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Own Opera: Tenor singer Andrea Bocelli arrives in Bloomfield Israel today

2022-06-01T19:02:39.955Z


He fights the desert winds in Masada, sings at Courtney Kardashian's wedding and gives his voice hope to the Corona patients - a virus that has now infected itself.


Among the thousands of shows he presented during his career in front of a live audience, his performance in Israel, at the foot of Masada in June 2011, Andrea Bocelli does not forget so easily.

The Italian tenor then appeared at the foot of the historic site, and what could have been considered another routine performance, even if one that takes place in a spectacular location, became a solid struggle against natural factors.

The winds raged on the desert evening of early summer, blew through the loudspeakers and shook the cranes on which they hung as they fought.

The strong wind was present throughout the evening, making itself at some point part of the show itself, while trying to compete with Bocelli and his mighty voice, blowing and blazing into the microphone - and threatening to steal the show.

"I remember that situation very well, because it was a very beautiful place, but the wind was great. I definitely remember it," he said in a telephone interview from his home in Tuscany, preparing for his return to Israel on June 8, for what is defined as a "mega-concert. "Once" at the revamped Bloomfield Stadium.

Bocelli will perform with the Israel Philharmonic and Gary Bartini Choir.

"The audience in Masada was very warm," he recalled, "my understanding was more difficult than in a regular show, because it is not normal to sing and compete in the wind. But I have been to Israel many times, and I have quite a few beautiful memories from there. My first visit was many years ago When Zubin Mehta called me and asked me to replace him with a choral concert. Since I established a beautiful relationship with Zubin, I also recorded 'La Bohème' in Tuscany with Maestro Mehta. I have great memories of Israel, and I'm waiting for more, In your country. "

You also marked V for a meeting with the late Shimon Peres. What do you remember from that meeting?

"It was very exciting for me, because Peres was a very important political figure. In meeting people of his level I think it is better to listen. In such positions I let important people talk, because there is a lot to learn from them. He was kind to me. I met him again later in Rome "At a charity event. He introduced me to Arafat there."

This is not an unusual thing for Bocelli (63) to rub shoulders with world haters.

After 30 years of career, a variety of awards and titles, along with impressive sales figures of more than 70 million albums, it can be said with confidence that it is one of the biggest names in the world of culture - and not just in the field of opera.

Bocelli is best known for his collaborations with the boiling names in the pop world, and his repertoire includes duets and connections with hit producers such as Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran.

Just this week he announced on social media the death of his mother at the age of 84, and among the comforters on Twitter was also a big fan of Bocelli and (almost) the new owner of the platform, the eccentric billionaire Elon Musk.

Just last week, Bocelli sang at Travis Barker's wedding, drummer Blink 182 with reality star and model Courtney Kardashian.

Not exactly the names you would automatically identify with a singing maestro accustomed to performing works by Vardi and Puccini.

"Well, I was originally invited to perform at the wedding of Kim Kardashian and Kenya West," he recalls, "it surprised me too, because it means they have an appreciation for me, even if my and their musical world is very different. It was very flattering."

How important is it for you to join forces from the world of pop?

This seems like an equally pioneering choice.

"The truth is that I started my pop career when I was 18. My entry into pop was as a teenager, when I played the piano familiar hits in bars and nightclubs. I, by the way, do not find pop and classical music so different. Ed Sheeran asked me to sing an amazing song with him called 'Perfect Symphony ', Because he was looking for a tenor singer.I think his father has some connection to classical music.

"You say it's pioneering, but in reality I may be the last to do it. This connection goes back to the 18th century. I believe it's important to continue the tradition. To touch people you have to speak to them in their language."

Is there an artist you would like to work with and it has not come out yet?

"There are a lot of artists I would like to work with, but I have mostly great memories of Celine Dion, my very beloved partner who is currently struggling with poor health (Dion recently had to cancel her residency appearances in Las Vegas, given what is defined as 'unexpected medical problems'. ; ע"פ).

I wish her good health and hope that she recovers quickly and that I can work with her again soon. "

"I knew the plague would end"

It is really difficult to sum up the three decades of success of Bocelli, who was born with glaucoma in his eyes, lost his sight at the age of 12, but received in return one of the purest and most beloved voices of his generation.

He is remarried and a father of three - two older sons from his first wife, whom he divorced in 2002, and a younger daughter from his current wife, Veronica Barty, who also serves as his personal manager.

During his tenure, he sang at the funeral of his good friend, tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who died in 2007, and also gave a chilling performance in New York in late 2001. He then performed at a ceremony at Ground Zero, on the ruins of the World Trade Center, after the 9/11 attacks.

In the absence of the ability to see the horrors in his eyes, his other senses came into action in the same class.

"I could smell what was there," he says of that comforting performance, after the collapse of the Twin Towers.

"It was a very moving moment, because the families of the victims of the attack were there. The scents of tragedy hovered in the air, and it was a very critical and sensitive moment that I had to sing.

"I did not forget anything that was there, and I will never forget the tears. People did not stop crying there. These are things that are hard to explain and describe in words. Maestro Fabrotti's funeral was also very emotionally charged for me. He was the person who launched my career, and I will forever be a prisoner. Thank him. "

On stage.

Billionaire Elon Musk also admires him, Photo: AP

Another moment that soon became iconic occurred at the height of the Corona plague, in early 2020. The days were the days of the first closure, and pictures of the coffins carried in Italy washed over the new editions and shocked the world.

Meanwhile, Bocelli was photographed performing the Easter concert at the empty Milan Cathedral (Duomo).

An almost surreal look, but one that clarified the point in time when the world found itself at the time.

The concert garnered more than 40 million views on the singer's YouTube page and was a source of comfort to many who found themselves stranded in homes and confused.

Bocelli himself was infected with the virus at the time, but refused to disclose it in real time because he said he did not want to stress his fans and preferred to protect his family's privacy.

"That show at the Duomo was not really considered a show for me at all, but more like a prayer for me and for anyone who wanted to join me in prayer in memory of whoever had the disease," he explains, It was a really horrible experience, because the hardest thing that could happen to you was that they would take your freedom from you.

"So it was really terrible, but I was also very optimistic because I knew that throughout history all epidemics ended after three years. Even in periods and places where there were no antibiotics and medical staff - in the end, it ended, so I did not really worry. I was the first to be infected, But I treated it as something that would pass. "

How do you see the world after the corona?

How has it changed for you?

"There is no doubt that this is something that has changed the world, and it is never possible to go backwards. The epidemic caused radical changes and provoked fears and many other things that took place below the surface - and we will have to work on and deal with them as a society. The situation in Italy is good today. "Few people impose restrictions on themselves personally. They are still wearing masks and have not been able to return to their previous lives."

Gives advice to the musician son

While with success it is hard to argue, Bocelli has not been considered over the years completely the darling of critics.

Maybe even the opposite.

The New York Times classical music critic wrote in 1999 that he was "not using the right technique" and claimed that Bocelli, despite his warm voice, had no real control over the sounds coming from his throat.

Other critics said he had a hard time keeping up, and the Guardian's critic was unimpressed by the quality of his favorite voice of millions.

Bocelli himself, though likely to be hurt by more than one of the chilling criticisms, does not betray any insult - at least in the course of our conversation.

"There's a famous Oscar Wilde phrase, 'People will forgive you for everything - except success,'" he says.

"This is how the world works. There is a whole book that is all about the soprano Maria Callas, and she was one of the most successful and well-known singers in the world! This is the way of the world. "Do not listen to the critics, and continue on your way."

Your son, Matteo, has also recently entered the field of music.

What do you think of his work?

"Personally I like his songs and what he writes, but my opinion is not too important. What matters is how the audience accepts it. I mean, my opinion matters, but just like in the case of the critics - it's one person's opinion.

"Unfortunately, in the music world numbers are the important thing. One person's opinion matters to a certain level. Of course I give Matthew advice every time he asks me, but I think the best advice you can give your children as a parent is to set an example."

Your mother, Eddie, passed away just this week, and you're still doing interviews and continuing to perform.

This is probably not an easy thing.

"I learned a lot from my mother, who was a woman of great courage and optimism. She told me that life is a gift and should be lived every day. Of course I will carry it in my heart all my life, but as for the continuation of my work - she had a huge passion for what I do, so I continue to live This passion, and I am very committed to my work.

"I will continue to bring my poetry into the world. God has given me a set of tools that I am supposed to perfect and maximize my talent with, and that is what I do. I think my voice is a gift from heaven."

shishabat@israelhayom.co.il

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Source: israelhayom

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