10-05-07, 11:34 AM
My life is short
I was born September 22, 1958, in Lajatico, in the Toscan countryside near Volterra. The region's traditions, as well as my parents' influence have taught me never to accept life's difficulties in a passive way, but rather to draw strength from them.
As far as I can remember, no moments in my life have gone by without being filled with passion for music. Italy's greatest tenors, such as Del Monaco, Gigli, and especially Corelli, have always inspired great admiration and enthusiasm in me since I was just a boy. In love with opera, the dream and ambition of my whole life is to become a great tenor.
Despite the fact that I live in a fast-paced world, I live my life with a calm vision: I enjoy life's simple pleasures and face every challenge with passion. I try to always be optimistic by interpreting the real meaning of a quotation from the French novelist Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: "You see clearly only through your heart. The essential is invisible to your eyes."
biography
The story of Andrea by http://www.bocelli.de
1958
Born September 22, in Lajatico in the Province of Pisa, Italy.
He began already in early childhood to play the organ in church.
1970
Andrea wins his first song competition, the Margherita d'Oro in Viareggio with "O sole mio".
1980s
After concluding his studies, Andrea works for a year as a lawyer, then dedicates himself completely to music. He takes singing lessons from Bettarini, until the maestro died in 1997 at the age of 83.
1992
In the spring, the Italian rock star Zucchero looks for a tenor to make a demo of "Miserere", a song composed by him and U2's Bono, which he hopes to convince Luciano Pavarotti to sing in duet with him. He comes upon Andrea, who "sings with his soul". When Pavarotti hears the demo, he says, "Who is this fellow? You don't need me. I could not do better!" However, the duet with Pavarotti/Zucchero is made.
June, 27: Enrica and Andrea marry.
1993
In the summer, he tours with Zucchero throughout Europe in live concerts, singing Pavarotti's part in "Miserere." As a solo number, he sings something quite uncommon for a rock star: "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's TURANDOT and receives great applause for it.
In November, he goes to the preliminaries of the Festival of Sanremo, in the category of "Giovani", with the solo version of "Miserere, and sings both parts: That of Zucchero and that of Pavarotti, and wins the highest score.
On December 28, he debuts in world of classical music in a concert at the Teatro Romolo Valli in Reggio Emilia.
1994
In February, he wins with
"Il Mare Calmo Della Sera"
the main competition of the San Remo Festival
in the category "Nuove Proposte" (New Proposals).
His first CD, "Il Mare Calmo Della Sera" appears, for which he received this Golden Disc, his first one.
In September, he is invited to appear with Pavarotti at his benefit concert "Pavarotti International" in Modena. He sings Leoncavallo's "Mattinata" and the duet with maestro Pavarotti, Morante's "Notte e Piscatore". He also sings "Brindisi" from LA TRAVIATA in the finale, along with Nancy Gustafson, Giorgia, Andreas Vollenweider and Bryan Adams.
In September he makes his debut in an opera role,
playing Macduff in Verdi's MACBETH in the Teatro Verdi in Pisa.
At Christmas, he sings "Adeste Fideles" in Rome
before the Pope in St. Peter's Basilica.
1995
In February, he goes to the main competition in Sanremo with "Con Te Partiro" and take fourth place.
In the meantime, his first son Amos is born (February 22).
1996
On November 23, he sings together with English soprano Sarah Brightman (ex-wife of musical-king Andrew Lloyd Weber) in Germany. They sing as a parting song for Henry Maske's last fight, a different version of his "Con Te Partiro", "Time to Say Goodbye". The song breaks all sales records afterwards in the record industry, and remains on the top ten on the German hit parade for almost a half year
1997
His fourth album "Romanza" appears in the spring.
On March 3, he appears with Sarah Brightman in Hamburg, Germany, to receive the Echo award for "Best Single of the Year.
InAugust, he appears at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago, and then at the World Youth Festival in Paris, where he sings once again in the presence of the Pope.
On the occasion of the Eucharist-congress on September 27 in Bologna, he sings again before the Pope.
On October 8, his second son Matteo was born.
On October 19, he sings at the Telefood benefit concert for FAO (An organization dedicated to the fight against world hunger) at the Vatican. Among the performers: José Carreras.
1998
In March, his fifth album "Aria" appears.
On April 19, he steps onto the stage of American show business. He gives a concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington and the next day President Clinton receives him at the White House.
On May 5, he appears in Monte Carlo and wins two World Music Awards, one in the category "Best Italian Singer," and one for "Best Classical Interpretation".
In July and August, he tours North and South America.
His last concert at the legendary Madison Square Garden is sold out.
In September, he receives his next Echo Klassik for the best-selling classical album "Aria".
In November, he sings "The Prayer" with Celine Dion on her Christmas special. His popularity in the USA increases. Celine Dion introduces him with the words:
"I heard someone say: If God had a singing voice, he would sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli."
1999
On January 25, he sings "The Prayer" for the soundtrack of Warner Bros. animated film "Quest for Camelot".
As well as the solo, Andrea sings the duet with Celine Dion, which wins the Golden Globe in Los Angeles.
At the Grammys on February 24 in Los Angeles, Andrea is one of five nominated for "Best New Artist."
At the presentation of the Oscars on March 21, Andrea and Celine sing the "Best Song" nominee, "The Prayer".
On March 22, his sixth album "Sogno" appears.
From April 11 to April 24, he tours the West coast of America. He finishes his concerts, from San Diego to Vancouver, with a triumphant appearance before more than 18,000 spectators at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
On May 15, at the invitation of Steven Spielberg, Andrea sings in Los Angeles before President Clinton.
On June 27 he participates at the Michael Jackson benefit concert for suffering children in Munich's Olympic Stadium.
His seventh album "Sacred Arias", which contains exclusively sacred music, is released worldwide on November 8, and which two weeks later conquers first place on America's Classic Billboard charts, followed by "Aria" in second place, and "Viaggio Italiano" in third place.
Still in the same month he becomes the first vocalist to hold the top three places on the US classical album charts: With his album Sacred Arias, Aria - The Opera Album and Viaggio Italiano.
Invited by the Queen of England, he participates at her annual Royal Variety Performance in Birmingham on November 29.
On November 30, his book "La musica del silenzio," an autobiographical novel, is released in Italy.
Click here to buy this book from Amazon.com
2000
At the 42 Grammy award on February 23 in Los Angeles he is nominated twice: as "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" and as "Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals"
On March 6 he is appointed President of the
Istituto Musicale Boccherini in Lucca.
In May, British Classic FM listeners voted his Sacred Arias album of the year..
September 11 his seventh album "Verdi" is released.
At the annual NIAF (National Italian American Foundation) Gala of the Italian-Americans in Washington in the presence of US President Clinton on the 28th, he sings via satellite from Lucca, accompanied by the Youth Orchestra of the Boccherini-Institute. At the same time he is presented the award of Italian-American friendship .
In November his first complete opera recording, Puccini's La Bohème is released
2001
During the summer he films the
video/DVD for his new CD Cieli di Toscana in the most beautiful places of Tuscany.
Protaganists are the inhabitants of the surroundings, friends, relatives and even his manager Michele Torpedine as drummer.
On September 25 he takes the occasion for a statement for peace on earth during a Milan Fashion Show of Massimo Rebecchi : "After the horrible attacks on the United States two weeks ago, we need some beauty in our lives."
In October, Andrea is presented a special award for more than 40 million sold albums worldwide.
Cieli di Toscana will sell millions just in a few weeks and will become the biggest selling album in the world, the new number one on the CNN Worldbeat Global Album Chart. It will spend two weeks at number three on the official UK album chart, the highest chart position ever for a foreign-language pop album.
It also will be in the top three in countries including Germany, Hong Kong, Holland, Ireland, Norway, Portugal and Sweden.
On October 28, at the invitation of New York's mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Andrea sings Schubert's "Ave Maria," as a representative of the Catholic faith, during the memorial concert at Ground Zero for the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11.
In November he is given the Platinum Europe Award for more than one million copies sold of his last CD, "Cieli di Toscana".
2002
On March 6th Andrea receives two World Music Awards in Monte Carlo: World best selling classical artist and Best selling Italian artist
On March 11th, in memoriam of the tragedy of September 11, he gives a concert for peace at the Basilica San Marco, Venice.
On May 23rd he receives the Classical Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music
On May 27 Andrea sings for George W. Bush and Italian State President Silvio Berlusconi at the villa Madama in Rome.
In Modena on May 28 he participates at this year's "Pavarotti & Friends for Angola"
At the commemoration of September 11, he sings "Ave Maria" at the United States embassy in Rome.
On October 14 he and Maestro Lorin Maazel present his new CD "Sentimento" to a worldwide audience.
He received many other awards as already mentioned above, including the Premio Luciano Cirri in Rome for his accomplishments in bringing Italian culture to the world, and for the same reason receives the Premio Caruso in September in Sorrento. In October in London, he receives the National Music Award as best classical artist, and in December is honored as Best of the World at the American Music Awards.
2003
In March for the first time Andrea appears as a producer, not as a singer, at the Italian song Festival of San Remo, where the young artists Allunati and Jacqueline Ferry sing for his newly founded record label, Clacksong.
In May his second complete opera, Tosca, is released and enters the worldwide classical charts in high positions.
On the occasion of a private benefit gala for the Royal National Institute for the Blind, UK, Andrea sings in front of Great Britain's Royal family.
One day later, on May 22, he receives two awards for Sentimento at the Classic Brits 2003 in London’s Royal Albert Hall:
Best selling classical album and Album of the year (people’s award).
Again in May, on the 27th, among many famous artists from all over the world, he once again is invited to Pavarotti & Friends in Modena and sings a medley of Neapolitan songs together with Maestro Pavarotti.
I was born September 22, 1958, in Lajatico, in the Toscan countryside near Volterra. The region's traditions, as well as my parents' influence have taught me never to accept life's difficulties in a passive way, but rather to draw strength from them.
As far as I can remember, no moments in my life have gone by without being filled with passion for music. Italy's greatest tenors, such as Del Monaco, Gigli, and especially Corelli, have always inspired great admiration and enthusiasm in me since I was just a boy. In love with opera, the dream and ambition of my whole life is to become a great tenor.
Despite the fact that I live in a fast-paced world, I live my life with a calm vision: I enjoy life's simple pleasures and face every challenge with passion. I try to always be optimistic by interpreting the real meaning of a quotation from the French novelist Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: "You see clearly only through your heart. The essential is invisible to your eyes."
biography
The story of Andrea by http://www.bocelli.de
1958
Born September 22, in Lajatico in the Province of Pisa, Italy.
He began already in early childhood to play the organ in church.
1970
Andrea wins his first song competition, the Margherita d'Oro in Viareggio with "O sole mio".
1980s
After concluding his studies, Andrea works for a year as a lawyer, then dedicates himself completely to music. He takes singing lessons from Bettarini, until the maestro died in 1997 at the age of 83.
1992
In the spring, the Italian rock star Zucchero looks for a tenor to make a demo of "Miserere", a song composed by him and U2's Bono, which he hopes to convince Luciano Pavarotti to sing in duet with him. He comes upon Andrea, who "sings with his soul". When Pavarotti hears the demo, he says, "Who is this fellow? You don't need me. I could not do better!" However, the duet with Pavarotti/Zucchero is made.
June, 27: Enrica and Andrea marry.
1993
In the summer, he tours with Zucchero throughout Europe in live concerts, singing Pavarotti's part in "Miserere." As a solo number, he sings something quite uncommon for a rock star: "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's TURANDOT and receives great applause for it.
In November, he goes to the preliminaries of the Festival of Sanremo, in the category of "Giovani", with the solo version of "Miserere, and sings both parts: That of Zucchero and that of Pavarotti, and wins the highest score.
On December 28, he debuts in world of classical music in a concert at the Teatro Romolo Valli in Reggio Emilia.
1994
In February, he wins with
"Il Mare Calmo Della Sera"
the main competition of the San Remo Festival
in the category "Nuove Proposte" (New Proposals).
His first CD, "Il Mare Calmo Della Sera" appears, for which he received this Golden Disc, his first one.
In September, he is invited to appear with Pavarotti at his benefit concert "Pavarotti International" in Modena. He sings Leoncavallo's "Mattinata" and the duet with maestro Pavarotti, Morante's "Notte e Piscatore". He also sings "Brindisi" from LA TRAVIATA in the finale, along with Nancy Gustafson, Giorgia, Andreas Vollenweider and Bryan Adams.
In September he makes his debut in an opera role,
playing Macduff in Verdi's MACBETH in the Teatro Verdi in Pisa.
At Christmas, he sings "Adeste Fideles" in Rome
before the Pope in St. Peter's Basilica.
1995
In February, he goes to the main competition in Sanremo with "Con Te Partiro" and take fourth place.
In the meantime, his first son Amos is born (February 22).
1996
On November 23, he sings together with English soprano Sarah Brightman (ex-wife of musical-king Andrew Lloyd Weber) in Germany. They sing as a parting song for Henry Maske's last fight, a different version of his "Con Te Partiro", "Time to Say Goodbye". The song breaks all sales records afterwards in the record industry, and remains on the top ten on the German hit parade for almost a half year
1997
His fourth album "Romanza" appears in the spring.
On March 3, he appears with Sarah Brightman in Hamburg, Germany, to receive the Echo award for "Best Single of the Year.
InAugust, he appears at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago, and then at the World Youth Festival in Paris, where he sings once again in the presence of the Pope.
On the occasion of the Eucharist-congress on September 27 in Bologna, he sings again before the Pope.
On October 8, his second son Matteo was born.
On October 19, he sings at the Telefood benefit concert for FAO (An organization dedicated to the fight against world hunger) at the Vatican. Among the performers: José Carreras.
1998
In March, his fifth album "Aria" appears.
On April 19, he steps onto the stage of American show business. He gives a concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington and the next day President Clinton receives him at the White House.
On May 5, he appears in Monte Carlo and wins two World Music Awards, one in the category "Best Italian Singer," and one for "Best Classical Interpretation".
In July and August, he tours North and South America.
His last concert at the legendary Madison Square Garden is sold out.
In September, he receives his next Echo Klassik for the best-selling classical album "Aria".
In November, he sings "The Prayer" with Celine Dion on her Christmas special. His popularity in the USA increases. Celine Dion introduces him with the words:
"I heard someone say: If God had a singing voice, he would sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli."
1999
On January 25, he sings "The Prayer" for the soundtrack of Warner Bros. animated film "Quest for Camelot".
As well as the solo, Andrea sings the duet with Celine Dion, which wins the Golden Globe in Los Angeles.
At the Grammys on February 24 in Los Angeles, Andrea is one of five nominated for "Best New Artist."
At the presentation of the Oscars on March 21, Andrea and Celine sing the "Best Song" nominee, "The Prayer".
On March 22, his sixth album "Sogno" appears.
From April 11 to April 24, he tours the West coast of America. He finishes his concerts, from San Diego to Vancouver, with a triumphant appearance before more than 18,000 spectators at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
On May 15, at the invitation of Steven Spielberg, Andrea sings in Los Angeles before President Clinton.
On June 27 he participates at the Michael Jackson benefit concert for suffering children in Munich's Olympic Stadium.
His seventh album "Sacred Arias", which contains exclusively sacred music, is released worldwide on November 8, and which two weeks later conquers first place on America's Classic Billboard charts, followed by "Aria" in second place, and "Viaggio Italiano" in third place.
Still in the same month he becomes the first vocalist to hold the top three places on the US classical album charts: With his album Sacred Arias, Aria - The Opera Album and Viaggio Italiano.
Invited by the Queen of England, he participates at her annual Royal Variety Performance in Birmingham on November 29.
On November 30, his book "La musica del silenzio," an autobiographical novel, is released in Italy.
Click here to buy this book from Amazon.com
2000
At the 42 Grammy award on February 23 in Los Angeles he is nominated twice: as "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" and as "Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals"
On March 6 he is appointed President of the
Istituto Musicale Boccherini in Lucca.
In May, British Classic FM listeners voted his Sacred Arias album of the year..
September 11 his seventh album "Verdi" is released.
At the annual NIAF (National Italian American Foundation) Gala of the Italian-Americans in Washington in the presence of US President Clinton on the 28th, he sings via satellite from Lucca, accompanied by the Youth Orchestra of the Boccherini-Institute. At the same time he is presented the award of Italian-American friendship .
In November his first complete opera recording, Puccini's La Bohème is released
2001
During the summer he films the
video/DVD for his new CD Cieli di Toscana in the most beautiful places of Tuscany.
Protaganists are the inhabitants of the surroundings, friends, relatives and even his manager Michele Torpedine as drummer.
On September 25 he takes the occasion for a statement for peace on earth during a Milan Fashion Show of Massimo Rebecchi : "After the horrible attacks on the United States two weeks ago, we need some beauty in our lives."
In October, Andrea is presented a special award for more than 40 million sold albums worldwide.
Cieli di Toscana will sell millions just in a few weeks and will become the biggest selling album in the world, the new number one on the CNN Worldbeat Global Album Chart. It will spend two weeks at number three on the official UK album chart, the highest chart position ever for a foreign-language pop album.
It also will be in the top three in countries including Germany, Hong Kong, Holland, Ireland, Norway, Portugal and Sweden.
On October 28, at the invitation of New York's mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Andrea sings Schubert's "Ave Maria," as a representative of the Catholic faith, during the memorial concert at Ground Zero for the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11.
In November he is given the Platinum Europe Award for more than one million copies sold of his last CD, "Cieli di Toscana".
2002
On March 6th Andrea receives two World Music Awards in Monte Carlo: World best selling classical artist and Best selling Italian artist
On March 11th, in memoriam of the tragedy of September 11, he gives a concert for peace at the Basilica San Marco, Venice.
On May 23rd he receives the Classical Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music
On May 27 Andrea sings for George W. Bush and Italian State President Silvio Berlusconi at the villa Madama in Rome.
In Modena on May 28 he participates at this year's "Pavarotti & Friends for Angola"
At the commemoration of September 11, he sings "Ave Maria" at the United States embassy in Rome.
On October 14 he and Maestro Lorin Maazel present his new CD "Sentimento" to a worldwide audience.
He received many other awards as already mentioned above, including the Premio Luciano Cirri in Rome for his accomplishments in bringing Italian culture to the world, and for the same reason receives the Premio Caruso in September in Sorrento. In October in London, he receives the National Music Award as best classical artist, and in December is honored as Best of the World at the American Music Awards.
2003
In March for the first time Andrea appears as a producer, not as a singer, at the Italian song Festival of San Remo, where the young artists Allunati and Jacqueline Ferry sing for his newly founded record label, Clacksong.
In May his second complete opera, Tosca, is released and enters the worldwide classical charts in high positions.
On the occasion of a private benefit gala for the Royal National Institute for the Blind, UK, Andrea sings in front of Great Britain's Royal family.
One day later, on May 22, he receives two awards for Sentimento at the Classic Brits 2003 in London’s Royal Albert Hall:
Best selling classical album and Album of the year (people’s award).
Again in May, on the 27th, among many famous artists from all over the world, he once again is invited to Pavarotti & Friends in Modena and sings a medley of Neapolitan songs together with Maestro Pavarotti.
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