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Bocelli, Andrea mp3
Alessandro and Edi Bocelli were blessed with a son in 1958 in whom they named Andrea Bocelli in La Sterza, a frazione of Lajatico, Tuscany, Italy. He was diagnosed with congenital glaucoma and in 1970 at the age of 12, Bocelli lost his sight.
Even as a boy Bocelli had great passion for music, starting with the piano at age six, and later learning to play the flute, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, harp, guitar, drums and the age of fourteen he won a singing competition, the “Margherita d’Oro” in Viareggio with his performance of “O sole mio.” In 1980 after finishing secondary school, he performed in piano bars to finance his law studies at the University of Pisa and after graduation in 1987, he spent one year as a court-appointed lawyer.
In 1992, auditions for tenors were held by Italian rock star Zucchero to find a tenor and demo tapes were sent to Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti. Upon hearing Bocelli, Pavarotti urged Zucchero to use him instead. Caterina Caselli was the producer who discovered Bocelli and is his manager to this day. Bocelli accompanied Zucchero for a European concert tour in 1993, and signed with the Sugar music label in Milan. In December, Bocelli joined in the Sanremo Music Festival and won the highest marks in the newcomers section. Then on December 28, he debuted at the Teatro Romolo Valli in Reggio Emilia.
In February 1994 Bocelli once again won the Newcomers section at the Sanremo Festival with the song “Il mare calmo della sera,” which was also the title of his debut album which would be certified Platinum within weeks of its release. In May, he toured with Gerardina Trovato, and sang at Pavarotti’s annual Charity Gala Concert in Modena in September. Later that month, Docelli made his opera debut at the Teatro Verdi in Pisa. He returned to the Catholic faith, performing Adeste Fideles before Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s Basilica at Christmas.
In 1995, Bocelli entered the main competition at the Sanremo Festival and finished in fourth place, and his album “Bocelli” which was produced by Mauro Malavasi and released in spring. In the autumn he released the album “Viaggio Italiano” was released. At the final bout of German IBF World Light-Heavyweight boxing champion, Bocelli sang a duet with English soprano Sarah Brightman. Their rendition of “Time to Say Goodbye” was certified six times platinum.
In 1997, Bocelli released the French single “Je vis pour elle,” a duet with French Hélène Ségara. Then on March 3, together with Sarah Brightman he received the ECHO music award for Best Single of The Year. The following August, Bocelli appeared at the Puccino Festival and at the World Youth Festival. In September, he performed at the Piazza dei Cavalieri for the video
“A Night In Tuscany.” Then on September 14 Bocelli received an ECHO KLASSIK Best Seller Of The Year award in Germany. On September 27, Bocelli sang again before the pope at the International Eucharistic Congress, and on October 19 he sang at a benefit concert TeleFood in Vatican City. Then on October 25 Bocelli received a Bambi Award from Hubert Burda Media.
On February 18 to 25, 1998, Bocelli debuted in a major operatic role at the Teatro Comunale in Cagliari. In March, his fifth album, “Aria-The Opera Album” was released. Then on April 19 Bocelli performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, followed by a reception with President Bill Clinton at the White House. Moreover, on May 5 he won two World Music Awards in Monte Carlo, and named one of People’s Magazines 50 most beautiful people of 1998.
From June to August Bocelli toured North and South America, with the finale at Madison Square Garden. He received another Echo Klaik award in September and on Thanksgiving eve appeared as guest on Celine Dion’s television special “These Are Special Times.” They sang “The Prayer,” which appeared on the Quest for Camelot soundtrack and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.
Bocelli toured the West Coast of North America from April 11 to 24 1999, ending at the Hollywood Bowl with Elizabeth Taylor at his side. On May 15, he received an invitation from Steven Spielberg to sing on behalf of the Democratic Party. End of May he toured Portugal and Spain, and on June 27 took part in the Michael Jackson benefit concert.
October 7 to November 19 Bocelli debuted at the Detroit Opera House. Then Mayor Rudy Giuliani gave Bocelli the Crystal Apple. Bocelli’s seventh album Sacred Arias was released on November 8 worldwide. Then on November 29, he performed at the annual Royal Variety Performance in Birmingham, UK at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II. In addition, on November 30 he released his autobiography “La musica del silenzio” in Italy.
On February 23 2000 at the 42nd Grammy Awards Bocelli was nominated twice, and his “World Tour 2000” which kicked off on March 31. His album “Verdi” was released on September 11 and he received another Echo Klassik Award. The opera recording of “La Bohème” was released later in November. The following year in November Bocelli’s album “Cieli di Toscana” received the Platinum Europe Award, and was given merit as Ambassador of Italian music in the world.
On February 5, 2002, Bocelli received a Goldene Kamera award, then on March 6 received to World Music Awards in Monte Carlo. On May 7 together with Tony Renis received a Telegatto Italian Television Award, and on May 23 received the 2002 Classical BRIT Award. Then on October 14 Bocelli and Lorin Maazel presented his new album Sentimento and was released on November 4. He took off on the Sentimento Tour on October 24 in Zurich.
In March 2003, Bocelli appeared as a producer at the Sanremo Festival once again. In May, the opera Tosca was released and received two awards at the 2003 Classical BRIT Award. Then in October 2003, he won the Favorite Specialist Performer award at the UK National Music Awards. In addition, in June 2004 the complete opera “Il trovatore” was released.
President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi with a “Grande Ufficiale Italian Order of Merit” honored Bocelli in March 2006. In November, Bocelli won two World Music Awards and in 2007, he released the album “The Best of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere.”
On January 20, 2008, Bocelli received the prestigious telegato platinum award for Italian music in the world. Two years later in 2010 Bocelli released “Carmen: Duets & Arias,” a single-disc collection. On November 3, he released the holiday album “My Christmas.”
On March 1, 2010, the L.A. Italia Film, Fashion, and Art Festival honored Bocelli and Foster where they presented the autobiography about his life entitled “The Story Behind the Voice.” The following day, Bocelli was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a little over two weeks later won his seventh World Music Award.
Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida donated a Bronze statue of Bocelli to the city of Lajatico, and he was awarded the “Pisano Doc” during the dress rehearsal for the concert on the 24 July “in recognition for a great citizen, who with his extraordinary art and his humanity brings great prestige, honor and respect to the city of Pisa.” Bocelli also won the Premio Lunezia nel mondo in 2010, during a private ceremony held on July 21, for "the musical-literary quality of his songs."
As part of his “My Christmas Tour,” in 2010 Bocelli gave two concerts at The O2 Arena and The M.E.N Arena in London and Manchester followed by a concert at The O2 in Dublin. The London concert was a sellout success with an audience of 16,500. He also performed in the USA at Madison Square Garden, the Prudential Center, the TD Garden, and at the MGM Grand’s Garden Arena in the Las Vegas Strip.
He continues to perform in 2011 on the Latin Leg of his Incanto Tour with concerts in Buenos Aires, Bogota and Panama City. He is to give a string of tours in Asia and will be joined by New Zealand Soprano Hayley Westenra. He is scheduled to give a free concert in September on the Great Lawn of Central Park, New York City accompanied by the New York Philharmonic, directed by Alan Gilbert.
Andrea Bocelli is one of the greatest artists of all times, and his contributions will be remembered for many generations to come.
