Andrea Bocelli Tenor, blind from birth. He managed to merge pop music and opera together Date of Birth: 22.09.1958 Country: Italy

Andrea Bocelli: The Journey of a Talented Tenor

Andrea Bocelli, a lyrical tenor who successfully merged pop music and opera, has a diverse fan base that includes President Clinton, the Pope, Cindy Crawford, teenagers, and housewives. Despite facing criticism for his love of pop music, Bocelli has sold 80 million albums to both classical music connoisseurs and those without a musical background. Born in 1958 on September 22nd, Bocelli hails from the Tuscan village of Lajatico, near Pisa. Although no one in his family pursued music or singing, Bocelli had a record player with numerous opera recordings by his bedside while he was sick as a child.

At the age of six, Bocelli could independently play melodies on the piano, and he later mastered the flute and saxophone. He sang in the school and church choirs. Unfortunately, he faced significant vision problems and numerous surgeries failed to restore his sight. At the age of 12, while playing soccer, Bocelli was struck in the head by a ball and completely lost his vision. Despite this tragic event, Bocelli's love for music remained unshaken. He continued to pursue music, taking singing lessons from Luciano Bettarini and participating in various competitions. In 1971, he became the winner of a regional singing competition.

After graduating from school, Bocelli enrolled at the University of Pisa, balancing his studies with performances in restaurants and bars. He became passionate about French chansons and Frank Sinatra's songs, with a significant portion of his earnings going towards paying for masterclasses with the renowned "prince of tenors," Franco Corelli. In 1992, Bocelli's life took a significant turn when he auditioned for rock singer Zucchero and recorded a demo version of Zucchero's famous composition "Miserere." When Luciano Pavarotti heard this recording, he could not believe that the singer was not a professional tenor.

In the following year, after performing at a private party, Bocelli met the head of the music company "Sugar," Caterina Zugar, who offered him the opportunity to perform a new composition titled "Il mare calmo della sera." This song, which became the title track of his debut album, helped Bocelli triumphantly win the Sanremo Music Festival in 1994. Subsequently, he was invited to perform at Pavarotti's concert and the Christmas concert at the Vatican. Throughout 1995, despite the birth of his first son, Amos, Bocelli toured Europe, singing in the capitals and major cities of Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain, accompanied by renowned choirs and symphony orchestras. His vocal partners included John Miles, Bryan Ferry, and Ali Jarreau. His hit songs from various genres were compiled into the album "Bocelli," which went platinum in many countries, achieving double platinum status in Italy and six times platinum in Belgium.

In the following year, Bocelli released two more albums: "Romanza," featuring his duet with Sarah Brightman in the song "Time to Say Goodbye," and "Viaggio." Despite being ironically referred to as "music for immigrants," as it featured popular arias from Italian operas and traditional Neapolitan songs performed in a traditional manner, "Viaggio" sold 300,000 copies within a few months. Bocelli frequently toured the United States, where he enjoyed enormous success, with ticket prices for his performances reaching $500. In 2010, Bocelli was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

His fame as an international performer continued to grow, with the release of the opera recording "La Boheme" (1995), where he sang the role of Rodolfo, and his album of operatic classics, "Aria" (1998). His international acclaim further solidified when he collaborated with Celine Dion to perform the song "The Prayer," which became the basis of his album "Sogno" (1999) and earned him a Golden Globe Award. The release of the album and single were accompanied by recordings of new classical collections such as "Arie Sacre" (1999) and "Verdi" (2000). His album "Cieli di Toscana" (2001) consisted of popular Italian songs and compositions. When criticized for his inclination towards "popularity," Bocelli responded that the most important aspect of a song is whether it touches the soul, and he continued to choose a repertoire with a mixed style.

In 2002, Bocelli's family life faced turmoil as his wife, Enrica, filed for divorce despite having a younger son named Matteo (born in 1997). In the same year, Bocelli began appearing in public with 18-year-old Veronica Berti, the daughter of singer Ivan Berti, who eventually became his impresario. Bocelli's success continued to soar, with sold-out concerts and albums such as "Tosca" (2001), "Traviata" (2003), "Werther" (2004), "Carmen" (2005), "Pagliacci" (2006), and "Rural Honor" (2010). Simultaneously, he released new pop music albums such as "Andrea" (2004) and "Amore" (2005).

In 2007, Andrea Bocelli embarked on his first tour in Russia, and he returned to perform in the country in 2011, 2013, and 2014. In 2012, Veronica and Andrea welcomed their daughter, Virginia, and they legalized their relationship in March 2014. Bocelli's biography would be incomplete without mentioning his charitable foundation, which provides assistance to the visually impaired and subsidizes new technologies to enhance their abilities. In early 2016, Bocelli visited Russia again and collaborated with Russian pop star Zara. Impressed by her professionalism, Bocelli invited her to perform three duets at her Kremlin concert. In addition to his internationally renowned singles "The Prayer" and "Time to Say Goodbye," Bocelli sang a new duet, "La Grande Storia," with Zara.

Today, Andrea Bocelli, the best-selling classical music and Italian pop artist, resides in his estate near his birthplace. In addition to music, he has a passion for horses, as his farm features a small stud farm. His loved ones include his beloved wife, Veronica, and their young daughter, Virginia, who delights her father with her love for singing.