BocelliOnline

[Anna in NY]

Please feel free to post all about your concert experience here.
Thanks so much!
Anna
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Beddu Turridu !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anna in NY]

Tenor Andrea Bocelli gets his audience enthralled
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
By David Fleshler
December 02, 2006

The Andrea Bocelli phenomenon came to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, creating epic traffic jams as the tenor's fans swarmed the west Broward entertainment complex.
Bocelli's success -- platinum records, international tours, appearances on Oprah and Jay Leno -- baffles many critics and hard-core opera lovers. They point to his raspy voice, weak upper register, primitive technique and dependence on electronic amplification -- a deficiency dramatically illustrated when he went without a microphone for a staged opera in Detroit.

Yet Bocelli's singing moves people, many of whom would never go near an opera house. This man was greeted with a standing ovation Friday just for walking out on stage. When the orchestra launched into favorites like O Suave Fanciulla or Con Te Partiro , there were murmurs of pleasure and couples cuddled closer together. The other singers on the program had surer technique and bigger, more rounded voices, but no one was paying $500 a ticket to hear them.

In the first half, devoted to well-know arias by Puccini, Verdi, Leoncavallo and other composers, Bocelli's weaknesses were on display. His voice thinned out in the upper range, making it difficult for him to draw enough juice from the climactic high notes that are a tenor's stock-in-trade. He glossed over difficult quick passages, such as the ornaments in Verdi's Di Quella Pira from Il Trovatore . When he sang a trio from Trovatore with soprano Ailyn Perez and baritone Luis Ledesma, the two singers overwhelmed him.

It was in the second half, devoted to Spanish and Italian songs, that Bocelli showed what it is that makes him a star. He brought suave phrasing and affecting emotion to an arrangement of Italian songs. His voice caressed the words of Besame Mucho , bringing out the work's romantic warmth.

Lighter and less technically demanding than the first half's arias, these songs played to his strengths. Here the slight rasp in his voice brought vulnerability and emotion to his performance. The audience seemed more involved, too.

Some critics have suggested Bocelli stick to these works and skip the arias. Yet if his work brings more people to opera, making an often stuffy, elitist art accessible, he will have accomplished a lot.

The concert did allow the audience to hear two first-rate performances of straight arias. Perez, the soprano, offered a warm and elegant account of Je veux vivre from Gounod's Romeo and Juliet . And baritone Ledesma provided a powerful and virile performance of Votre Toast (the Toreador song) from Bizet's Carmen .

The singers were efficiently accompanied by Orchestra Miami, conducted by Steven Mercurio.

In response to the rapturous applause and standing ovations, Bocelli performed two encores from both sides of his musical personality -- Puccini's Nessun Dorma and his anthem Con Te Partiro .

Link to article:

http://www.topix.net/content/trb/0323145551006543367517356626243360943088
_________________
Beddu Turridu !!!!!!!!!!!!

[kathanne]

At last the critics are beginning to understand. What is the use of perfect technique in any of the performing arts if no one wants to listen/watch? I think some of them are even feeling embarrassed . Their criticisms have no effect and sometimes seem spiteful and carping. Andrea's performances do vary of course and sometimes the critics are right in pointing out faults even though the fans don't like it. It is part of his job and theirs after all but they can no longer dismiss him or his phenomenal success. I don't think anyone resents fair,measured criticism but some in the past has been brutal and callous. I am glad that this seems to be changing and that Andrea is beginning to be appreciated by the critics for what he IS and what he has achieved. He often says that he ignores the critics and I am sure he would like to do so but I can't believe that . He would have to be more than human!

[toscana]

Mr. Bocelli really show us, the audience how much he can sing.
Hollywood, FL dec. 1. Bocelli packed up the arena at the hard rock hotel. The 5,500 people who he perfomed that night for had a very special night. For me it was the first time that I got to see Andrea sing after listening to his music and watching his videos for the past 11 years. For me the whole concert was an adventure well worth the time and money. I currently live in Tennessee and as soon as I found out he was going to be in Florida I bought the air ticket and then the concert ticket. It was a long trip for me to see Mr. Bocelli and it was worth every penny. For those of you who have not had the great pleasure of seeing Andrea live in concert I defenetly recomend going whenever you have a chance. He is the real deal. One of the best singers and artists of all times. Listening to him sing live is just like listening to his studio cds. His voice is really amazing and had everybody that night elevated, and like me I forgot there was a real world outside of the arena. He makes you forget everything else while he is singing. The other singers with him were great too, Luis Ledesma, Ailyn Perez, and Nita Whitaker. They have a great future ahead of them too. The maestro of the orchestra Steven Mercurio performed real well and stood by Andrea during the whole time. I have been to many concerts and this one was by far the best one I have attended. Now, I am already looking forward for next year when hopefully Andrea will be able to perform for us his fans once again. Thanks for a great night Andrea and his staff.

[Melodie]

toscana, thank you so much for coming here to share your enjoyment of the concert with us...I know how long you've been waiting to see Andrea, and I'm so thrilled that you were finally able to attend this concert.

Melodie

[toscana]

Hi Melodie. Thanks for giving the idea of joining the Forum and share the passion of Andrea's music with other people. I already had a answer back about the concerts that I have been looking for of Andrea. Thanks again.