Andrea Bocelli

Artist Image: Andrea Bocelli
Attribution
Image Credit: Jakub Janecki (Own work), CC BY-SA 4.0

Biography

Andrea Bocelli, OMRI, OMDSM (Italian pronunciation: ; born 22 September 1958) is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a football accident. Since winning the Newcomers section of the Sanremo Music Festival in 1994, Bocelli has recorded thirteen solo studio albums, of both pop and classical music, two greatest hits albums, and eight complete operas, selling over 75 million records worldwide. Thus, he is the biggest-selling solo artist in the history of classical music and has caused core classical repertoire to "cross over" to the top of international pop charts and into previously uncharted territory in popular culture. In 1998, he was named one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People. In 1999, his nomination for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards marked the first, and so far only time a classical artist had been nominated in the category, since Leontyne Price, in 1961. The Prayer, his duet with Celine Dion for the animated film The Quest for Camelot, won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song and was nominated for an Academy Award in the same category. With the release of his classical album, Sacred Arias, Bocelli captured a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records, as he simultaneously held the top 3 positions on the US classical albums charts. Six of his albums have since reached the Top 10 on the Billboard 200, and a record-setting 8, have topped the classical albums charts in the United States. With 5 million units sold worldwide, Sacred Arias became the biggest-selling classical album by a solo artist of all time, and with over 20 million copies sold worldwide, his 1997 pop album, Romanza, became the best-selling album by an Italian artist of any genre in history, as well as the best-selling album by a foreign artist in Canada, and a number of other countries in Europe and Latin America. The album's first single, "Time to Say Goodbye", topped charts all across Europe, including Germany, where it stayed at the top of the charts for fourteen consecutive weeks, breaking the all-time sales record, with over 3 million copies sold in the country. The single went on to sell over 12 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. Widely regarded as both the most popular Italian and classical singer in the world, Bocelli was made a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2006, and on March 2, 2010, was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to Live Theater.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed
Number of Albums 75
Record Label
Website www.andreabocelli.com
Wikipedia Andrea Bocelli on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

Andrea Bocelli was born in Lajatico, Italy, in what year?

1958

...Overview (2) Mini Bio (1) Andrea Bocelli, as born in Lajatico, Italy, in 1958 , is one of the greatest singing talents in the world today. He has been ...
Who is Andrea's best known hit?

Con Te Partirò Time To Say Goodbye

..., and has sung for the Pope. Perhaps his bestknown hit is Con Te Partirò Time To Say Goodbye , a duet with Brightman. He himself sings the Italian and ...
Andrea has sung for whom?

the Pope

...h the likes of Luciano Pavarotti and Sarah Brightman, and has sung for the Pope . Perhaps his bestknown hit is Con Te Partirò Time To Say Goodbye, a du...
What artist has he worked with?

Céline Dion

...d with him on different versions of the song. He has even worked with Céline Dion , teaming up with her for the song The Prayer. Worked as a bar pianis...
What song did he collaborate with Céline Dion on?

The Prayer

... the song. He has even worked with Céline Dion, teaming up with her for the song The Prayer . Worked as a bar pianist to pay for opera singing classes....
When did Bocelli become blind?

football accident

...t 5 months old, and became completely blind at age 12, following a football accident . After performing evenings in piano bars and competing in local s...
How old did he become blind after a football accident?

12

...h congenital glaucoma at 5 months old, and became completely blind at age 12 , following a football accident. After performing evenings in piano bars a...
Bocelli signed his first recording contract with what label?

Sugar Music

...inging contests, Bocelli signed his first recording contract with the Sugar Music label. He rose to fame in 1994, winning the 44th Sanremo Music Festi...
When did Bocelli rise to fame?

1994

... first recording contract with the Sugar Music label. He rose to fame in 1994 , winning the 44th Sanremo Music Festival performing Il mare calmo della ...
How many albums has Bocelli recorded since 1994?

15

...val performing Il mare calmo della sera. Since 1994, Bocelli has recorded 15 solo studio albums of both pop and classical music, three greatest hits a...
What is the biggest selling classical album?

Sacred Arias

... album, Romanza, is one of the bestselling albums of all time, while Sacred Arias is the biggest selling classical album by any solo artist in history...
What was the cause of his brain hemorrhage?

soccer accident

...totally blind after suffering a brain hemorrhage as the result of a soccer accident . Undeterred by his lack of sight, he studied law at the University...
How long did he practice law as a stateappointed attorney?

a year

...obtaining his degree, he practiced law as a stateappointed attorney for a year before deciding on a musical career and studying voice with tenor Franc...
Who asked Bocelli to record a demo of Miserere in 1992?

Zucchero Fornaciari

... breakthrough came in 1992, when he was asked by Italian pop star Zucchero Fornaciari to record a demo of Miserere, a song intended for renowned vocal...
What was the song intended for?

Luciano Pavarotti

...o record a demo of Miserere, a song intended for renowned vocalist Luciano Pavarotti . Pavarotti was highly impressed with Bocellis voice, and the two ...
What was the name of Bocelli's debut album?

Il mare calmo della sera

...year Bocelli signed a recording contract, and his debut album, Il mare calmo della sera (1994), brought him further attention in Europe. Bocellis popu...
In what year did Romanza come out?

1997

...er attention in Europe. Bocellis popularity in the United States grew in 1997 with the release of Romanza which collected songs from his previous albu...
What was his father's name?

Sandro

...Born September 22, 1958, in Lajatico, Italy; father named Sandro ; a farm equipment retailer and grower of olives and wine grapes; married Erica Bocell...
Who did Bocelli study under?

Luciano Betterani and Franco Corelli

...s a lawyer for a year after college; studied opera under Luciano Betterani and Franco Corelli . Multiplatinumselling Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli reach...
When was Bocelli born?

Lajatico, Italy

...Born September 22, 1958, in Lajatico, Italy ; father named Sandro; a farm equipment retailer and grower of olives and wine grapes; married Erica Bocell...
What was the name of the pope Bocelli performed for?

Pope John Paul II

...it ran three times. His roster of fans includes such luminaries as Pope John Paul II , Luciano Pavarotti, Isabella Rossellini, Cecilia Bartoli, Julie A...
Andrea Bocelli has emerged as one of the most popular voices in the arena of light classical and what else?

crossover vocals

...one of the most popular voices in the arena of light classical and crossover vocals and has made inroads into the world of opera as well. Bocelli has ...
What has Bocelli been most successful as?

pop ballad singer

... the world of opera as well. Bocelli has been most successful as a pop ballad singer , having recorded duets with Celine Dion, Sarah Brightman, and Ero...
Who sang with Bocelli during The Night of Proms in November 1995?

Al Jarreau

...ecorded duets with Celine Dion, Sarah Brightman, and Eros Ramazzotti. Al Jarreau , who sang with Bocelli during The Night of Proms in November 1995, pr...
How old was Bocelli when he began piano lessons?

six

...jatico, a rural village in Tuscany. Beginning piano lessons at the age of six , he later added flute and saxophone to his talents. Born with poor eyesi...
What two instruments did Bocelli add to his repertoire?

flute and saxophone

...uscany. Beginning piano lessons at the age of six, he later added flute and saxophone to his talents. Born with poor eyesight, he became totally blind...
Bocelli was born with what condition?

poor eyesight

...of six, he later added flute and saxophone to his talents. Born with poor eyesight , he became totally blind at the age of 12 following a soccer accide...
Bocelli studied law at what university?

University of Pisa

...id not consider a career in music until he had studied law at the University of Pisa and had earned a Doctor of Law degree. Inspired to pursue music, ...
What degree did Bocelli earn at the University of Pisa?

Doctor of Law

... until he had studied law at the University of Pisa and had earned a Doctor of Law degree. Inspired to pursue music, he studied with the famed tenor F...
What year did Fornaciari audition tenors to record a demo tape?

1992

...lf by peforming in piano bars. Bocelli's first break as a singer came in 1992 when Fornaciari auditioned tenors to record a demo tape of Miserere, whi...
What was the name of the album that sold well in Europe in 1995?

Bocelli

...en a demo tape landed in the hands of Luciano Pavarotti. His 1995 album Bocelli sold well in Europe and 1999's Sogno became an international hit. He r...
What instrument was Bocelli interested in at a young age?

piano

...ic at an early age. He was only six years old when he began studying the piano . He later learned the flute and saxophone, and was often asked to sing ...
When did Bocelli have his first taste of success?

1970

...e blind at the age of 12 following a soccer injury. According to his website, Bocelli had his first taste of success in a singing competition in 1970 ....
What was the name of the town where he was born?

La Sterza

... disability, which never stopped him. He was born in the small town of La Sterza , not too far from Pisa. But, if his mother followed doctors orders, h...
What was Edi's parents advised to do?

pursue an adoption

... would have never been born. In fact, his parents were advised to pursue an adoption . Doctors knew that Edi and Alessandros child would have a disabil...