"Hooray for Hollywood,
That screwy, ballyhooey Hollywood!"
Traveling from the East to the West Coast in the dead of winter is
always gloriously disorienting. In a few hours, you go from frigid
snowcover to an astonishing groundcover of California poppies, radiant
yellow hibiscus, hillsides filled with birds of paradise, yucca, and
graceful swaying palms. When the final destination is Hollywood—well,
we found the experience to be even more dizzying. Hollywood’s normal
state of being seems schizophrenic, at best. Add the current pre-Oscar
preparation frenzy, and the high profile Walk of Fame ceremony for
Andrea, throw in, for good measure, the Italian film festival that
would be running all week in town, and you might be able to imagine
the chaotic atmosphere we were immersed in for the few whirlwind days
of our stay.
Along the main drag, Hollywood Boulevard, there is an incessant din
of traffic and street hawking—tours of the stars’ homes, tickets
for this show or that one, invitations to have your picture taken with
any one of a bewildering array of impersonators from Marilyn Monroe,
Charlie Chaplin, Indiana Jones, Batman, Batwoman, Darth Vader, Spidey,
Zorro, Captain Jack Sparrow, to Snoopy and Elvis. All were there to
coax you to part with your money. At Grauman’s Chinese Theater,
there is a ceaseless chaotic bustle of tourists looking down to check
out the autographed footprints and handprints (and pawprints,
hoofprints, nose prints, even magic wand prints) of the legends of
Hollywood from Shirley Temple to the young stars of the Harry Potter
films. Two doors down, wannabes are mimicking their own private red
carpet fantasy moment at the entry to the Kodak Theater. Overlooking
it all, serenely swathed for now in miles of protective plastic, a
colossal version of Oscar himself stands vigil awaiting his big moment
in a few days. It is a bewildering brew of wacky, weird, and
wonderfully exhilarating! At times, my more contemplative thoughts of
Andrea and his immanent appearance here formed an internal oasis of
sanity that seemed somehow strangely alien to all the rest.
A few months ago, when the announcement had come of Andrea’s
stellar honor, I admit to having been hard-pressed at first to find a
comfortable connection between the slick and superficial glitz of
"tinsel town" and our firmly grounded tenor, who was born of
the tranquil serenity of rural Tuscany. The Walk of Fame seemed a more
appropriate setting for glamorous and fame-addicted stars the likes of
Michael Jackson than a comfortable match for our Andrea, quietly
humble, classic and classical to the core.
Moreover, all week long in anticipation of our trip, I had been
pondering the notion of an Andrea Bocelli event that would be
completely bereft of that cherished voice lifted in song. The prospect
was a bit bewildering. Yet, I realized that after all the years of
Andrea giving his extraordinary gift to us in concert after concert,
it did seem fitting that this would be his turn to be on the
receiving end. This time, it was all about giving something back to
him, and suddenly that made everything feel very "right."
Monday Morning: The Walk of Fame
No visit to Hollywood is complete without a few hours spent walking
the length of legendary Hollywood Boulevard to scan the stars embedded
in the walk and pay homage to names that are notorious, idolized,
iconic, and beloved. People pause for a photo-op beside a favorite
hero or heroine, causing intermittent pedestrian traffic jams. Gene
Autry, Roy Rogers, Jack Benny, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Ray
Bolger, Judy Garland, George Burns, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Fred
Astaire, Jay Silverheels, Clayton Moore, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer
Tracy, Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, Shirley Temple…the list seems
endless and endlessly diverse. The star of each is distinguished by a
medallion beneath the name that is one of five emblems that indicate
the field of entertainment: motion pictures, radio, television, live
theater/performance, or recording. Some, like Bing Crosby and Dean
Martin, have stars in more than one category! Gradually, as you walk
along and the illustrious names of the past and present pass before
your eyes, you begin to realize what an integral role these
entertainers have played in our lives from toddlerhood to maturity.
They give of themselves completely to brighten and distract us, bring
us insight and pleasure, laughter and tears to touch our hearts and to
broaden the horizons of our lives—just as Andrea has done.
A Star is Born
Rumor had it Monday morning that the tenor’s star had already
been placed in its spot at the entry of the Hotel Roosevelt where the
very first Academy Awards had been given out in its heyday year of
1929. Notable residents of the venerable hotel have included Clark
Gable and Carole Lombard, Marilyn Monroe, Clara Bow,
Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Errol Flynn, Judy Garland, Will
Rogers, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Shirley Temple, Bruce Willis,
Stan Laurel, and Oliver Hardy. What we found there were two men
hard at work with a water-polishing machine who were in the final
stages of cleaning and polishing Andrea’s newly embedded star. With
a squeegee, they cleared off the muddy-gray residue, then carefully,
by hand, they wiped away the traces of grout, and peeled off the
protective wrapper from the shiny brass entertainment emblem, which
for Andrea was Live Theater/Performance. Finally, with very fine
sandpaper, the last worker, who seemed to be taking considerable
satisfaction in his work, cleaned off any minute blemishes, so the
star would be perfectly presentable for the big moment. We stood
inexplicably transfixed by the whole process. Rather foolishly, I
found myself feeling somewhat like a proud midwife assisting at a
blessed event!
We owe Andrea’s star (the 2,402nd on the Walk of Fame)
to Pascal Vicedomini, the head and founder of the L.A. Italia Film
Festival, who first made the nomination to honor Andrea in this way.
There are sixteen other Italians on the Walk, among them Sophia Loren,
Ezio Pinza, Frank Capra, Mantovani, and Rudolph Valentino. Pascal is
apparently a big advocate for including more Italians for this honor,
and according to Leron Gubler, President of the Hollywood Chamber of
Commerce, which manages the Walk of Fame, Maestro Luciano Pavarotti is
next on Pascal’s list of hoped for candidates. Rightly so. Andrea’s
star is in good company. Among those in his constellation are the
inscrutable Glenn Close, the dashing Errol Flynn, the versatile beauty
Natalie Wood, sexy Vanessa Williams, and, well, Soupy Sales. (So, four
out of five isn’t bad.)
Monday Evening: The Documentary
The fabled Grauman’s Chinese Theater, built in 1927 for a cool $2
million, is an impressive space. The theme of the orient is carried
out throughout with no expense spared—the truly ancient, giant Foo
dogs guarding either side of the entrance; the hand-carved
30-foot-high stone dragon at the entry wall; the imported temple bells;
the rich crimson and gold lobby carpet with the fierce, custom-woven
dragon motif; the elaborately ornate Chinese lanterns hanging
ponderously from the ceiling; and the wall coverings intricately
patterned in cherry boughs, pagodas, and the like in shades of jade,
shimmering gold, and claret. Monday night in the outer courtyard, the
famed red carpet treatment awaited the arrival of the guest of honor.
Somehow though, it all seemed an alien and exotic setting for the film
we were about to see that captured the unlikely odyssey of the
adorably scrawny boy from Lajatico. But hey, this was Hollywood.
Most of us have seen "Andrea Bocelli: The Story Behind the
Voice" online, but I was not prepared for the impact of the film
when projected on the BIG SCREEN with Dolby surround-sound…and from
the perspective of the second row in that grand theater. The Grauman
Chinese theater seats nearly 1,200, and although it was not full, this
was a solidly devoted Andrea crowd, many of them Italian. The
experience was almost like a live concert—with the curious twist of
having Andrea with us in the audience! Thunderous applause greeted the
moments when his glorious voice boomed out with an intensity that was
physically palpable … Nessun Dorma, Pieta Signore, Di Quella Pira,
and other arias from precious filmed moments from his staged operas: La
Boheme, the Detroit Werther, Tosca and Madama
Butterfly from Torre del Lago, Carmen in Rome. Once more we
relived the excruciating sorrow of Andrea’s participation in the
Ground Zero Memorial after 9/11. And we rejoiced again to see him
conquer the operatic stage as well as audience after audience in
concerts the world over. The reality of Andrea’s life story is
powerfully moving, and the insight and honest tributes of his close
family and friends is emotionally charged. But throughout the film, it
is the wisdom and commentary of a larger than life Andrea himself that
touches even more profoundly.
"Through my singing, my goal is to make people understand that
whatever happens in life, however sad or terrible, there are still thousands
of reasons to go on living this life fully."
When the movie had finished and Andrea walked to the front of the
theater to a standing ovation to receive his award, he commented with
all sincerity: "I can’t tell you how embarrassed I
am!" remarking that after sitting through the film he felt like
he was "almost naked." I hadn’t thought what it would be
like for a man of a naturally humble nature to have to hear all the
unabashed praise and accolades and also the perhaps painful
descriptions of private moments wash over him in the company of a
theater full of people who were mostly strangers. Andrea’s evident
vulnerability and honest acknowledgment of embarrassment were touching.
He then noted that the next day he would receive his star, but
confided that if he thought of it as being considered as worthy of the
company of such stars as Beniamino Gigli and Enrico Caruso, he would
just go back home and "not go there." Instead, he said, he
preferred to see his star as a symbol of the affection of the American
people. Well, he got that part right!! These few remarks did not take
long, and Andrea was gone before we had time to realize it.
Tuesday Morning: The Ceremony
Bright and early Tuesday morning, Jack, Glo, and I reported to our
spot (to the right and slightly behind the podium) for the dedication
ceremony scheduled for 11:30 am. There was a nip in the air, but we
were warmed by the excitement of anticipation. A sizeable crowd was
already bunched behind the street barrier. We were soon joined by
Mary, Janice, and Beth, who rounded out the very fortunate group of
fans so graciously included by Andrea on his special day. Unanimously,
we felt we held all fans everywhere with us in spirit.
Andrea and Veronica were still inside the Hotel Roosevelt, with a
group of Italians, some individuals representing the Hollywood Chamber
of Commerce, and friends who were in the Bocelli entourage including
Carlo Bernini, Carlo Tomba, David Foster, and Marc Johnston. Tony
Renis came out first, dressed from head-to-toe in winter white. Tony
is a consummate musician, movie star, songwriter, composer, and
producer and has been the artistic director of the San Remo Festival
since 2003. Mr. Renis might be considered the "Godfather" of
Andrea’s career in the United States. He was among the first to
predict Andrea’s success with American audiences, and he introduced
him to David Foster. He greeted the fans warmly and thanked them for
coming to support and celebrate with Andrea. While we waited for the
honoree to make his entrance, we were entertained by the young singers
of the Janet Adderly School of Performing Arts. Appropriately, they
chose two Bocelli hits, The Prayer and Because We Believe,
and were warmly received.
Finally, to the unmistakably flamboyant strains of "Hurray for
Hollywood," Leron Gubler took the podium and announced the
arrival of the man of the hour (actually, man of the day, since they
had officially declared this Andrea Bocelli Day in Hollywood!).
Andrea, impeccably attired in a handsome, dark-blue pinstripe suit
with a tie of delicately shaded mauve, was beaming from top to bottom
as the crowd lavished applause on him. His smiling Veronica was, of
course, at his side. Throughout the nearly hour-long program that
ensued, Andrea’s face was lit by incandescent smile after
scintillating smile! He was clearly the happiest of men—it simply
radiated from him.
Mr. Gubler began with a review of the highlights of Andrea’s
career, and the crowd punctuated each impressive musical
accomplishment with approving shouts and enthusiastic applause. Andrea
seemed genuinely pleased to reminisce too and allow himself
satisfaction with a job well done, again acknowledging with glowing
smiles or a quick comment to Veronica each landmark moment that was
described.
When Gubler had finished speaking, he introduced once more the
children’s choir, who serenaded Andrea with their rendition of Con
te Partiro. It wasn’t long into the rendition before the tenor
could no longer contain himself and began to sing quietly along from
the podium, at which point they called the soloist Claire Nordstrom, a
very young lady with a very big voice, to come up. She finished the
song at Andrea’s side, clearly thrilled at the privilege. The
impromptu duet was a definite highlight, and Andrea gently thanked her
and all her young colleagues with his hearty applause for their
musical gift to him.
David Foster’s Tribute
David Foster outdid himself in his tribute to the man he obviously
admires, praising Andrea’s musicianship, unique artistry, zest for
life, profound love of family, and moral courage. He noted that among
the tenors honored in the Walk of Fame, Andrea was in good company,
which he undoubtedly merited—Enrico Caruso and Mario Lanza were the
two David mentioned, although he could have included Beniamino Gigli
and Placido Domingo.
Foster catalogued Andrea’s impressive list of hobbies and
accomplishments, "more than those of any three men put together,"
he bragged. "You name it," he said, "and Andrea has
done it or tried it"—skiing, skydiving, skating, bicycling,
windsurfing, horseback riding, chess. He reiterated his favorite claim
that Andrea is the "greatest singer on the planet." He named
the many instruments Andrea plays—piano, trumpet, flute, guitar,
drums—and he noted that he does not just make "a noise,"
but plays them well. As he has many times before, David again marveled
at the fact that Andrea truly walks in two worlds, classical and pop.
At home with Andrea during the course of a day, David recalled that
his host might play a classical piece at the piano "like a
virtuoso," then sing some obscure German classical aria "in
a thunderous voice," then walk into the music room to climb on
the set of drums and sing an Elvis Presley song. This, he assured us,
was the definition of "true virtuosity." He pointed out
Andrea’s fascination with technology, leaving all of us "in the
dust" with his mastery of these gadgets. "He thinks like a
teenager," Foster marveled with a big grin.
He paid tribute to Andrea as devoted father, who "drew a
steadfast line in the sand" and, no matter what, would never
leave his sons for longer than two weeks at a time. He lauded Amos and
Matteo as disciplined, polite, and accomplished young men, which, he
said, was a tribute to Andrea’s parenthood. Finally, he admired
Andrea’s steadfast values. With Andrea, "it’s never about the
money," Foster confided. "Every decision he makes comes from
his true artistry and his unique and moral compass."
Before he closed, Foster did not forget Veronica, who, he noted,
feels the constant pressure of Andrea’s career but "always has
the right answer for everyone." To conclude, Foster reminisced
that he had attended these Walk of Fame ceremonies since he was a boy,
but, he said, if you walked "up and down all of these streets,
there could not be a more deserving honoree." The crowd whooped
and clapped their agreement. David exchanged a truly heartfelt embrace
with Andrea, who could not have looked more overwhelmed at the praise
his friend had showered on him or the warm response from the audience
gathered there.
Andrea’s Comments
Then, at last, it was Andrea’s turn to speak. As he so often has
in the past when the precise communication of what he holds in his
heart was most important to him, he stated quickly in English that he
would speak in Italian, "so he would not make any mistakes."
He began by noting that he first took the stage at an even younger age
than the young singers who had performed for him earlier. This "stage"
was the hearth of the fireplace in his parents’ kitchen. At that
time he longed only for the applause of his family. But he made a
point to emphasize that the real purpose of his grown-up career has
been to try to bring "joy and some peace of mind to those who are
listening to my music." He hoped he had done that, he said. He
had tried his best to do it. We let him know that he had! Now, he
stated, one of the most precious memories he always takes back with
him from his tours in the United States is the strong affection
communicated to him by the overwhelming applause American audiences
have always bestowed on him. For him, the star he had received today
represented this affection. For this, he gave his heartfelt thanks.
These last remarks were greeted with another wave of applause from the
crowd.
I cannot say enough what a delight it was to see Andrea so
profoundly and supremely happy. When he finished his speech, Veronica
accompanied him down the steps of the small podium and over to his
star for the unveiling. Naturally the crowd responded with long
applause that was warm and affectionate. Andrea knelt eagerly to touch
this already treasured new landmark of his life story—Veronica knelt
by his side describing to him the deep rose-pink color of the
five-pointed star that was outlined in brass, the medallion relief
with the familiar smiling and frowning twin masks of drama and comedy
that signified his category of live staged performance, the special
limited edition 50th anniversary insignia, and the beloved
name in shining gold letters: ANDREA BOCELLI. His simple gesture to
touch this symbol of such significance to him set off a dazzling wall
of flashes from the bank of press photographers anxious to capture the
moment that we had all just shared with overflowing pride and
affection…but no one was beaming more radiantly at him with
unabashed love and tenderness than sweet Veronica. In a final burst of
exuberant triumph, Andrea stood, grabbed her round the waist, and
lifted her high off the dark terrazzo of the famed walk of Hollywood
Boulevard…their broad smiles mirror images of mutual joy.
The Reception
The "fortunate five" (and very grateful) fans who had
been invited to share the moment with Andrea mingled with the other
"VIPs" at the champagne reception in the Dakota Room of the
historic Hotel Roosevelt. Andrea and Veronica circulated among the
guests, and Andrea posed graciously for pictures. There was a lovely
and sumptuous buffet, but while the tenor was present, who could think
of food! The "entourage" would not be staying for lunch but
were to leave for Italy within the half hour, assuredly with stars in
their eyes, but I’m betting they were equally eager to have the
solid Tuscan earth firmly beneath their feet after the heady,
disorienting atmosphere of Hollywood.
Afterglow
When the tenor had left the building, I was left for the first time
in days with some quiet thoughts. All through the day, the famous
"Wish Upon a Star" lyric from Disney’s Pinocchio
was running through my mind. "If your heart is in your dream, no
request is too extreme." Did the little boy in Lajatico wish
often upon a Tuscan star? No one’s heart could have been more firmly
in his dream than Andrea’s has been. We have heard him remark often
that reality has now far surpassed those dreams.
Our journey with Andrea has spanned more than a decade and led us
from one end of this country to the other and across an ocean,
multiple times. Landmark moments through the years have forged strong
links between this singular man and those he strives so earnestly to
touch with his art. Stardom, as it adorns our Andrea, was just the
natural effect of his willingness to give all of the best that was
within him to reach our hearts. We willingly bask in the incandescent
starlight generated by that effort. As David Foster said, on March 2,
2010, Andrea’s star is the brightest in the universe and because of
this day his star "will shine forevermore."
Star light, star bright—
Make a wish, caro Maestro…but be careful what you wish for!
-
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- Cami McNamee
- March, 2010