On a beautiful evening in Tuscany, America Domani had the privilege of sitting down with the world's most beloved tenor, Andrea Bocelli. We discussed his career, inspiration, and how his music and life have impacted millions of fans around the world. The following interview has been divided into multiple parts and edited for length and clarity.
(Photo Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Pool Photo via AP)
America Domani: In three words, what do you feel when you take the stage?
Andrea Bocelli: Emotion, beauty and intimacy. Intimacy because it is a one-on-one rapport that establishes an intimate connection with the audience. When I take the stage, it is a mutual experience with the men and women in attendance who share a common bond with my music and it serves as the soundtrack of their life, for which I am eternally grateful.
AD: Can you tell us more about experiencing “emotion” and “beauty”?
AB: I say “beauty” because it is what everyone searches for during a concert, and it is what unites us thanks to the mysterious power that only music can provoke, and it manifests itself in a very positive and healthy energy that brings the beauty out of us. I say “emotion” because this is the feeling I get everytime I encounter a live audience. The direct contact with my audience is the key element of my life and represents the most powerful moment of expression and regeneration that I can imagine.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
AD: What is the experience like to sing in your mother tongue as opposed to other languages, like English and Spanish?
AB: I prefer Italian because I understand intimately all the hidden nuances of the language. Of course, Italian is the lyrical idiom of opera, and the Italian language has an intrinsic musical tone and rhythm by nature. However, it is also true that many classical pop repertoires and other beautiful songs that have contributed to the history of music are composed in English, and I could never imagine them in a different language. English is the language of the world, it is the quickest and most common path to communicating with the masses. As for Spanish, I sing often in Spanish and have developed a deep appreciation for the language over the years, mainly because it has a strong musical potency as well as a sensuality to it that is unique. Truthfully, I believe that every language brings with itself its own nuances, its own rhythmic balance and its own beauty.
AD: You often sing with your children, Virginia and Matteo. What is it like to share these important musical moments together?
AB: Music is an integral part of the Bocelli family. We sit around a piano with the same daily frequency that we sit around our kitchen table. These are beautiful moments that we share together as a family in the house as well as on the stage, not just with Matteo and Virginia, but also with my firstborn Amos, who graduated with a degree in piano as well as being an accomplished aerospace engineer. Sharing the stage with your children is an indescribable feeling. It is another beautiful gift that my life has given me. It is a strange and joyous sensation, being in a performance and at the same time sharing a “family” moment in front of a microphone and in front of my extended family, which of course is the audience. I must confess that one of the main reasons I decided to record an album in 2022 with Virginia and Matteo was that it gave me the opportunity to spend more time with them. However, independently of every musical commitment, my top priority has always remained my children. They come before everyone and everything.
America Domani would like to thank Simone Calzolai, Esq. of Studio Legale Calzolai for his support and access in this two-part series with Andrea Bocelli.