BocelliOnline

[Melodie]

Straight for the heart

Popular blind tenor offers emotional appeal

By Johana Elmanova
For The Prague Post
(October 2, 2003)

When it comes to Italian singers, there's no lack of marquee names. But Andrea Bocelli seems to strike a unique chord in fans everywhere, suggesting that his billing as the tenor "who makes the world dream" is no idle boast. Ask the singer about his own dreams and Bocelli replies, "I have always been a person with my feet on the ground. And nowadays I have to say that reality has gone far beyond any dreams I had."

Bocelli's enormous popularity is reflected in the scope of his current tour, which began in Dublin and Glasgow and will take him through Europe, the United States and Canada during the next two months. Though his metier is classical, the "Sentimento" repertoire on this tour cuts across several musical genres -- operatic melodies, Italian love songs and popular music.

"My concerts feature mainly arias from opera, Neapolitan songs and [Francesco] Tosti's songs," he says. "Of course, every new tour I make some changes in the pieces, which are decided together with my conductor, Marcello Rota." Along with Rota, Bocelli is touring with soprano Maria Luigia Borsi and violinist Ruth Rogers. They will be accompanied here by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

The universal appeal of Bocelli's music stems in part from the themes that run through his songs: nature, eternity, the soul and inner moods and feelings. Married to sublime melodies, they have a distinctly spiritual appeal. This seems to be second nature to Bocelli, who, when asked about his own spirituality, says, "I think that really spiritual people do not have the time to stop and make too many thoughts about themselves."

The wide-ranging appeal of Bocelli's music is also reflected in the variety of singers and musicians he's performed with, a list that includes Luciano Pavarotti, Julie Andrews, New Age instrumentalist Andreas Vollenweider and pop star Bryan Adams. "I appreciate [any] music that makes you feel inspiration inside," Bocelli says. "Working with so many different artists has always been a pleasure for me. I like voices and, when a voice can work with mine and there's an inspired song, I like to share this experience with him or her."

Bocelli lost his eyesight in early childhood. This handicap that has never interfered with his career. In fact, it's been a source of strength, enriching the emotional content of his work. His songs aim straight for the heart, reaching beyond what human eyes can see.

This will be Bocelli's first appearance in Prague, an experience he says he's looking forward to. "Prague and Eastern Europe in general have a very long musical tradition, especially in opera, which is what I like the most," he says. "I think there will be good chemistry between the audience there and myself. I hope they enjoy my singing as much as I enjoy sharing it with them."

This show is expensive, and the cheapest seats are already sold out. So if you're interested in hearing this remarkable voice live, don't wait to buy tickets. T-Mobile Arena may not be the most romantic venue in town, but if anybody has a chance of transforming it into someplace special, it's Bocelli.

http://www.praguepost.com/P03/2003/Art/1002/calen1.php

[NOTE: Ms. Elmanova has told me that she was able to attend the concert and said, "I expected it to be a great experience, but the concert was even beyond any expectations I had." She's writing her review and will share it with us when it's finished. - Melodie]