July 5, 2007 
Teatro del Silenzio
Lajatico, Italy
4 reports (English, German, French; Italian)
 

Una Notte di Magia

Questa Terra

Years ago, the countryside around Lajatico was the first sight in Italy that took my breath away and forever forged a tie of affection in my heart with Tuscany. It has a beauty that embraces and seeps into your being with its intrinsic tranquility. It is the same beauty infused in the voice of Andrea and steeped into his soul that we struggle so hard to find words to describe. At Teatro del Silenzio, the land, the voice, the emotions, and the images intertwine. It is impossible to communicate the experience of Andrea’s voice echoing across that enchanting terrain. Listening there—as his voice carried across the hills of his land—no words were needed.

In the last stage of the Tuscan twilight, a voice offstage intoned in Italian: "I came to see this space, a space made of earth alone, a theater of air and earth. This land has its own language, its own scent, its own way of keeping silent. I came to gaze at it in the hour of sunset." This poetic narration continued for a few minutes more, and the audience was lulled to immediate silence by the perfect beauty of the words. Then, again in Italian, the recorded voice of Andrea followed, the melody of "Melodramma" playing softly in the background:

 

I see this land, feel it pressing beneath my feet.

It is my land. It is a land that loves silence, as I myself love it.

And if I break this silence with my voice, I do it to pay homage to these places and to my people.

The music penetrates the land, travels over it, and flies far, far away.

It is a message of love.

So this is how it began, the concert at Lajatico. It couldn’t have been more fitting. Andrea, handsomely attired in black, took the stage, walking confidently down the steps, escorted dramatically on either side by two young Italian fencers (schermitore) in formal white uniforms and black-screened masks. The emotional swell of the introductory notes of "Melodramma" flowed over the hills and that voice, that beloved captivating voice, blended with air and earth as if it had always been one with this place. The powerful feelings of that moment caught in my throat and filled my eyes with tears.

Il Vento

Yet, the high drama that had preceded this sublimely beautiful point in time had tested the mettle of the wills and hearts of all involved. For the two days before the concert, Tuscany had been swept by a relentless wind from the sea that held steady at 45 to 50 miles an hour. On its hilltop perch, the Teatro del Silenzio was completely vulnerable. Rehearsal night on July 3 had been difficult but not impossible to manage, and all were hopeful that the special "dress rehearsal" concert intended as a gift to the people of Lajatico and surrounding countryside could take place on the following day. But through the day on Wednesday, the wind’s astonishing velocity not only held but intensified. The gusts whipped up the dust from the fields and rural lanes in devilish whirlwinds and sheets. Everything was coated. If you made the attempt to speak, the wind whipped the words out of your mouth and left the taste of grit in their place. It would have been impossible to sing or play an instrument. All the cameras to record the event for American broadcast on PBS were staunchly shrouded and the grand piano on stage protectively cocooned. The four massive sound and light towers that bordered the stage and the two at the rear of the seating area had been tethered for all they were worth. Still, the wind managed to tear the strips loose from one, and it began to shake slightly but menacingly. From time to time the wind made mischief with a particular target. One rogue gust caught several rows of chairs in the tiered back section and tossed them down like so many dried leaves. Obviously the security risk of toppling towers and flying chairs held those who had made their way to Lajatico at the entrance gates, patiently hoping against hope that things would take a positive turn. Time passed as all waited to see if the wind would abate. Those in charge were keenly aware that it would be bitterly disappointing to have to make the call to cancel. Andrea came out of his dressing room shelter at one point to talk with reporters, noting that you can deal with many circumstances but in the face of this act of nature little could be done except to wait. But, as the newspaper put it the next day, "alla fine, il vento ha vinto"—the wind won out in the end. About 9:00 pm, word went out that they had to surrender to the elements in the name of safety, and the crowd was dispersed. Jack and I passed two lone fans sitting forlornly in the stands. We exchanged shrugs and smiles, and the woman muttered ironically in Italian, "E’ veramente il Teatro del Silenzio"—it is truly the Theater of Silence.

Since Jack and I had nowhere to go, we lingered at the theater to commiserate with friends. It was not long after the decision to cancel was made that the wind, like a perverse toddler, abruptly decided to quit. The silence of the absent howling was eerie. One by one the technicians began to emerge from their various places of refuge and the new plan was formed to try to rehearse some of the duets. It took over an hour to cycle through security checks of the pummeled towers to ensure their stability. The situation was still a bit tenuous. One last unexpected wind gust toppled a drum set that had been reinstated onstage. But little by little all was made ready again. When Andrea finally reemerged, the few remaining in the seating area—mostly crew, staff, and family or friends with backstage passes—offered consoling applause for the tenor, who had to have been bitterly disappointed by the capricious wind’s disastrous effect on this long-awaited gesture to his friends and neighbors. Word of the rescheduled rehearsal somehow spread though. By evening’s end, almost 1:00 am, perhaps 200 to 300 of the local residents who had left had returned to hear the duets rehearsed with Lang Lang, Elisa, Heather Headley, and Laura Pausini. Andrea, obviously working hard to lighten the mood and ease the frazzled nerves of everyone, lightheartedly practiced all his best English action phrases: "here we go" "from the top" "let’s go" "are we ready?!" In high spirits after the earlier tension, he playfully dropped to one knee while singing "Vivere" with Laura Pausini. She responded with giggles, and, not to be outdone, joined him on both knees to finish their duet. Both laughed and obviously enjoyed the moment’s camaraderie. The long delay of the evening left little time to run through the precise technicalities of such things as positions on stage, timing, and entrances and exists. But everyone did their good-natured best despite the late hour and the weariness.

Il Concerto

On Thursday morning, the newspapers had already christened the fiasco of the previous day as "Black Wednesday." One headline read: "Aeolus defeats Bocelli." But by Thursday evening, fears of a repetition of the previous night’s disappointment did not materialize. Aeolus, the god of the winds, was in a more benevolent mood, bestowing on the hills of the Valdera a breeze that seemed more like due baci. I don’t have exact statistics, but my ears told me that the majority of those attending the concert were Italians. It was like one expansive gathering in famiglia, and the conversation was intensely animated and seemingly impossible to quell as the time for the concert to begin came, and went. The sound of recorded church bells, perhaps from Lajatico, signaled that the start was near. This resonant tone has always made my heart soar! How perfect to use it in this way at Teatro del Silenzio. But even the melodious bells, this familiar call to come together known from time immemorial, were powerless. In vain the announcement was made, over and over, encouraging people to take their seats. Finally, with a tone of pleading, the voice admonished in Italian "If you do not take your places, this beautiful concert may never begin," a statement underscored by scattered applause of assent, and there actually seemed to be progress toward a settling down; that is, until a tall, slim gentleman slowly wended his way across the midpoint of the seating area and worked his way up the middle toward the VIP section. A slight vocal ripple soon grew to a louder murmuring and then swelled to ecstatic applause as the entire audience rose to their feet to acknowledge the man, and, telefonini raised high in salute, jockeyed for positions to take his picture. I turned to my neighbor and asked who it was, and, in Italian, she pronounced the name with reverence as if it were a royal title: "Marcello Lippi, the coach of the world champion Italian soccer team." It was as if God had walked into their midst. What a tribute to Andrea. I was sure he would be smiling at the honor bestowed by the presence of this illustrious fan.

Il Padrone

More than one article describing the concert paid homage to Andrea as "il padrone di casa," the master of the house. He did indeed play the benevolent and considerate host, introducing the songs and his guests in a way that was really unprecedented for him. He even thanked everyone at the evening’s beginning for coming "to a place so out of the way, but full of beauty and meaning." It helped immensely that he used a portable mike throughout the evening and so had complete freedom of movement onstage. The three songs he chose for the first part of the concert from the CD Cieli di Toscana—"Melodramma," "Mille Lune, Mille Onde," "Canto della Terra"—were all born of the magic of Tuscany and the feelings of love and nostalgia for this place so tied to Andrea’s soul. They were perfect. As he sang, you felt it so profoundly, just as the opening monologue had stated, "Land and voice. What a sublime union." The maturity of the seasoned performer was evident in Andrea’s newer interpretations of these songs long familiar to us. "Romanza" in particular struck me as so much more profound in presentation, both emotionally, in the infusion of feeling in the phrasing, and technically, in the security in his voice. It was such a joy to see him in command—si, il padrone—all the tension and disappointment of the day before wisely laid aside.

Introducing Lang Lang, Andrea told us that he had first heard him in a concert broadcast from La Scala on RAI radio and knew that he wanted to get acquainted with the young prodigy. Lang Lang readily agreed and spent time as a guest at Andrea’s home, and as Andrea (more or less) said, "we made beautiful music together all day long" (my rough translation of AB’s Italian). The classical power of Lang Lang’s accompaniment was an exceptional complement to Andrea’s voice on the new piece they introduced together, "Io ci saro’." Written by Eugenio Finardi, this extraordinary song is technically challenging and profoundly haunting, with lyrics that touch deep down. It tells of the rapport between a father, who is separating from his wife, and his son. In fact, in a related news article, Andrea described just how deeply he was affected by this song: "With this song, something happened to me that had never happened before, not even when I sang la Bohème or Tosca. During the recording session in the studio, it stopped me completely, I was so profoundly moved. The words tell of what a father tries to say to his son regarding the reasons for the breakup with his mother."

Andrea’s pride in bringing Italian stars of the caliber of Laura Pausini and Elisa to his hometown audience was evident, but the tone of his introductions was predictably humble and quietly simple. For Sarah Brightman, his understated comment was, "We have had a beautiful moment together. Grazie, Sarah." This to sum up their collaboration on a now legendary song that was the most popular single of all time in Germany, held the top of the charts in France for weeks, and had brought unprecedented international attention to both. Not a strident or bombastic bone in his body, this one!

Gli Americani

The second part of the evening, the donning of the white jacket, became David Foster territory. He had a hand in each of the new songs being introduced for the first time at Teatro del Silenzio, and the American stars Heather Headley, Kenny G, and Chris Botti are all his protégés. The Italians seem to like the "smooth jazz" of the latter two performers, and pairing Andrea’s voice with these mellow instruments worked quite well. A special moment was the blending of "the voice" and "the trumpet," in the beautiful song "Italia." This is the title song of Chris Botti’s new CD, and will of course be sung on this release by Andrea. It is a moving declaration of love for one’s own country. A highlight of this piece was the little musical rivalry on holding the final note. Although both Chris and Andrea exhibited amazing stamina, Andrea won…whether by ability or diplomacy, it is hard to tell. When the DVD is shown on PBS, you be the judge. David Foster accompanied Andrea for "Bellissime Stelle," which was very easy to like and would have been my favorite of the new offerings, if it weren’t for "Io ci saro’." "Because We Believe" was nicely dramatized by a slow, solemn procession of white-gowned torchbearers who stood against the semicircle of the stone wall backdrop of the theater. The song always gives Andrea a moment to shine vocally, and it seemed suited to the inspired and starlit evening.

Heather Headley was a highlight of this second half. We have heard her version of "The Prayer" before with Andrea, and it seemed to me that she has matured in power and control and her voice has somewhat mellowed. In volume and showmanship, she is every bit the Broadway baby, but this is a really good blend with Andrea who unleashes a level of power to match her energy. She handled the Italian "Vivo per Lei" very well, and her interpretation of the well known "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was distinctive and stirring. Although I admit to being momentarily distracted by the thought of what Andrea might sound like singing "If I Only Had a Brain"!

Gli Italiani

It was fun to observe the Italians reacting to "our" tenore, their enthusiastic recognition of old favorites, and their affection for the legendary Laura and rising star Elisa expressed in the freely bestowed standing ovations. At the concert’s end, "Con te Partiro" evoked the same wild reception that it always does in the United States, but the Italians added a new dimension, the entire audience swayed in unison to the famous melody. They seemed to particularly enjoy their Italian tenor’s rendition of the obviously world famous Presley anthem "Can’t Help Falling in Love." It always gives me a kick too…what a cutie! And when the Maestro sat at the piano to sing "Il Mare Calmo della Sera," the song that launched it all at San Remo, the group around me sang the words in chorus along with their boy. If anyone had done this during a concert at home, I might have throttled them, but somehow in Andrea’s paese it seemed more like un abbraccio—their affectionate embrace of an old friend. I can also attest that the Italians, just as we do, come from afar to hear Andrea. We met people from Livorno, Rome, and Trento.

La Campagna

In the lull preceding the concert’s beginning, it was fascinating to watch the cameramen feast on the beautiful sites in the surrounding countryside. They practiced close-ups on the small towns dotting the rolling hills and zoomed in on the characteristic pines and cypress trees. In the distance, Volterra crowned the highest hill behind the colossal travertine stone blocks and the magnificent sculpture of Arnaldo Pomodero, Il Sole, that formed the theater’s backdrop. Across the expanse of fields, the color palette shifted moment by moment as the sun settled into the horizon. From the perspective of the theater site, the panorama unfolded . . . cypress sentinels of dark emerald marking country lanes, gently curving hills of velvet brown and wheaten gold, punctuated here and there with rolled bales of tawny hay. As night descended, the hill towns morphed to twinkling ornaments hung on the velvety black backdrop of sky. Ancient Volterra, the largest, was perched dramatically under the stars in the inky blackness directly behind the stage. In the distance to the right, the row of floodlit cypress trees lining the road along the hillcrest was like a visible poem written across the night—singing of the enchanting beauty of this Tuscan landscape. It was a touch of genius on the part of whoever thought to place the lights, or the inspiration of their instinctive love and pride in an effort to highlight the most precious aspects of the land for our pleasure. Could it get any more romantic, I thought. Then, as if on cue, a waning moon rose grandly orange on the horizon. I am sure the DVD will be stunning, and I’m happy to think that some of the magic will be preserved in a small way. But actually being there—well, I felt it was an extraordinary privilege that I hope many, many others will be able to share un bel di.

 

I Piccoli Ricordi

Lang Lang playing an unconventional interpretation of Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody with fiery passion, as if his hands had been demonically possessed. He received an enthusiastic standing ovation. This pop concert experience was clearly a romp for Lang Lang, and it is interesting to see the friendship between the highly acclaimed 25-year-old and Andrea.

Andrea jamming on a drum set in a quiet moment before the Wednesday rehearsal began in earnest. The boy has rhythm!

David Foster "coaching" a world class classical pianist on how to pick up the beat!

The unforeseen and hardly-to-be-believed downright frigid night of a July evening in Tuscany. Le donne who came in sleeveless evening wear were in for a rude shock. Sales were brisk for the reasonably priced Teatro del Silenzio souvenir blankets!

Amos and Matteo "hanging out" with their friends before the concert—Amos the swarthy, charmingly gangly "tween," and Matteo, whose megawatt smile rivals that of his dad and just illuminates his entire face. The boys are both poised and confident and seemed to enjoy the concert night and helping out with little errands here and there.

Heather Headley, taking a rehearsal break, gazing out in rapture at the Tuscan sunset. I called out to her "Happy 4th!" and she beamed a grateful smile to hear some familiar words in English.

The impressively long, long line of cars slowly snaking across the vast panorama of the Tuscan fields coming in pilgrimage to this blessedly isolated spot.

Finally, the touching heartfelt tribute Andrea paid to his beautiful Veronica as he acknowledged the extraordinary efforts of all involved in the production. As she joined everyone onstage, he had this to say for her (as nearly as memory serves me): "I thank Veronica who stood beside, before me, and behind me throughout this crazy adventure." She truly did seem to be everywhere at once throughout the preparations for this monumental undertaking.

Because this was, after all, not only a live concert, but also a production filmed for PBS to be broadcast in the United States, there were several times when the awkward mechanics of this process were evident. An entrance AB made with Elisa for the new song they introduced in duet, "La Voce del Silenzio," had to be redone. In the middle of the beginning of "Canto della Terra," adapted as a duet with Sarah Brightman, the prerecorded sound track stopped abruptly, and it too had to be redone—"from the top" as Andrea seems to have become so fond of saying in English, always stressing "top." There were moments of confusion when Andrea’s mike was left on while he was backstage. You could hear him responding "si, si, si" or warming his voice with the strange little vocal exercises he often uses unexpectedly. But he was patient and upbeat throughout the tedious stops and starts. Once or twice, during a lull in the activity, he rested his elbows on the piano and seemed quite drawn into himself, understandably a bit tired from what had become rather an ordeal over several days.

La Magia

In the end, there were still some magical tricks up Andrea’s sleeve to cap off the night’s enchantment. The two encores he gave us were "Il Mare Calmo della Sera" and "Sogno." How the crowd loved it when Andrea became pianoman and took command of the song that launched his career. He really did seem to be in his element at that moment. "Sogno" was my wish fulfilled for the evening. It evoked memories of Andrea’s rendition at the Statue of Liberty concert, dedicated to the father he had just lost. The tender emotion he infuses in this song is indescribable. The heart-stopping, melancholy melody is so perfectly suited to his voice. Then, even as the last sung note hung in the air, a sudden burst of soundless "fireworks" shimmered into the sky, every bit as delightful as their noisier cousins, but even more captivating with the surprise of their silence. The soft tissue cloud of confetti drifted down over the audience like fairy magic, particularly appropriate as a final touch for an evening in a theater named silence.

It all seems almost dreamlike now. Il Teatro del Silenzio has already reverted to its natural state, an "invisible presence" in the stunning landscape beside sleepy little Lajatico. We are left only with the memory in our soul of la musica—Andrea’s message of love.

Tante grazie, caro Padrone, per "questa musica dolce che non morirà mai…"

By Cami McNamee, USA

 



 

I returned from Tuscany last night, and I`m still in HEAVEN! It was sooo PHANTASTIC!
MILLE, MILLE GRAZIE, ANDREA!!!

But from the beginning: on Monday I travelled to La Sterza, with the plane from Hamburg to Munich, from Munich to Pisa, with the train to Pontedera and than to La Sterza by bus. All went well and in time.
On Tuesday I visited Lajatico and the Teatro, which is only 10 minutes footpath away from the Piazza of Lajatico. It is placed in a really wonderful countryside, the view from above the theatre over the hills is amazing!
On Wednesday than there should be "una prova generale", and I was so lucky to have a ticket (that was Renate`s surprise, thanks again for your efforts, Renate!). In the morning it was cloudy and windy, and through the day the wind grew into a storm. Two hours before the beginning of the rehearsal I walked down to the Teatro (and have seen Andrea passing in a Landrover!). We have to wait at the entrance, nearly two hours, 3500 spectators for the rehearsal, wrapped in clouds of dust from the wind - and 30 minutes before it should begin, it has been cancelled! Because of security problems and technical problems (I guess because of the dust). The next day Andrea said, for one day the "Teatro del Silezio" has changed his name in "Teatro del Vento".
Great disappointement and sadness, and also the fear, if the concert could take place the next day - someone of the staff told us that they have to prove the damage and next morning it would be a decision, if the concert will take place or not.....
Than Thursday, the day of the concert: sunny weather, blue sky, no wind. I called the theatre information in the early afternoon, and they told me: every thing is okay, the concert will start! Puhhh, you can`t imagine what a big stone plumped from my brest!!!

And the concert has been a great success and triumph for Andrea. He sang his most successful songs, alone and in duett. Very impressive Lang-Lang, and also the duett with Elisa, who has a great voice. Together with Laura Pausini "Vivere" - Andrea went down on his knees in front of her! "Canto della Terra" and "Time to Say Goodbye" with Sarah Brightman, "Vivo per lei" and "The Prayer" with Heather Hedley. All these wonderful hits which never or seldom have been presented in concert.
And Andrea, he was very relaxed, he smiled very often and talked to the audience, in the first part he was dressed in black, after the intermission he changed into a white shirt and jacket, both time with a scarf, because it was unusual cold in the night. Fortunately I have had a pullover and a coat, but I did not feel the cold, as long as Andrea was on stage, only when he left it, I felt my icecold feet and hands!?!
The concert took nearly 3 hours - without a short intermission, and I would say 80% of the time Andrea has been on stage.

At the end standing ovations, and before the last to songs, again "Canto della Terra" and "Time to Say Goodbye" with Sarah Brightman, some people were running to the stage - sure including me!! - and so I could experience Andrea only some metres directely in front of me. Amazing! And I could take some nice pictures of him.

Like Andrea said this should be an unique event, unique because it was an only pop-concert. I did not see the concert last year, but for the future it will be very difficult to top this experience from Lajatico!
Thank you to all who make it possible, the people of Lajatico, and especially thank you, Andrea!
 
deutsche Version
Letzte Nacht bin ich aus der Toscana zurück gekommen, und ich bin immer noch auf Wolke 7, es war sooo PHANTASTISCH!
Vielen, vielen Dank, Andrea!!

Am Montag ging die Reise mit dem Flugzeug von Hamburg nach München, von München nach Pisa, dann mit dem Zug nach Pontedera und mit dem Bus nach La Sterza. Am Dienstag habe ich mir Lajatico und das Teatro angesehen. Es ist ungefähr 10 Minuten zu Fuß von der Piazza von Lajatico entfernt, und es liegt landschaftlich wunderschön in den Hügeln, der Blick von oberhalb des Theaters auf die Gegend ist traumhaft schön.

Am Mittwoch sollte abends die Generalprobe für das Konzert stattfinden, und ich hatte eine Eintrittskarte - nochmal vielen Dank an Renate für die Überraschung! Am Morgen war es bewölkt und windig, und im Laufe des Tages wurde es richtig stürmisch. Als ich abends 2 Stunden vor Beginn der Probe zum Theater lief, fuhr Andrea im Landrover an mir vorbei. Zu der Probe waren 3500 Zuschauer angesagt, wir standen alle vor dem Eingang, einhüllt in Staubwolken durch die Windböen, und warteten auf Einlaß. 30 Minuten vor Beginn der Probe wurde sie abgesagt, und zwar aus Sicherheitsgründen, und es gab wohl auch technische Probleme wegen des Staubs. Am nächsten Tag beim Konzert sagte Andrea deshalb auch, das "Teatro del Silenzio" sollte umbenannt werden in "Teatro del Vento" (Theater des Windes). Große Enttäuschung bei allen, und dann kam die Sorge dazu, ob das Konzert am nächsten Tag stattfinden würde, denn einer der Offiziellen sagte, die Entscheidung darüber werde erst am nächsten Morgen fallen.

Der nächste Tag, der Tag des Konzertes, war sonnig, strahlend blauer Himmel und - wichtig - kein Wind! Mittags telefonierte ich mit der Information des Theaters, und sie bestätigten mir, dass das Konzert stattfindet. Puhh, große Erleichterung, mir fiel ein Stein vom Herzen!

Das Konzert selbst war ein großer Erfolg und Triumph für Andrea. Er sang seine erfolgreichsten Hits, allein und im Duett. Sehr eindrucksvoll Lang-Lang, und auch das Duett mit Elisa, die eine sehr schöne Stimme hat. Mit Laura Pausini ein wunderschönes "Vivere" - Andrea ging während des Duetts auf die Knie vor ihr! "Canto della Terra" und "Time to Say Goodbye" mit Sarah Brightman, "Vivo per lei" und "The Prayer" mit Heather Hedley. Es war sehr schön, diese und noch andere seiner großen Erfolge einmal im Konzert zu höre.
Andrea selbst war ziemlich locker während des Konzerts, er lächelte viel, er sprach mit dem Publikum und mit seinen Gästen, während des ersten Teils war er in schwarz gekleidet, im 2. Teil trug er ein weißes Hend und Jacket, jeweils mit einem Schal, denn es war ungewöhnlich kalt in dieser Nacht. Zum Glück hatte ich einen Pullover und Jacke dabei, aber ich fühlte die Kälte nicht, solange Andrea auf der Bühne war, nur wenn er nicht da war, fühlte ich meine eiskalten Hände und Füße!

Am Ende gab es standing ovations, vor den letzten beiden Songs, wieder "Canto della Terra" und "Time to Say Goodbye" mit Sarah Brightman, stürmten einige Fans zur Bühne - ich übrigens auch - so konnte ich Andrea direkt und aus ein paar Metern Entfernung erleben und einige, wie ich hoffe, schöne Fotos machen.
Wie Andrea gesagt hat, war das wohl ein einmaliges Erlebnis, einmalig in Hinblick auf das Programm - nur Pop-Songs. Ich habe das Konzert letztes Jahr nicht gesehen, aber ich glaube, in der Zukunft wird es schwer sein, dieses Erlebnis von Lajatico zu toppen.

Vielen Dank an alle, die es möglich gemacht haben, an die Bewohner von Lajatico und vor allen Dingen - vielen Dank, Andrea!
 
English and German by Anne-Karin Dersch, Germany


 

Même si je suis encore sur mon nuage , je vous livre mes impressions ….



16 heures : arrivée à Lajatico , très en avance , mais trouver une place de parking dans ce village d’un millier d’habitants transformé en gigantesque Tour de Babel peut s’avérer problématique ! La chance nous sourit : une place libre dans la rue principale …
Pour occuper le temps , nous flânons dans les rues du village , à la terrasse d’un café ( imaginer qu’Andrea a pu , un jour peut-être , s’y asseoir … ) , bref , nous essayons de mettre nos pas dans les siens !

Arrive le moment de retirer nos billets ; nous descendons le chemin poussiéreux – toujours poussiéreux – et prenons possession des précieux tickets . Il nous faut encore attendre une bonne heure avant de rejoindre le teatro … Le « serpent » humain qui descend la route est impressionnant , tout comme l’arrivée sur le site . La statue bleue de l’an dernier a été remplacée par une sorte de soleil , mystérieux et grandiose , clin d’œil à cet autre soleil qui va illuminer notre soirée .
Le début du spectacle est un peu retardé , les spectateurs ne cessant d’arriver en ordre peu discipliné !

Et puis , enfin … Encadrée par deux jeunes personnes , une sihouette familière et tant aimée apparaît au loin ; Andrea est là , enfin … Après quelques mots de bienvenue et de remerciement , c’est le début de l’enchantement . De Melodramma à Con te partiro , seul ou en duo , il est divin ! Nulle trace aujourd’hui de ces poings serrés qui lui sont coutumiers ; il est manifestement détendu , heureux chanter ,ded’être là , dans cette Toscane qu’il aime et qu’il sait nous faire aimer . Ses interventions , ses commentaires pour présenter ses accompagnateurs d’un soir , sont toujours empreints de charme et d’humour – il sourit et rit beaucoup ! - . C’est à la fois splendide et émouvant de voir un tel artiste faire preuve de tant de simplicité et d’humilité .

Cette soirée est doublement unique : d’abord parce qu’Andrea a dit qu’elle ne serait pas suivie d’une autre du même type , mais surtout parce que lui , il est unique , et qu’il a , une fois encore , donné toute la mesure de son talent ; ce soir , c’est du grand Bocelli ( mais je dis ça chaque fois !! ) Parmi les « surprises » annoncées , Kenny G. , Sarah Brightman , Heather Headley , David Foster , Chris Botti , et aussi Laura Pausini , chantant avec Andrea un merveilleux « Vivere » .

Mon meilleur souvenir de la soirée ? La chanson « Io ci saro »qu’il interprète , accompagné au piano par LagLang ( quel talent !) , et qui est tout simplement sublime …j’espère qu’elle figurera sur un nouvel album !
Comme chaque fois , cette soirée me laisse à la fois heureuse et triste ; heureuse d’avoir pu le voir et l’entendre pendant plus de deux heures , triste que ce soit finalement si court. On voudrait pouvoir arrêter le temps , mais hélas ! il nous faudra patienter jusqu’à l’été prochain .

Ma conclusion sera banale , mais que dire d’autre ? Merci , Andrea , mille fois merci ….
 
by Annie, France


 

 
Non riesco a trovare le parole per cominciare il mio resoconto. Sono tornata questa notte e al pensiero di aver assistito al concerto e di aver sentito la voce di Andea dal vivo, l'emozione mi prende.

Tutti gli avvenimenti che hanno caratterizzato la giornata di ieri sono fisse nella mia memoria e saranno per sempre testimonianza indissolubile di un giorno indimenticabile.

Sono partita insieme a mio padre alle tre del pomeriggio da Sassuolo, vicino a Modena. Il sole splendeva nessuna nuvola minacciava il cielo turchino. Dopo un viaggio di circa tre ore, finalmente abbiamo visto un cartello: Lajatico. Ero immnensamente felice. Finalmente eravamo arrivati in quel gioiello paesaggistico nell'entrterra toscano. Sono rimasta attonita, meravigliata: tutt'intorno a me c'erano le colline, i vigneti, i campi di girasoli, di cui Andrea ha molto spesso parlato, ma fino a ieri non potevo immaginare quale fosse la bellezza di questi luoghi.

Alle sette circa siamo arrivati al Teatro del Silenzio. Ci siamo incamminati lungo una stradina sterrata e gli unici suoni che riuscivo a percepire erano il canto degli uccellini e il rumore dei miei passi sulla stradina polverosa. Improvvisamente ho sentito una musica provenire da lontano, poi una voce, che sembrava vagare nel vento. Ho immediatamente compreso il significato di quel nome: "Teatro del Silenzio". Attorno il paesaggio maestosamente silenzioso, sembrava prendere vita, accarezzato dalla dolcezza di quei suoni. Il sole stava ormai tramontando e mi sembrava di essere giunta in un luogo senza tempo, un posto al di là del mondo stesso.

Finalmente siamo arrivati alle gradinate e ho potuto osservare il palco, sovrastato da un'immensa scultura rappresentante il sole.
 
Qui si è aperto un siparietto a dir poco curiioso: l'area destinata ai disabili, posta al centro ed in ottima posizione, era completamente priva di sedie atte ad ospitare i disabili. Questo mi è apparso oltremodo discordante rispetto all'attenzione che tutta l'organizzazione aveva posto in essere per l'arrivo ed il trasporto dei diversamente abili.  
Il concerto è iniziato alle 20,50, con un po' di ritardo, come di consuetudine. Andrea è arrivato sul palco ed io, anche se con un po' di fatica sono riuscita a vederlo: aveva un giacca nera, con un paio di jeans scuri e la giacca dello stesso colore. Era bellissimo.
Dopo una breve introduzione, la musica ha invaso il silenzio con la voce di Andrea:la prima canzone è stata Melodramma, e non poteva essere che così. è stata perfetta. Andrea sembrava abbastanza tranquillo e alla fine di ogni brano ringraziava e sorrideva al pubblico che lo acclamava.

Subito dopo ha presentato il primo ospite della serata: Kenny g con cui ha cantato un pezzo inedito.
Poi lo spettacolo è continuato con Mille lune, Mille onde.
Subito dopo l'altra sorpresa della serata: Vivo per lei con la bravissima Sara Brightman.
Successivamente abbiamo ascoltato l'altro brano inedito, in cui Andrea era accompagnato al piano dal sorprendente Lang Lang, che poi ha eseguito un assolo.
Ecco che ha fatto il suo ingresso sulla scena l'altra big della serata, Elisa, che ha cantato un duetto con Andrea e poi ha cantato il suo ultimo successo. Alla fine della sua esibizione la maggior parte del pubblico si è alzato in piedi, dedicandole un standing ovation.
L'ultimo brano con cui è terminata la prima parte del concerto è stato Canto della terra, eseguito in duetto con il soprano Sarah Brigthman.
l'esecuzione è stata perfetta. io ero estasiata, non riuscivo a trattenere la mia emozione; quando è arrivato il momento dell'acuto ho tremato, invece è stato perfetto. Con questo brano Andrea Bocelli e Sarah Brigthman hanno riscosso applausi molto calorosi.
dopo circa mezzora di pausa il concerto è ripreso.
David Foster ha accompagnato al piano l'esibizione di Kenny g.
Il saxofonista è rimasto sul palco ed ha eseguito un brano con il sax, intitolato Silhoutte ed è usicto accompagnato dagli applausi incessanti del pubblico.
A questo punto David Foster ha richiamato sul palco Andrea, che nel frattempo si era cambiato d'abito (questa volta vestiva una giacca bianca e portava una sciarpa grigia. Il produttore lo ha presentato in italiano dicendo: "vi presento il più grande tenore del mondo, anzi dell'universo".
Andrea ha cantato un brano di cui non ricordo il titolo.
Il tenore ha poi eseguito un medley delle canzoni del cd Amore: Besame mucho, Somos novios (versione solista), can't help falling in love. Dopo l'esibizione i due hanno poi scherzato sul fatto che Andrea cantasse una canzone in inglese del grande Elvis lì, nel suo paesino. David Foster ha continuato, parlando in inglese, dicendo:"quando ho incontrato Andrea anni fa il suo inglese era molto scarno. diceva solo "yes" e "Thankyou". Ma oggi il suo inglese è stato perfetto."
Successivamente Andrea ha cantato Ama, credi e vai, la canzone scritta per gli atleti delle Olimpiadi, e dietro le sue spalle, si sono accese le fiaccole, sistemate lungo il perimetro del palco. Meraviglioso.
una cantante ha poi eseguito una versione molto bella di Over the rainbow (non ricordo il nome dell'interprete).
Con la stessa Andrea ha cantato The Prayer. Purtroppo nel momento l'acuto finale (un sib) è rimasto in gola per il primo secondo, ma poi Andrea è riuscito a riprendersi e a metterlo in maschera, come si dice in gergo. questa è sta l'unica "pecca" della serata, a parte l'inizio, in cui su alcuni acuti Andrea è rimasto leggermente calante. Devo dire che la serata di ieri è stata particolarmente fradda e questo non ha sicuramente aiutato i cantanti.
Poi Chris Botti ha fatto un pezzo con la tromba. Andrea ha cantato l'ultimo inedito e ha cantato in duetto inginocchiato davanti a Laura Pausini.
i bis sono stati Sogno, il Mare calmo della sera e il Canto della terra.
il concerto è terminato con applausi scroscianti ed io sono fiera ed orgogliosa di essere stata fra quiei diecimila che hanno applaudito la voce di Andrea.

by Marti, Italy
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