-
It had been 7 long
years since Andrea had been in concert in the Chicago area. When
the 2009 "Incanto" spring tour was anticipated, I was thinking,
"I wonder where I'll be flying to this time". Lucky
channel surfing on March 15th led me to discover I wouldn't need any
airplanes at all. I came across my PBS station that Sunday evening
at the EXACT TIME the information was on the screen regarding Andrea's
June 12, 2009 concert at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.
ILLINOIS? Seriously? No planes for Janice FINALLY? YES!
Yay! I immediately called the station and made the necessary
pledge to secure a ticket for the big night. Where was it in the
arena? Who cares! :D I was going to BE THERE again, after a
7 year wait. Andrea really hadn't forgotten about the middle of
the USA :) When my ticket arrived in the mail, a few weeks before
the sho w, I learned I would be in row 19 on the center aisle.
Hey, as long as I was in the building, I was happy.
As those of us lucky enough to have been on the Bocelli trail :) for
awhile know by now, one of the best parts of the experience is meeting
up with friends old and new for dinner and pre-show excitement.
There's nothing like sharing that time with people who KNOW. We
had a group of around 15 for dinner--veterans (hi, Carole!) and newbies
(talkin' to you, Carla!). I wasn't exactly sure what dinner at
"Maxie's Bar and Grill" would be like but the almond encrusted
chicken breast was top-notch! Who knew? :) Dessert?
With the arena doors soon to open? Not a chance. We paid our
bill and took off. The "we" I'm speaking of there
consists of myself and my sister, Laura, who would be seeing her second
real concert and having her third Bocelli experience (she went to the
Christmas thingy).
The restaur ant was directly across the street from the arena so we
walked over. LOVED that! :) The lines were long but steadily
moving inside. Yay! Shortly after our entrance, I found the
souvenir stand filled with lots of nifty new items for sale.
Andrea's tour t-shirts are getting really cool! :) I only bought
one and could have easily bought at least one more but...at $35 a pop, I
didn't have enough money. :'( Laura and I found our seats and I
looked to see which one I liked better. Since they were not
together, I said I was sitting in the better one. :D I kept the
seat I got from PBS.
All the seats that were for sale in the arena looked to be sold.
Of course, those that were behind the stage were all blocked off.
We were a good sized crowd and very enthusiastic. :) Andrea's
opening message (shown on the big screen with his voice speaking on a
recording) was received with applause! I took that for a good sign.
People were already caring and receptive. I think we've all read
about how Andrea sounds better than ever these days and gosh, it's so
true! He really did! I know, I know, everyone always says
that but we can't help it if it is always TRUE! He also was very
relaxed and loose--doing his "conducting"
;) and chatting with Steven. I remember when the poor guy always
looked so tense and tight--like he'd snap in two. Those days are
gone and it's wonderful to see! :)
At the intermission, I went up to row 15 to talk with Laura for a
bit. I was thinking maybe we could switch seats for the second
half just for the heck of it, pretty much. The more I talked about
it, though, the more I decided I was going to stay in my own seat.
I then told Laura I was going to go visit Carole up in the second row
center. I went up there and we said a few words and then Carole
said THE WORDS of t he night, "you know, these two seats in front
of me are empty". Okay, WHAT?! Really? Yes, it
was a for sure thing. I knew EXACTLY what my next move was going
to be. ;) Carla had come over to talk and I told her, "come
on, let's sit down here!". She wasn't game, though, and left.
La Donna e Mobile (some of you know her) then came over to talk. I
told her about the seats and said, "you know what we're going to do
now, right? We are going to chat and when the lights go down,
well, what else can we do but sit down right here? The show is
starting!". She was initially cautious but I told her, "sit
down here now!". :D She did and soon after, the lights went
down....
We know the second half always starts with the orchestra alone.
They were done. Steven left. Steven came back with Andrea.
There he was! RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!!!!! :) It's such a
pleasure to be RIGHT THERE ! I know I don't have to explain any
further. ;) One of the things about being up there that will stay
with me is watching Andrea sing "Voglio Vivere Cosi".
That song impressed me the first time I ever heard it on "Incanto"
for the amazing vocal dexterity involved in singing it. He never
seems to take a breath and really sings non-stop a lot of the time.
Listening to THE VOICE do those tricks is amazing. Watching the
mouth and lips form the words is REALLY amazing! :) Now the song
impresses me even more.
It's always hard to come to the end of a Bocelli concert but having the
night end when you are FRONT ROW CENTER is even harder. "Time
To Say Goodbye" had been completed. Andrea and company
waved and "exited" (he'd go to the side of the stage but never
down the stairs for the times when he was coming back soon--why bother,
right?). We were applauding and cheering a LOT. Would they
come back? They did. Just Andrea and Steven. Did
it mean what I thought it would mean? YES! "Nessun
Dorma" from the FRONT ROW CENTER! My eyes got wet, though I
did not shed tears. But I surely was thanking my lucky stars. :)
- by Janice Sopicki,
- June 13, 2009
-
American Airlines Arena, Dallas TX, USA
- Dallas - if you can improve on
perfection
- Mr. B. did just that. It's been 7
long years since my first concert. 7 years of sitting suicidally
in front of my computer waiting for reports from friends and
fellow fans lucky enough to attend those many concerts. 7 years of
wondering if it was worth putting my kids through college for. And
the answer is a resounding yes!!!!
The concert was spectacular. I don't know how they did it, but the
acoustics were remarkable! To hear his voice so crystal clear was
amazing. And the concert was flawless from beginning to end.
Mercurio was his usual energetic self. I was very surprised to see
such a small orchestra, but let me tell you, they sounded huge
under his baton. An exceptionally talented ensemble. I tend to
muddle through straight orchestra pieces but they were all great!
I really liked the soprano Eglise Gutierrez. Their voices
complemented each other very well and her solos were beautiful.
Carmen has always been a sentimental favorite of mine because it
was what hooked me on opera as a young girl. "Le fleur que tu
m'avais jetee always makes me tear up and last night was no
exception. He sang it beautifully. Had the rest of the concert
been a disaster it wouldn't have mattered. It almost felt like I
had never heard "Parle moi de ma mere" before. For some
reason it never stood out for me like it did when they sang it
together. You could tell his preparation for Carmen must have been
superhuman.
The flautist, Andrea Griminelli, was great. Although we wondered
if there was a problem with his mic because he was the only one
that sounded a little fuzzy. Andrea introduced him as the greatest
flautist in Italy and a big friend.
I have to admit to being a little leary of Heather Headley after
some reports. I do acknowledge that she has a wonderful voice and
they sound very good together. The only thought I had was she just
needs to remind herself she is singing in duet and if she could
just pull back the least little bit and simplify, they could be
quite awesome together. He sings so simply and straightforwardly
that you get the feeling he is always waiting for her to catch up,
the tempo a little off. So much so that I noticed he even add a
couple of extra notes that he doesn't usually. Even so, I enjoyed
their two songs--"The Prayer" and "Canto della
terra".
THE TENOR. Man Oh man. What can I say. He looked and sounded
spectacular. Seemed very relaxed. No evident nervousness. I got
many of my favorites from InCanto!!!! "Voglio vivere cosi",
"Vieni sul mar", "Non ti scordar di me"
solo!!!!!! But "Granda" was tremendous. Better than on
the CD. And you can't help smiling because he stands so still for
all the other songs and with this one he gets a little antsy, like
he'd like to break out the castanets and really get after it, but
can't quite let himself. The audience loved it. Four
encores--"The prayer", a lovely "Besame Mucho",
"Con te partiro" sung mostly solo until the very end and
be still my beating heart the last one, Nessun Dorma.
It didn't take this audience any time to warm up. They were
appreciative from beginning to end of everyone, but especially our
guy. By the end of the concert he really had them going and they,
like me, just didn't want it to end and would have superglued him
to the stage if possible. If he even looked like it was his last
encore they'd start clapping and hollering. He'd hesitate for just
a second (the tease)and when he turned around they'd holler some
more.
As we left afterwards I heard an employee of the arena tell
someone "That was the best concert ever held here!" And
I don't doubt his sincerity. One can only imagine how many
concerts he's heard working there. What better tribute. I just
hate it's over. As my husband and I sat over breakfast this
morning I got to thinking...Morning concert!!!!!
That'd be pretty cool. A continental breakfast serenaded by a
continental singer. The stuff dreams are made of.
- by Idonna
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-
June 18, 2009
- Madison
Square Garden New York - two reports
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- Its been a long
time….TOO long.
- Last Thursday
night I was privileged to be in the audience for the return of the
dynamic duo. You all know who I mean.
Our favorite tenor and our favorite conductor….they were
made for each other. Like Batman and Robin.
- When these two
boys come out to play you don’t want to be among the missing,
Sell the farm if you have to….but be there!!
-
- Welllllll…..
maybe not! I jest, of
course….…... actually
this concert was not on my Bocelli list for this year. I
have too many other commitments…. but this MSG concert is very
special to me and I haven’t missed one in a very long time..
Very exciting.
-
- This night is
no different……Come with me and I’ll take you there…. ….
- The air is
thick with anticipation…we wait, we watch. Time seems to pass in
slow motion now, but sadly, we know that later the night will move
so swiftly as to seem like a dream sequence lasting only seconds.
- At last we hear
someone’s breathless whisper from somewhere behind us. “Here
he comes.” Suddenly we see him, handsome as always in his fancy
dress up clothes. He always reminds me of a little boy dressed in
his first suit going to his first party…shiny as a new nickel.
- Then we watch
him walk the walk….that confident stride, head cocked to one
side and flashing that killer smile. He stops…he bows graciously.
If he’s “stage afraid” at this point only he knows it……..he
looks so happy….”so cool”.
- “Hello Gorgeous”…I want to yell, but then I remember my
grandchildren and I swallow the words before they can make a fool
of me!!
- The welcoming
applause is thunderous, hoots, hollers and whistles…….will it
ever stop?? ‘‘Moma Mia”…I say to myself,
“don’t they want to hear him sing????”
Andrea just stands there smiling, letting us adore him.
Finally…..
- Steven comes to
his rescue. He lifts his baton and all of a sudden you can hear a
pin drop as the music begins and
Andrea’s voice fills the silence with the first few notes
of “Le Donne e mobile” ….
-
- Part l…devoted
to some of our other favorites….Di quella pira…Carmen dueting
with Ms. Guiterezz.highlighting
this part of the program while on the giant screen behind
the orchestra……a pictorial commentary of each song, among them
many scenes from Andrea’s appearance in Carmen .
-
- Part 2…this
part almost exclusively devoted to “Incanto”…
-
- After a
beautiful Italian Symphony…Andrea returns with an upbeat Voglio
Vivere Cosi….followed by Vieni Sul Mar…
- then with
hardly a breath between now comes ….. …”Mamma”.
I often think that Edi must have to fight back tears of
pride and joy if she is in the audience when he sings this song to
her.
- A
heartbreaking Non ti Scordar di me…. Then….”Granada”……..Mio
Dio!!…how that man can roll those “R”s!!!. Thrilling!!! That
famous Bocelli charm is working overtime tonight. Andrea has us in
his pocket from the very first note….and best of all….we can
tell he’s having the time of his life.
We are all in Bocelli heaven!!!
-
-
- I
waited……..song after beautiful song from “Incanto”,” but
alas…I was not to hear the one very close to my heart this night..
I kept hoping he would sing E Vui Durmiti Ancora…but it
was not to be. …..Perhaps
Andrea thinks this song does not have enough popular appeal.
I love it, and I’ve only heard him sing it once on a RAI
guest appearance.
-
- It is my
misfortune that I’ve never had the pleasure of an Eglise
Gutierrez performance. I thought her voice paired very well with
Andrea’s and her solos were fantastic. They made beautiful music together…and as Andrea would say…”She
has a beautiful instrument”…
.She was magnificent.
- This is the 3rd
time I see Heather Headley sing with Andrea…and if I’m being
totally honest I have to say she is not one of my favorites…but
who can deny her powerful yet sweet voice?
- I remember at
the 2007 Teatro after singing with Sarah Brightman Andrea
said..”We have just had a special moment”.
He must feel this also when he sings with Heather…because
their duet of The
Prayer was very beautiful and moving.
- I have always
thought of Canto Della Terre as “Andrea’s song”….
-
- Then there is
Andrea Griminelli and his magic flute….and magic it is…a
flawless “Flight of the Bumblebee”…..soooo beautiful.
Thank you Andrea, for bringing us these very gifted
musicians who we might not ever see except thru your efforts to
share with us the very best in musical moments.
-
- Seven encores??? Whoever heard of such
a thing?? Apparently
not even Andrea, because when he had finished the selections he
had chosen, Besame Mucho, The prayer, My way…Partiro..and
Nessun Dorma, After
this one if he thought he could then “go home”, he was
mistaken. We STILL
wanted more. At this point he said “My voice is done”…but
added…… …”We will just start the concert over again”
…..and start again he DID with another Le Donne e Mobile and
that ” toughie” Di quella pira.
Do you believe it? How does he do it?
How??? Because
he has the heart of a lion and the voice of an angel.
-
- STILL….we did
not want to let him go!! The
applause, the stomping, the cheering was bouncing off the rafters…my
heart was pounding and my head was spinning!….
- Sorry, even the
tumultuous roar of the crowd could not entice Andrea back this
time. He had given us many “special moments” this night …always
doing his best for us, but even in our reluctance, we realized it
was time to let him go.
-
- Andrea has said
that the voice is like a cask of wine…the more you drink from it,
less is left. He has been on the fast track for a lot of years now,
bringing his beautiful music to the four corners of the earth. I
don’t think “his cask of wine” understands this.
His voice is richer, fuller more beautiful and powerful
than ever. .Like the
fine wine that it is…what’s left just keeps getting better and
better. To quote the
man himself… “there is so much hate in the world, I sing of
love…I prefer it”….and this is Andrea’s great gift to us……he
is all about LOVE. We
know it, we feel it…we prefer it.
-
- I don’t know
who named the album “Incanto”…but I doubt there could be a
better name for what happened in that huge arena on that magical
night.
- We were indeed
enchanted by this heavenly music….and once again drawn under the
spell of the most beautiful voice in the world.
- I’ve been to
so many Bocelli concerts I’ve lost count….I’ve heard Andrea
sing these songs before….but somehow it was like hearing them
all for the first time…………
- Until the next
time,
- Thank you
Andrea.
-
- by Rose
Daigle,
- New Orleans,
La.
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-
- As a former
music programmer I have attended many, many concerts
throughout my years...some will forever remain as historic in
my mind...they are (not necessarily in this order...Sinatra....Presley......Bennett....Bruce....Tina....Bowie...McCartney
(Wings over America)...Chicago (my favorite all time..have
seen them over and over again and never get tired of them)...Chicago
& Earth, Wind and Fire...Pavoritti....The Stones....Sly
& the Family Stone (Sly's wedding at Madison Square
Garden)....
- and I have
done my share of screaming and yelling and applauding.....but
this man...
- Andrea
Bocelli...this man is without a doubt as Liz Taylor said..."has
been kissed by god." This is not to deminish those
who performed with him and alone...each displaying their
own kind of magic..beautiful women an amazing orchestra and
chorus...and the huge screen displaying the photos of
Marcello, Sophia Loren, Gina Lollabridgida, etc. was so
original...and the song he sang to accompany what
appeared to be old home or newsreel movies (although sung
in Italian) reminded me of Fred Astaire or a song Astair sang
in one his movies....so entertaining.
- I
have never swooned at anyone...I didn't even think I knew
how to swoon...swooning is different than any other reaction
from a female...it contains sighs and oohs and aah's so sweet
and innocent but filled with admiration...these are the
emotions Andrea elicits from his audience....there was not a
seat in the house...standing room at the very top of the
Garden....filled most likely, beyond capacity....I sat way at
the top...to the left of Andrea...I even reserved and
purchased a good pair of binoculars just prior to the show so
I could see him up close...this man became his audience's
hostage for 3 hours plus...I was wearing a ring that literally
broke into two pieces from the constant applauding I did...I
will frame that ring along with my ticket...and after letting
him finally go...when I left the Garden I felt like I
was in (what I could only described as) a "State of
Grace"...so at peace with myself...and that feeling
continued until the next day....7 encores...amazing!!!! I
have never witnessed any performer get 7 encores.
- The
opportunity of seeing him perform in person will probably not
happen again for a long time....as I doubt he will pass this
way again anytime soon.
- I do hope
someday to visti Italy...I am Italian...2nd generation and
have been taking Italian speaking classes for the past few
months...the Scilian dialect was spoken in my home all through
my growing years...and that is what I am most knowledgeable
in...I never realized just how formal the pure Italian is and
how easily you can say something insulting or rude without
realizing it...i want so much to learn it properly and will
continue my studies until I feel confidant enough and then
maybe i will finally take that trip...if I save enough
money...and maybe get to see Andrea perform in Italy as I have
watched him on the DVD/CD set I received as a gift this past winter.
- I
can go on and on...but I am sure others have expresssed
the same sentiments.
- I do have
one suggestion...as a promotional momento...individual
packages of tissues with Andrea's face on the packet
should be distributed to the audience as they arrive...with a warning
that "Crying Involuntarily" may occur.
- Yes...we
love you Andrea...god bless...stay safe, well and
healthy...and happy! Arrivideci...
- by
Maria De Palma,
- New York
-
-
- MOHEGAN
SUN - UNCASVILLE, CT
- JUNE 20,
2009
- I had a long
drive to Connecticut from northern Michigan -- another 2300+ miles
on the minivan. It was cold and dreary on the way
there, but I knew it would be warm and welcoming inside the
arena at Mohegan Sun.
-
- Traveling with
my daughter and a friend, we met before the concert for dinner
with a group of fans, most whom I've known for many years via
the Internet and other concerts. It was great spending time
with these wonderful Bocelli fan/friends from all over the US,
reminiscing about past experiences, dreaming of those yet to come!
Andrea sang beautifully, as always. At the end of a long
tour he must be exhausted and eager to return home. If he
was tired it didn't show in his voice--hitting the high notes with
power and conviction, floating the soft notes with the light,
delicate touch that only he can provide.
-
- I had a good
view of the back screen from my seat on the floor. I loved
seeing the scenes from Carmen, with Andrea himself as Don Jose,
during the singing of the arias from that opera. As he sang
"Mamma," scenes and photos of mothers with children
flashed, ending with one of Edi holding a young Andrea. I
loved seeing the beautifully scripted lyrics of "Non ti
scordar di me" scroll across the screen in English and
Italian.
-
- Steven
Mercurio's conducting is always a treat, both musically and
visually, as he leads with energy, sensitivity, and a touch of
humor. I was impressed with the vocal range of soprano
Eglise Gutierrez in her most amazing performance of "Me
llaman la primorosa." One of the lines of that song
translates to "I enchant them when I sing"
- And enchant us,
she certainly did!
-
- Having played
the flute in high school (and not very well!) I am always most
appreciative of a good flute player. Andrea Griminelli was
more than good -- he was extraordinary. Having him play
along with Andrea, as well as two solo numbers including "The
Flight of the Bumblebee," was like frosting on the cake!
Andrea's singing of "The Prayer" with Heather Headley was
one of the most touching, moving performances I have ever
experienced. I've heard this song so many times--but
something happened this time that just blew me away--it's hard to
describe. The drama of their voices, the emotion on their
faces, the energy between them, the special effects lighting
sweeping through the arena--all gave me a sense of being totally
immersed in something powerful.
Andrea talked more than usual, thanking the orchestra, conductor
Steven Mercurio, soprano Eglise Gutierrez, flautist Andrea
Griminelli, and guest singer Heather Headley all by name, and
thanked the audience for being there! Steven announced that
the State of Connecticut had declared June 20th "ANDREA
BOCELLI DAY" which brought a big smile from Andrea.
-
- The concert was
similar to the Chicago concert I had attended the previous week,
with one less encore--no "Nessun Dorma!" Yes,
one of my friends was very disappointed, since she had never heard
him sing it live. But as she said, "When the concert is
so lovely how can one be disgruntled for long?"
As always, it was fun visiting with the people seated nearby and
hearing their stories--where they were from, how they happened to
be there, what they thought of Andrea's performance--all very
positive. The man seated next to me was a musician, and
loved Andrea's voice. His wife was there to support her
husband, but became a fan also before the night was over.
The men in the audience were just as enthusiastic as the women,
loudly yelling their appreciation and bravos!
-
- It is all over
too soon. After the concert, I gathered with my friends
for some quick goodbyes and promises to meet again, before heading
back to our hotels. We all agreed that Andrea was in top
form on this tour, his magnificent voice ringing forth with even
greater confidence and loveliness than before. Other tenors
may hit the notes, but no one does it more beautifully!
The day after the concert we went to nearby Mystic, CT for a
little sightseeing and shopping--a charming little town. We
had lunch at Mystic Pizza (famous from a 1988 movie starring Julia
Roberts) before heading for home. Finally the rain clouds
lifted and we had a beautiful, sunny drive. Another
adventure to see Andrea Bocelli, and so much more--as always,
totally worth it!
-
- report and
photo by
Gloria Morkin
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