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[Melodie]

Other voices add variety to Bocelli's show
`IDOL' RUNNER-UP JOINS TENOR ONSTAGE
By Marian Liu
Mercury News

Andrea Bocelli took his classical tenor, mixed it with the voices of a soprano, a baritone and an up-and-coming pop star, and went straight for the souls of the packed audience at HP Pavilion at San Jose on Saturday night.

Working heavily from his most recent album, "Amore,'' Bocelli struck chords with songs like "Mi Manchi'' ("I miss you'') and a cover of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love,'' which was one of his encores. Quite a few women in the audience cried out, proclaiming their love for the man who's been called the "Fourth Tenor.''

The concert, which could have gotten staid with Bocelli -- who has been blind since age 12 -- just standing at a microphone, had more than just his marvelous voice. Soprano Ana María Martínez, baritone Luis Ledesma and the University Singers of California State University-Fullerton all had significant parts. But the performer many got to see for the first time was Katharine McPhee, this season's "American Idol'' runner-up, who joined Bocelli for two songs near the end of the concert.

McPhee -- sufficiently singing "Somos Novios'' and "The Prayer'' with Bocelli -- performed in three of his West Coast concerts, in Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Jose.

It was a smart move on Bocelli's part to add the 22-year-old singer to his lineup. McPhee was welcomed onstage with applause and gave the evening a contemporary feel, adding some R&B flair to the songs.

There were three encores, including the Tuscan singer's most popular song, "Time to Say Goodbye'' -- it's the song popularized by the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas. Conductor Steven Mercurio joked to the audience that it was this single and familiar songs like "Funiculi, Funicula,'' "Besame Mucho'' and "The Prayer,'' which came late in the evening, that the audience was waiting all night for.

Mercurio is principal conductor of the Opera Company of Philadelphia and directed José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti on "The Three Tenors Christmas'' CD.

Bocelli doesn't speak much during his concerts, except to say "thank you'' every now and then. So Mercurio added the conversation, asking McPhee about her onstage experience with the opera star.

"The first thing I noticed was how calm and how passionate he was,'' said McPhee, who will return Aug. 30 to San Jose on tour with the rest of the "American Idol'' top contestants. "It's about giving and not about the fame. He's just a true artist.''