars, performing the classic tunes of such vocal greats as Sinatra, Aznavour and Piaf. Occasionally, Andrea's deepest musical passions were revealed with the performance of a favorite aria.
Learning that his childhood idol, Franco Corelli was to offer master classes in Turin, Andrea apprehensively approached the Maestro. The first aria Andrea sang for the great tenor was from Puccini's La Bohème, his favorite opera from his youth (and later, the first complete opera that Andrea recorded). Corelli, recognising a natural beauty in the voice which recalled qualities of several legendary Tuscan tenors, took on the young man as a pupil. Encouraged, Andrea considered that, with dedication, a life of music might prevail, and Andrea devoted himself to studying music by day and performing in piano bars by night.
In 1992, the Italian rock star Zucchero required a tenor to assist in the preparation of a demo of a unique duet, "Miserere", to be sung with the great Luciano Pavarotti. After fruitless auditions, a certain young man performing in local piano bars appeared. Effortlessly, and somewhat inexplicably, the young man captured the very essence of the song. When Italian music industry figure Michele Torpedine flew to Philadelphia to play the demo recording of "Miserere" for Pavarotti, a friendly impasse was reached; stunned by the manner with which Bocelli had taken to the song, the Maestro steadfastly rejected Michele's assertions that the voice was of an unknown piano bar singer, rather than a talented young tenor.
In 1993, Andrea was approached by Caterina Caselli Sugar, president of the Sugar label, one of the country's longest established music companies, when she heard him singing "Nessun dorma" at a private party. Caterina was immediately touched by Andrea's voice, and - determined that Andrea should take this unique talent to the public - she invited him to visit her office, to hear an unpublished composition entitled "Il Mare Calmo Della Sera". Andrea attended Insieme with his father Alessandro, and Caterina played the music, insisting that the song must be recorded by this voice of power and beauty.
With such a unique voice to introduce, Caterina, Michele and others worked to secure an invitation for Andrea to take part in the annual "Sanremo Song Festival", an event that demands almost universal attention from the Italian media and public. In 1996, the melody of "Con Te Partirò" (written by Francesco Sartori and Lucio Quarantotto) and its duet arrangement with Sarah Brightman, "Time To Say Goodbye", beguiled the European public. That same year, Andrea's debut international album, Romanza enchanted first Europe, then inflamed the world - his voice touching hearts unfamiliar with words of Italian, but utterly fluent in the language of emotion.
Alongside his career in popular music, Andrea has pursued his operatic passions with stunning success. With his 1995 classical debut album, Viaggio italiano (recorded for the Sugar label), Andrea paid his personal tribute to the musical tradition of the Italian tenor - not only to the greats who inspired him, but to the Italian immigrants and local heroes who celebrated and popularised opera in their adopted homelands. His 1998 international debut classical disc, Aria, became one of the most successful classical albums ever, dominating classical charts and sensationally scaling international pop album charts.
The success of Aria was surpassed by Andrea's next CD, Sacred Arias, conducted by Myung-Whun Chung, and consisting of various sacred compositions by Bach/Gounod, Mozart, Schubert and Rossini. Autumn, 2000 will see the release of his recording of Verdi arias and a complete La bohème, both conducted by Zubin Mehta. Verdi is Andrea's tribute to the great composer, the centenary of whose death will be commemorated in 2001. Recording La bohème was like a dream come true for Andrea; it was the first opera he heard and loved and he feels it's the perfect choice to win people over to appreciating the operatic repertoire.
Andrea's main motivation is to bring his young audience into contact with classical music, and more and more of Andrea's live performances are devoted to classical music. Galas and concerts with the world's greatest operatic stars like Luciano Pavarotti, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and José Carreras have brought him to France England, Italy, the Vatican and Israel. On the operatic stage Andrea is expanding his experience. After stage performances of La bohème and Werther, Macbeth and The Merry Widow (Verona), future plans include L'amico Fritz, Tosca and Aida. In autumn 2000, he will perform Verdi's Requiem at the Arena in Verona, after having recorded the work with Renée Fleming, Olga Borodina and Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, conducted by Maestro Valery Gergiev. Andrea enjoys both stage performances - especially because these offer interaction with his audience - and recording, and feels that in these ways he can fulfill his life's passion - to share his love of opera with a wider audience, especially those for whom opera is an exciting new experience.
Andrea Bocelli is a passionate man, with an unquenchable lust for life and a thirst for all manner of insight and experience. But in spite of living in a world of frenetic change, he approaches life with a serene outlook, enjoying life's simple pleasures even as he undertakes each challenge with passion. Recently, on a visit to his local airfield, Andrea received a playful invitation from a member of the resident parachuting club. With no prior engagements for the remainder of the afternoon, one of the world's foremost tenors shortly found himself experiencing a spectacular freefall of several thousand feet! Back on solid ground, avid passions for music, literature (especially Russian and French writers) and sport are pursued. Relaxation in the company of friends is often accompanied by simple Tuscan fare, when the man himself may commandeer the family kitchen to create another type of Italian masterpiece! Despite living in a world of frenetic change, he approaches life with a serene and optimistic outlook. Andrea suggests that his philosophy might best be expressed in the words of French novelist Antoine de Saint-Exupery; "One only sees clearly through the heart. The essential is invisible to the eyes."
A passionate desire for Andrea Bocelli's voice has spread across the world like wildfire. For Andrea Bocelli possesses a truly remarkable voice - a voice as palpably powerful as it is almost ethereal. It is not simply an extraordinary voice which displays power and fragility, but a potent instrument of emotion and sensitivity which touches the heart, like music itself.
Andrea Bocelli's voice has made him a phenomenon. With his international debut album, Romanza, Andrea seduced millions of willing music-lovers around the world. The true measure of the phenomenon is the manner in which both man and voice reached out to touch, in emotional communication rendering barriers of language and culture immaterial.
Andrea was born in 1958, in Lajatico, rural Tuscany. The traditions of the region, and the strong influence of parents who taught their son never simply to accept defeat - but rather to draw strength from it - have left indelible impressions on the man.
Andrea does not remember life without passion for music. He recalls his early fascination with the great Italian tenors, such talents as Del Monaco, Gigli, and especially his idol, Franco Corelli. Enflamed by the music of the opera, Andrea's lifelong dream and ambition was to become a great tenor, and the great operas were learnt by ear and heart. The gentle teasing of his contemporaries about Andrea's love for this seemingly-antiquated music never prevented them from pleading for performances. Approaching his teens, Andrea won a number of singing competitions. However, as adult life approached, youthful ideals of a life devoted to music were to be undermined by doubt and reality.
Andrea travelled to Pisa to attend university, taking a degree in Law. Throughout is studies, he enjoyed playing in local piano bars, performing the classic tunes of such vocal greats as Sinatra, Aznavour and Piaf. Occasionally, Andrea's deepest musical passions were revealed with the performance of a favorite aria.
Learning that his childhood idol, Franco Corelli was to offer master classes in Turin, Andrea apprehensively approached the Maestro. The first aria Andrea sang for the great tenor was from Puccini's La Bohème, his favorite opera from his youth (and later, the first complete opera that Andrea recorded). Corelli, recognising a natural beauty in the voice which recalled qualities of several legendary Tuscan tenors, took on the young man as a pupil. Encouraged, Andrea considered that, with dedication, a life of music might prevail, and Andrea devoted himself to studying music by day and performing in piano bars by night.
In 1992, the Italian rock star Zucchero required a tenor to assist in the preparation of a demo of a unique duet, "Miserere", to be sung with the great Luciano Pavarotti. After fruitless auditions, a certain young man performing in local piano bars appeared. Effortlessly, and somewhat inexplicably, the young man captured the very essence of the song. When Italian music industry figure Michele Torpedine flew to Philadelphia to play the demo recording of "Miserere" for Pavarotti, a friendly impasse was reached; stunned by the manner with which Bocelli had taken to the song, the Maestro steadfastly rejected Michele's assertions that the voice was of an unknown piano bar singer, rather than a talented young tenor.
In 1993, Andrea was approached by Caterina Caselli Sugar, president of the Sugar label, one of the country's longest established music companies, when she heard him singing "Nessun dorma" at a private party. Caterina was immediately touched by Andrea's voice, and - determined that Andrea should take this unique talent to the public - she invited him to visit her office, to hear an unpublished composition entitled "Il Mare Calmo Della Sera". Andrea attended Insieme with his father Alessandro, and Caterina played the music, insisting that the song must be recorded by this voice of power and beauty.
With such a unique voice to introduce, Caterina, Michele and others worked to secure an invitation for Andrea to take part in the annual "Sanremo Song Festival", an event that demands almost universal attention from the Italian media and public. In 1996, the melody of "Con Te Partirò" (written by Francesco Sartori and Lucio Quarantotto) and its duet arrangement with Sarah Brightman, "Time To Say Goodbye", beguiled the European public. That same year, Andrea's debut international album, Romanza enchanted first Europe, then inflamed the world - his voice touching hearts unfamiliar with words of Italian, but utterly fluent in the language of emotion.
Alongside his career in popular music, Andrea has pursued his operatic passions with stunning success. With his 1995 classical debut album, Viaggio italiano (recorded for the Sugar label), Andrea paid his personal tribute to the musical tradition of the Italian tenor - not only to the greats who inspired him, but to the Italian immigrants and local heroes who celebrated and popularised opera in their adopted homelands. His 1998 international debut classical disc, Aria, became one of the most successful classical albums ever, dominating classical charts and sensationally scaling international pop album charts.
The success of Aria was surpassed by Andrea's next CD, Sacred Arias, conducted by Myung-Whun Chung, and consisting of various sacred compositions by Bach/Gounod, Mozart, Schubert and Rossini. Autumn, 2000 will see the release of his recording of Verdi arias and a complete La bohème, both conducted by Zubin Mehta. Verdi is Andrea's tribute to the great composer, the centenary of whose death will be commemorated in 2001. Recording La bohème was like a dream come true for Andrea; it was the first opera he heard and loved and he feels it's the perfect choice to win people over to appreciating the operatic repertoire.
Andrea's main motivation is to bring his young audience into contact with classical music, and more and more of Andrea's live performances are devoted to classical music. Galas and concerts with the world's greatest operatic stars like Luciano Pavarotti, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and José Carreras have brought him to France England, Italy, the Vatican and Israel. On the operatic stage Andrea is expanding his experience. After stage performances of La bohème and Werther, Macbeth and The Merry Widow (Verona), future plans include L'amico Fritz, Tosca and Aida. In autumn 2000, he will perform Verdi's Requiem at the Arena in Verona, after having recorded the work with Renée Fleming, Olga Borodina and Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, conducted by Maestro Valery Gergiev. Andrea enjoys both stage performances - especially because these offer interaction with his audience - and recording, and feels that in these ways he can fulfill his life's passion - to share his love of opera with a wider audience, especially those for whom opera is an exciting new experience.
Andrea Bocelli is a passionate man, with an unquenchable lust for life and a thirst for all manner of insight and experience. But in spite of living in a world of frenetic change, he approaches life with a serene outlook, enjoying life's simple pleasures even as he undertakes each challenge with passion. Recently, on a visit to his local airfield, Andrea received a playful invitation from a member of the resident parachuting club. With no prior engagements for the remainder of the afternoon, one of the world's foremost tenors shortly found himself experiencing a spectacular freefall of several thousand feet! Back on solid ground, avid passions for music, literature (especially Russian and French writers) and sport are pursued. Relaxation in the company of friends is often accompanied by simple Tuscan fare, when the man himself may commandeer the family kitchen to create another type of Italian masterpiece! Despite living in a world of frenetic change, he approaches life with a serene and optimistic outlook. Andrea suggests that his philosophy might best be expressed in the words of French novelist Antoine de Saint-Exupery; "One only sees clearly through the heart. The essential is invisible to the eyes."
