Andrea Bocelli : A Celebration

by Antonia Felix

Like a force of nature, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli has soared to stardom and the top of the music charts with a voice that thrills the soul. Tuscany's most exciting and beloved export since Luciano Pavarotti is a phenomenon with an astonishing 30 million CDs sold, two World Music Awards, best-selling albums of both popular and classical romantic songs, and wildly popular sellout concerts on nearly every continent.

Andrea A Celebration reveals the entire story behind the man with a voice that the Washington Post describes as "radiant . . . with a soulful purity that is absolutely mesmerizing." This detailed biography chronicles the singer's childhood in the Tuscan countryside, his early ambitions and passion for singing, the disease and accident that caused his blindness at age twelve, the uncompromising philosophy of his strong and loving family, the Italian musical legacy that has shaped him, and the spiritual beliefs that sustain him. It is the story of one unique celebrity's step-by-step transformation from lawyer to piano lounge singer to greatest crossover artist of all time.

Lavishly illustrated, this book contains never-before-published photographs from the Bocelli family album and scores of photographs that depict every stage of Andrea Bocelli's career. Based on original interviews with family members, the mayor of his hometown, and several of the singer's closest colleagues-including conductors and costars who have performed with him extensively-author Antonia Felix weaves a fascinating portrayal of a compelling performer and remarkable human being.

Genres: Biography

Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautifully written book. The author writes so much about Andrea’s life and struggles without being invasive or condescending.
The photographs were wonderful and reading some background information on the 1998 concert in Pittsburgh which I was thrilled to have attended ,was a bonus.

[Piepie | The Napping Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a bit dated - almost 20 years old! - but it provides quite a bit of light into the early days of Andrea Bocelli's sparkling career. Most of the info was new to me, and many of the photos I had not seen before. It was really interesting seeing how Italy was portrayed - pictures of his home, his family, even a horse - and you see how much his home country is dear to his heart. What was also interesting was how Bocelli has straddled the fence between opera and pop, and has made friends with artists from both genres. Falling in love with albums that were released after this book just shows how far Andrea has come ... and how many unique experiences he has had. A global treasure!

[Shirleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d actually rate this book 3-1/2 stars. I found parts of it very interesting, other parts a little boring. I did learn a lot more about Andrea and admire him a lot. This book was written 20 years ago. If there is a follow up I would be interested in reading about his more recent life.