BocelliOnline

[Corina]

Bocelli fills new arena with versatile voice
Save Mart Center faces daunting task of amplifying classical sounds of opera.
By George Warren
Special to the Bee
(Published Saturday, November 8, 2003, 6:10 AM)


Smooth, rich and streaming with emotion, the voice of Andrea Bocelli filled the new Save Mart Center on Friday in a concert that featured a variety of music from baroque to a song by Bocelli himself.
The renowned tenor was joined by soprano Ana Maria Martinez and the Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra.

An excited buzz rang through the arena as the lights dimmed and conductor Steven Mercurio took the stage. He led "The Star-Spangled Banner" and then lit into Berlioz's Overture from "Benvenuto Cellini." This work served many purposes, and it was fascinating to watch.

First, there must have been a mad scramble at the mixing console as the engineers attempted to balance the amplified orchestra. While this was going on, the audience was still busy finding seats and finishing conversations. Toward the end of the work, there is a grand pause before the finale, and at that point, people knew the concert was about to begin.

Mercurio exited the stage briefly and returned leading Bocelli to the front of the stage. The full house received him with a great ovation; Bocelli is a man whose voice is loved all over the world.

He gave his all in the first song, "Ora e Per Sempre" from Verdi's "Otello." This is a great opener in the sense that Bocelli is known for slow, long, melodic lines, and this work features a faster tempo and greater rhythmic expression than one expects from him.

Amplifying the voice of an opera singer is a nearly impossible task. The volume, combined with too much high end of Bocelli's voice, was nearly deafening in the first few phrases, and one sensed that there was a lot of artificial reverb in the mix. This may be what makes Bocelli's voice so warm, but it translated oddly for ears accustomed to hearing this music without speakers.

Martinez provided a break for Bocelli after two songs. Mercurio brought her out of the wings, and she sang Luna's "El Niño Judio." Martinez's voice transcended the electronics. The full-bodied soprano voice rang without piercing, and she demonstrated an amazing ability to articulate the ornaments of the melody with clarity in spite of the huge hall.

Bocelli's mix of bel canto and pop-style singing was evident in "Ave Maria."

Here, he intoned the middle notes with tenderness and belted out the high notes like an operatic tenor. But when he had to reach down to the lower notes in the melody, one heard the singing of a mere mortal.

Mortal moments were rare, however, and when Martinez joined Bocelli for duets, their voices blended extremely well, even at the high points where singers often lose the pitch.

The blending of modern technology and 19th century music presented an anachronism that may be one key to this tenor's filling sports arenas. People seem to respond to his voice, obviously, and the environment delivers an impact like a movie.

Behind the stage, a huge television screen showed scenes from the stage, including close-up shots of the instrumentalists, pan shots and close-ups of the soloists. The music coming through the speakers also makes austere music a bit more ordinary; we're used to hearing music through speakers.

Ultimately, this was an event, not just a concert. A famous and well-loved singer came to Fresno, of all places, and Fresno proved to be a place that loves Bocelli.

George Warren, Ph.D., is the senior editor of musictheoryresources.com

http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/7708443p-8611587c.html

[Kenzu]

I envy you all who were able to attend this concert. Andrea singing Othello shows his progression in tenoral parts. Othello is considered a part for mature tenors and not a easy one. Congratulations Andrea. He is most denately a OFT.
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"Ex nihilo nihil fit"

[lindansf]

I had the privilege of seeing Andrea Bocelli in Oakland last night saturday. It was awesome to see him in person. If you have a chance on the east coast to see him, do so, you wont be sorry. It was a fabulous show.

[si]

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[Delighted]

I too saw the concert in Oakland. It was also my first and was an unbelieveable expierence for myself and friend who I went with. We both had the sme reaction of not being able to go to sleep for hours afterward and had a dream like feeling we expierenced even into the next day. I would go again in a heartbeat and will if he is back in this area again. I agree, if you have an opportunity to see this concert do so, you won't be dissapointed. It was spetaculiar!