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Introduction

Since 1994, Bocelli has released fifteen solo studio albums spanning both pop and classical music, three greatest hits collections, and nine complete operas, selling over ninety million records worldwide. He has achieved success as a crossover artist, bringing classical music to the top of international pop charts. His album Romanza is one of the best-selling albums of all time, while Sacred Arias remains the best-selling classical album by a solo artist in history. My Christmas was the best-selling holiday album of 2009 and continues to rank among the top-selling holiday albums in the United States. His 2019 album Sì debuted at number one on both the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200, marking his first number-one album in both countries. The song “Con te partirò”, a duet with Sarah Brightman from his second album Bocelli, is recognized as one of the best-selling singles of all time.

 

In 1998, Bocelli was named one of People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People. He recorded the duet “The Prayer” with Celine Dion for the animated film Quest for Camelot, a song that won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and received an Academy Award nomination in the same category. In 1999, he was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards. He also set a Guinness World Record with the release of Sacred Arias, holding the top three positions simultaneously on the US Classical Albums charts.

 

Bocelli was made a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2006, and he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 2, 2010, for his contributions to live performance. In 2022, he was awarded a gold medal for Merit in Serbia. Singer Celine Dion has said, “If God had a singing voice, it would sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli,” and record producer David Foster has frequently described his voice as the most beautiful in the world.

Early life and education

Early Life

Maestro Andrea Bocelli was born to Alessandro and Edi Bocelli on September 22, 1958. His vision was partially impaired from birth due to congenital glaucoma. He later stated that his mother’s decision to give birth to him, despite medical advice, inspired his personal opposition to abortion.

 

Bocelli grew up on his family’s farm in the small village of La Sterza, near Lajatico in Tuscany, Italy, about 40 km (25 mi) south of Pisa. He has a younger brother, Alberto. The family sold farm machinery and produced wine.

From a young age, Bocelli showed a strong passion for music. His mother recalled that music was the only thing that could calm him. He began piano lessons at six and later learned to play the flute, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, guitar, and drums.

His nanny Oriana introduced him to the music of tenor Franco Corelli, sparking Bocelli’s interest in pursuing a career as a tenor. By age seven, he could identify famous singers and began imitating their voices.

At age twelve, Bocelli lost his remaining vision after being struck in the eye by a football. Doctors attempted to save his sight using leeches, but the efforts were unsuccessful, leaving him completely blind.

 

Despite this, Bocelli continued to sing during his childhood. He gave his first concert in a nearby village and won his first singing competition at fourteen, performing “'O sole mio” at the Margherita d’Oro in Viareggio. After finishing secondary school in 1980, he studied law at the University of Pisa. To support himself, he performed in piano bars, where he met his future wife, Enrica, in 1987. He completed law school and spent a year working as a court-appointed lawyer before fully committing to music.

Career trajectory

Andrea Bocelli’s career is a remarkable story of talent and perseverance, defined by his powerful classical-crossover voice and inspiring life.

Early Life and Education: Born in Tuscany in 1958, Bocelli was diagnosed with congenital glaucoma and became completely blind at age twelve following a football accident.

He studied law at the University of Pisa while performing in piano bars to support himself.

 

Breakthrough: Bocelli’s career took off in the early 1990s when a demo tape reached Luciano Pavarotti, leading to a successful duet, “Miserere,” with Zucchero. He gained international attention in 1994 after winning the Newcomers section of the Sanremo Music Festival.

 

Global Stardom: His 1997 album Romanza, featuring the hit duet “Time to Say Goodbye” (“Con Te Partirò”) with Sarah Brightman, propelled him to worldwide fame. The single remains one of the best-selling of all time.

Accomplishments: Bocelli has released numerous pop and classical albums, selling over 90 million records worldwide. 

He has performed at prestigious venues such as the Metropolitan Opera and for popes and world leaders. He holds a Guinness World Record and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010. Bocelli continues to record and perform, collaborating with major artists including Ed Sheeran and Celine Dion.

Voice

Andrea Bocelli is a widely popular singer with a substantial fan base worldwide. However, he is also a polarizing figure in classical music, and his voice and performances have often received negative reviews from critics. Italian spinto tenor Franco Corelli praised Bocelli's voice after hearing it for the first time during a master class in Turin and later gave him private lessons.

 

Puerto Rican soprano Ana María Martínez, who regularly performs with Bocelli, said, "More than anything, Andrea has something that is unique in that he brings this light that is always around him. And this purity of heart and beauty of sound just touches the listener. It can't be described."

 

Celine Dion, introducing him during her Christmas Special These Are Special Times, said that "if God had a singing voice, he must sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli," and producer David Foster often describes Bocelli's voice as the most beautiful in the world. Jazz singer Al Jarreau, who performed with Bocelli on the Night of the Proms tour in Europe, described him as "the most beautiful voice in the world," and talk show host Oprah Winfrey commented, "When I hear Andrea sing, I burst into tears." After attending Bocelli's concert at the Hollywood Bowl in 2009, actress Elizabeth Taylor said, "My mind, my soul were transported by his beauty, his voice, his inner being. God has kissed this man and I thank God for it." Taylor had been a passionate fan of Bocelli since the beginning of his music career in the mid-1990s. Other fans include Prince Albert II of Monaco, who invited Bocelli to sing at his wedding, as well as Sarah, Duchess of York, and actress Isabella Rossellini.

 

Bocelli's voice, particularly in opera, has been regularly criticized by classical music critics. Reviews often point out technical issues such as weak breath control, thin tone, poor projection, and inexpressive phrasing. Critics have noted that while his voice is warm and pleasant, sustained notes wobble, soft high notes are weak, and breath support is often inadequate. Studio recordings are sometimes carefully engineered to compensate for these shortcomings.

 

Critics have described his tone as rasping or thin, phrasing as careless or uneven, and diction as unclear. While he sings mostly in tune, classical reviewers consider his contributions musically limited, with a lack of expression and interpretive depth. Even in live performances, technical flaws can be exposed, showing a voice that is small and not well supported.

 

Bocelli excels at delivering emotional and beautiful performances, especially in pop and crossover music, but classical critics often find his operatic work lacking in technical precision and expressive power.

Recognition

Recognition

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Andrea Bocelli

Honours

Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, awarded in Rome.
Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella, awarded by the President of the Dominican Republic for contributions to international art and culture.
Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, awarded for contribution to live theater at Hollywood Boulevard.
Gold Medal for Merit, awarded by the President of Serbia.
Knight of the Civil Order of Savoy, awarded by Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy.

Bocelli with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office

Selected awards

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Andrea Bocelli

Winner of the Newcomers section of the Sanremo Music Festival.
ECHO Music Award for Best Single of the Year for Time to Say Goodbye.
ECHO Klassik Award for Best Seller of the Year for the album Viaggio Italiano.
Bambi Award.
World Music Awards for Best Italian Singer and Best Classical Interpretation.
ECHO Klassik Award for Best-Selling Classical Album for Aria: The Opera Album.
ECHO Klassik Award for Bestseller of the Year for Sacred Arias.
Classical BRIT Awards for Best-Selling Classical Album and Album of the Year for Sacred Arias.
Goldene Europa Award for classical music.
Goldene Kamera Award in the Music and Entertainment category.
World Music Awards for World’s Best-Selling Classical Artist and Best-Selling Italian Artist.
Telegatto Award for the soundtrack of the series Cuore.
Classical BRIT Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.
Classical BRIT Awards for Best-Selling Classical Album and Album of the Year for Sentimento.
World Music Awards for Best Italian Artist and World’s Best-Selling Classical Artist.
Telegatto Award in platinum for Italian music worldwide.
World Music Award for World’s Best-Selling Classical Artist.
America Award of the Italy–USA Foundation.
International Artist of the Year Award in association with Raymond Weil from the Classic Brit Awards.
Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award.
Art, Science and Peace Prize, awarded for music that elevates the human spirit.

Personal life

Andrea Bocelli was married to Enrica Cenzatti, whom he met while performing in piano bars during the early stages of his career. The couple married in the early part of his professional life and had two sons together, Amos and Matteo. They later separated, though they have remained closely connected through their family.

 

Following the death of his father, Alessandro Bocelli, Bocelli fulfilled previously scheduled professional commitments before returning to Tuscany for the funeral. He later dedicated a performance of Sogno to his father’s memory. After his passing, Bocelli’s mother and brother continued to live in the family home.

Bocelli later formed a partnership with Veronica Berti, who also became his manager. The two met after his separation from Cenzatti and eventually married in a religious ceremony in Tuscany. Together they have a daughter, Virginia. Bocelli lives with his wife and daughter in Forte dei Marmi, while his former wife and sons reside nearby in the same region.

 

Bocelli has frequently shared the stage with members of his family. He has performed publicly with both of his sons, as well as with his daughter, including appearances at major cultural and commemorative events in the United Kingdom and on international television.

 

In recognition of his connection to the Italian coast, a section of beach in Jesolo was named in his honour. In addition to his residence in Tuscany, Bocelli also owns a home in the United States.

A lifelong football enthusiast, Bocelli is a devoted supporter of Inter Milan. He has spoken publicly about his emotional connection to the club, describing its successes as some of his most memorable sporting experiences.

Teatro del Silenzio

Main article: Teatro del Silenzio

Bocelli was instrumental in the creation of the Teatro del Silenzio, an open-air amphitheatre located in his hometown of Lajatico. Conceived as a place where silence and music coexist, the theatre hosts a single annual concert curated by Bocelli, while remaining unused for the rest of the year. He serves as its honorary president.

 

Since its inauguration, the Teatro del Silenzio has welcomed many internationally renowned artists, including leading opera singers, pop performers, and celebrated instrumentalists. Recordings of performances at the venue have been released internationally, further establishing the theatre as a unique cultural landmark closely associated with Bocelli’s artistic vision.

 

References

Official sources

Major media and journalism

Music industry and chart authorities

Broadcast and cultural institutions

Film, television, and streaming

Academic and reference databases

Wiki-on editorial note

This article is based on verified public records, official artist communications, and coverage by internationally recognised media and cultural institutions.

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