- November 30 until
December 11, 2005
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THE ROYAL CHRISTMAS TOUR
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featuring: ANDREA BOCELLI, Special Guest
DENYCE GRAVES, ROYAL PHILHARMONIC CONCERT ORCHESTRA, WESTMINSTER
CONCERT CHOIR, principal & solo dancers from London's Royal
Ballet, Winnipeg's Royal Ballet, Russia's Bolshoi Ballet, Ukraine Kyiv
Ballet, Shumka Dancers
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- please
read Cami's report at
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- Excerpt from the
Chicago Times,, Dec 2, 2005
- Bocelli spoke to
the Sun-Times Chicago, about the holiday show that
brings him to the United Center on Tuesday.
Q. What makes this holiday concert special for you?
A. I'm happy because I arrive with a new program. I have
performed many
times in Chicago singing the repertoire of an Italian
tenor. But they were
my concerts, alone. Now I am in a new framework, one of
several artists in a
program, with a repertoire of sacred arias. And I like
this because we are
so close to Christmas and these songs give a very
important message of peace
to the world.
Q. Is Christmas a special holiday for you?
A. It's the most beautiful holiday of the year. I have
many sweet memories
from when I was a child at home. Unfortunately, my
father, grandfather and
grandmother are no longer with us, but now I have my own
children and it is
a very [special time] for us.
Q. How do your songs spread the message of peace?
A. These pieces are all very sacred music and it is a
way for all of us to
pray together, especially in this very troubled [period
in our world].
Q. What's the most special gift you ever received for
Christmas?
A. That is difficult, but probably something I got when
I was a child,
because presents are always more beautiful and special
when we are children.
- Miriam Di Nunzio
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- last rehearsal of
the tour
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- farewell
picture
- with all the
performers of the tour
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- a little private
relaxation before
- the very last
concert of the tour
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- Scandinavian
Tour
soprano: Patricia Orciani
baritone: Gianfranco
Montresor
conductor:
Marcello Rota
orchestra: The
National Czech Symphony
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- Dec. 14,
2005
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- Dec 16, 2005
- from the Finnish
press:
- ILTA-SANOMAT,
Finland 17. 12.
2005
- concert
at Hartwall Arena, Helsinki
- (excerpts)
by: Essi Henriksson
Andrea Bocelli´s voice was gorgeous
The Finnish audience was charmed by the sight of Andrea
Bocelli.
How can a blind man in a black suit hold the audience so
in his hands? Only in one way. With a
totally incredible voice.
- (...)
it was the heart winner Torna a Surriento by De
Curtis that excited the audience. The nervous and
humble smiling Bocelli became warmer in his clothes as
the concert went on. He had the audience with him
and he filled the arena with his pain. It feels
like this singer describes something with his singing
that ordinary people can't see.
(...)
The other musicians in the concert yesterday evening
were also shining. The first violinist was allowed
to show his power in Mattina by Leoncavallo. The
baritone, Gianfrano Montresor, sang the Chanson du
Toreador from Carmen with a twinkle in his eye.
The cooperation with Bocelli started to flower with the
soprano Patrizia Orciani.
They teary eyed female audience applauded Bocelli and he
gave three extra songs. The tenor started to waltz
with the guest soprano at the end of the concert.
Bocelli, with his stubble beard and his stage presence,
gave this cold winter performance a soul much longed for.
When a blind singer sings about love and dreams what can
one do except believe?
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translation: B.-M. Sjogren (with assistance of
Sari (Finland) and Linda (USA)
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- Fan review with
program
- Here is the
concert review of the concert 16th Decemberr in
Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland where Andrea
gave it all to us. the whole 2h 20min one
intermission. His voice is better than ever. He
sang two times D note (one higher than C ). The
sound system could have been better though but in
a big arena with 13 000 people it was fair. He was
accompanied with Patrizia Orciani-soprano and
Gianfranco Montresor - baritone. I give you the
list of songs in the concert:
Leoncavallo- Mattinata
Tosca-Mario,Mario- duet
Tosca- E lucevan le stelle
Turandot- Tu che di gel sei sinta- Patrizia
Orciani
La Boheme- O Mimi tu piu non torni- Andrea and
baritone
The pearl fishers- Au fond du temple saint- Andrea
and baritone
intermission
Di Capua- I te vurria vasa
Tosti- Marechiare
Rodrigo- Aranjuez
Lehar- Ru che m´hai presoil cuor- Andrea and
soprano
E. A. Mario- Santa Lucia luntana
De Curtis- Torna a Surriento
Bizet- Carmen- Chanson du Toreador- baritone
Di Capua- O sole mio
Lehar- The merry widow- Andrea and soprano
Verdi- La traviata- Brindisi-
Anrea,soprano,baritone
Then standing ovation applause for certain period
of time, I don´t have a clue how long we applauded.....encores...
Sogno
Standing ovation cheering
Prayer
Standing ovation cheering
Con te partioro/Time to say good bye Andrea and
soprano
wow, wow, wow......the concert was faboulos and we
all were thrilled and in
heaven....The concert climaxed to the end and the
sound got also better, I
guess they had a slight mixing problem in the
beginning because the sound
broke in high notes .........who cares as
long Anreas voice could be heard
Yours, Kenneth Skurnik
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- Dec 20, 2005
- Hamar,
Norway
- Vikingship Arena
- from the
Norwegian press:
- Hamar
Dagblad 21. 12. 2005
- by
Hanne Nordhagen Karlsen
- read the Original
article here
(with picture)
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- An audience
of over 8000 people let themselves be
impressed by the
- beautiful
voice of Italian world star when he entered
the Vikingship Stage.
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- Frozen
stiff by –14 degrees Celsius outdoors, the
audience were warmed by
- Andrea
Bocelli's emotional voice, and the
Vikingship proved that it can with
- advantage
be used for concerts.
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- (...)
- Andrea
Bocelli was not alone on stage. He had
brought two Italian singers as well as
- The Czech
orchestra. The soprano Patrizia Orciani and
baritone Gianfranco Montresor added to the
musical quality.
- (...)
- translation:
Y. Wallin
- To read
original article with pictures go
here
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- NRK
HEDMARK OG
OPPLAND
- December 20, 2005
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- A Fantastic Evening for Hamar
- By Anne Næsheim, Ola Bjørlo Strande and
Ingvar Midthun
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- Many people were impressed by Andrea Bocelli’s
concert at the Viking Ship arena last Tuesday evening.
- The Mayor of Hamar was indeed impressed by
Andrea Bocelli's concert at the Viking Ship arena in Hamar last Tuesday
evening. "A fantastic evening for Hamar," Einar Busterud said
after the concert.
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- An audience of more than 8.500 saw Andrea
Bocelli at the Viking Ship, and Mayor Einar Busterud says that the town can
be very proud of its achievements.
- "We have proven that we can use the
Viking Ship in quite new ways and we can supply Oslo when it comes to
arranging big concerts," Busterud said.
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- An Audience Full of Expectations
- As early as around six o’clock Tuesday
evening, the first people in the audience arrived for the concert. The blind
Italian opera star singer has managed to make people from the Inland of
Norway to pay between 600 to 1100 Norwegian Krones for their tickets. Aase
Jones from Elverum found the performance touching. "I don’t
understand much of opera music, but I understand what is beautiful. I very
nearly started crying," Aase said about the concert.
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- Worth Every Krone
- Astrid Louise Knudsen (13) and her mother
Gro from Höland in Akershus are among those who think the concert tonight
is worth both the time and money.
- "We have been driving for 2 hours, but
it’s worth it," says mother and Astrid Louise agrees.
- "I listen to a lot of other music, too,
but since both mum and dad play Bocelli at home, it is natural that I get
used to that music and like it," Astrid says.
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- Warmed-Up by a 3 Course Dinner
- In a warmed-up VIP tent in the parking lot
at the Viking Ship, some one hundred guests had a 3 course dinner with wine
before the concert.
- Borgar Bakker and Peder Nafstad normally
work for HIAS & Schöyens Bilcentraler, but because of this event, they
put on waiter apparel for Storhamar Hockey.
- "We are volunteering on our spare time
and probably won’t see the concert," says Borgar, who thinks that
"thank you for the hockey" is more important than the music.
- Those with VIP tickets in their pockets
enjoy themselves having a 3-course dinner before the concert.
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- Working All Day Today
- 50 people have been working today in order
to get everything fixed and ready in the Viking Ship in time for the
concert. There is a lot of equipment to be installed and then taken down
again afterwards.
- "We have been working since 8 o’clock
this morning, and we will probably not be finished until 3-4 a.m. tonight",
says the stage hand Ola Bratli.
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- Was Going to Work As a Lawyer
- Bocelli was born in the Tuscany district in
Italy in 1958, and he didn’t plan to become an opera singer. He was
educated at law school and he also worked as a lawyer for one year before he
became a fulltime singer. Now he is an opera singer and a star, traveling
around the world. The Dane Mikkel Brogård is one of those who follows
Bocelli around Europe as a production manager.
- "Bocelli is very pleasant to be around
and he does not behave like a diva," Mikkel Brogård says.
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- More Than Bocelli
- Those who have come to the Viking Ship
tonight will hear more than beautiful singing by Bocelli. The Czech National
Symphony Orchestra will also be there, among others.
- "It is an evening filled with top
artists", the head arranger Odd Steinar Pedersen promises, in Hamar's
Olympic facilities.
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- Translated by Yvonne Wallin, posted
with kind permission from the authors,
Anne Naesheim, Ola Björlo Strande and Ingvar
Midthun
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