by Eva Desiderio
PISA: "I will return, I promise you. I will return in a year,
always here, for Andrea Bocelli for Arpa 2002. Solidarity, like love,
never stops." This is the promise that Bocelli made to the
audience of 3500 spectators at the classical concert with opera and
popular arias yesterday evening, on the lawn of the Cascine Vecchie
at the Park of San Rossore. And, if possible, after this very
beautiful promise, the applause became even stronger and warmer, to
reward not only the skill of the artist (who sang for two hours
straight), but the generosity of the man.
Because Andrea Bocelli very strongly wanted this charity concert
together with Professor Francesco Mosca, president of Arpa, who two
years ago convinced him to become the spokesperson of this
non-profit foundation that promotes research and the development in
various fields of medicine and health. A show full of humanity and
hope, in marvelous natural scenery, with the perfume of the sea and
the magnolias, which saw the famous tenor duet with Cecilia Gasdia
and sing together with mezzo-soprano Manuela Custer and baritone
Massimiliano Fichera. At the podium Maestro Marcello Rota, to
conduct the Symphonic Orchestra of the Arturo Toscanini Foundation,
and the Corale Pisana.
Completely dark at the beginning. Then a bull's eye illuminates a
harp, while on the great white sails on the stage are projected the
marble masterpieces of Pisa: and suddenly it's as if the Tower,
which was the great thing celebrated yesterday, and with which this
concert closed the ceremonies of handing back the bell tower to the
city of Pisa, all of a sudden had moved from the Piazza dei Miracoli
to rise, mighty and silent, in the forest of San Rossore. The chorus
sang the Hymn of Mameli (bo.de: Italian national anthem). And it is
a blending of voices without a face that tells, before you begin the
concert, the extraordinary adventure of solidarity, and of those who
offer their work to others.
(...)
The first strong emotion, with Puccini and Tosca: the warm voice
of Bocelli, now powerful, now fragile, and it contains the emotion
of singing in his Pisa, the city where he studied and graduated in
law, before many friends that have loved him since he wasn't famous.
Then "Vissi d'arte" and a very tender Gasdia gives us
chills. The music and the songs follow with "L' Arlesienne"
of Bizet, Mascagni and "Cavalleria rusticana," "Va
pensiero," "Il trovatore, " the "Ave
Maria"of Mascagni ," Panis Angelicus." And also the
great Neopolitan traditions with "Core 'ngrato," "O'
Surdato 'nammurato," "Torna a Surriento" and "Tu
ca nun chiagne." Encores with "O' sole mio" and with
the "Brindisi from Traviata. And, at midnight, after the
third encore the audience invited him, and he ccepted immediately,
to sing the Hymn of Mameli. A standing ovation for everyone at the
end. Almost a dress rehearsal for Andrea of the concert (sold out)
with 18,000 specatators at Hyde Park on June 21 (maybe before Tony
Blair) and then on the 22nd in Dublin. "A shame I
won't see Bono," says Bocelli - "who that same evening
will sing in Torino with U2."
An intimate party, far from the mundane
PISA: Mamma Edi is in the first row next to Enrica, the beautiful
wife of Andrea Bocelli, who has left at home in Forte dei Marmi the
small Amos and Matteo: the tenor has spent the whole day on the
beach with his family and the children have gone to bed early. With
Edi and Enrica are 5000 people who bought tickets to support Arpa
and to give a better future to young researchers. "I didn't
want that this be a mundane event, but an intimate and intense one,
an engagement full of true values," says Bocelli, "and
next year, who knows, I could think to do it again and to make it a
TV event like my friend Big Luciano." Meanwhile Andrea sings
for everybody, "above all for many at this moment in the
hospitals around the world who give the best of themselves in very
difficult conditions."
(...)
In the name of Puccini
by Giuseppe Meucci
PISA: And suddenly Puccini, "E lucevan le stelle..." So
Andrea Bocelli, between the roar of applause, began the great
charity Pisan concert, which for the entire day had made us hold our
breath because of the uncertain and windy weather. On the other
hand, between the melodies and San Rossore you could see also a
certain coming together, admitting that it's possible to join a
place to the music.
(...)
"In this case it's not the music that's important," says
Bocelli himself, " but the reasons for which this concert was
organized."
(...)
So Andrea Bocelli, who has breathed the Pisan air from birth and
knows these things well, has chosen to begin a song to effect a
great summons, almost to suggest a magic alliance between a place
and the music, precisely that of Puccini.
translation: M. Morgan
