BocelliOnline

[Melodie]

"Bocelli visit conducted with lots of music"

Singer touched many lives during brief stay
BY DAVID NICHOLSON
Daily Press/Newport News, VA

October 22, 2005

In the aftermath of Hurricane Andrea, those who were touched by the well-known Italian tenor remember him as gracious and tuned in to the music around him.

Over several days of a whirlwind visit, Andrea Bocelli lent a little international flavor to the Peninsula. The singer handed out music scholarships Wednesday at a luncheon in Williamsburg, toured the historic area and sang to a sold-out crowd Thursday night in Newport News. He lunched on truffled soup and veal scaloppini at the Williamsburg Inn and enjoyed a late spaghetti supper at Anna's Pizza on Warwick Boulevard in Newport News.

Rosemary Trible of Newport News, who sat next to him at the Williamsburg lunch, described him as "warm, absolutely charming and delightful." She was already a big fan, having played his signature song, "The Prayer," at her daughter's wedding last year.

Trible also heard Bocelli quietly singing to himself during the meal, "as if music was always a part of him."

Dressed in jeans and casual jacket, his salt and pepper hair artfully uncombed, Bocelli spoke briefly to the 70 people gathered for lunch. "My English is still very horrible," he told them, then added that it was "always a beautiful experience" to be able to recognize talented young singers. The event was organized by the National Italian-American Foundation, which has named a music scholarship in Bocelli's honor. Perhaps because he has been blind since age 12, Bocelli seemed especially in touch with the music that surrounded him throughout his visit. During the noisy Williamsburg lunch, he heard the background music being played by harpist Marian Harding. He sought her out after the meal, thanked her for playing and kissed her hand. Onstage Thursday night at the Ferguson Center, he frequently turned toward the violin section whenever concertmaster Yun Zhang delivered one of his solo violin passages.

Rehearsals with the Virginia Symphony in the Ferguson Center were a jumbled affair. Because Bocelli and his crew had requested an unusual four rehearsals, Ferguson officials had to move the performance of Gran Folklorico de Mexico out of the concert hall and into the smaller music and theater hall Wednesday night. As it happened, Bocelli showed up late for the Wednesday afternoon rehearsal and canceled the Thursday afternoon rehearsal with the symphony.

Initially, Bocelli had planned to use some level of amplification in the hall so that his voice would be heard over the sound of the symphony. But after listening to the acoustics in the new auditorium, he determined that no amplification would be needed.

That decision was a treat for Melodie Collins, who operates a Bocelli fan site on the Web at www.bocellionline.com.

"It definitely was a night to remember," wrote Collins in an e-mail. "I've seen Andrea in concert many times, but never without a microphone ... it was such a thrill." There was palpable excitement in the air for his concert, even more apparent than the Ferguson Center's opening night event last month. It was a big night for the Peninsula, and the audience shouted "Bravos" and gave Bocelli several standing ovations.

Bocelli sang songs and opera arias from his homeland and was joined by Mexican soprano Eugenia Garza for duets from "The Merry Widow" and "La Traviata." She had several stirring solo arias from popular Puccini operas. There were several orchestra-only selections as well, prompting one annoyed audience member to shout out, "We came to hear Bocelli."

Bocelli kept his eyes closed but smiled warmly to acknowledge the frequent bursts of applause. Following several encores, he thanked those in the audience, telling them he was returning to Italy but would always keep them in his heart.

http://www.dailypress.com/features/dp-07356sy0oct22,0,4810314.story?coll=dp-life-bothead

[sj]

Melodie: You're famous! How neat to be quoted in the article! I would have loved to have heard the unamplified performance... it must have been unbelievable....

[Anna in NY]

Melodie,
How delightful! Smiling for you here in NY. LOL. Hurricane Andrea, indeed !!!!!!!!!