Popera legend Andrea Bocelli

Blind since the age of 12, Andrea Bocelli has shed a joyous musical light throughout the world in the course of a three-decade career that has skyrocketed him into the popera firmament.

It’s been 31 years since Andrea Bocelli won the newcomers’ section of the 44th Sanremo Music Festival with his performance of “Il mare calmo della sera.” Almost 100 million albums and countless awards and recognitions later, he remains one of the world’s greatest living tenors.

Andrea was born in a small Tuscan town in 1958, where his family had a farm and made wine. He was diagnosed in utero with congenital glaucoma, which would render him visually impaired from birth. His mother’s doctor advised her to abort the baby with the impending disabilities, but she was wholeheartedly against the idea.

Andrea did have partial vision early in life and had a relatively normal childhood, even playing soccer regularly with his friends. He was a tall boy, which made him a regular at the goalkeeper position. At the age of 12, he was struck in the eye with a ball, causing him to completely lose his eyesight.

He learned to play the piano and flute at age 6, and as he got older, he performed in local piano bars, becoming a favorite to many, including Italian blues-rock superstar Zucchero.

I have had the honor of working with Zucchero on several concerts in Chicago and around the country. At dinner after a show one night, he told me about his contribution to Andrea’s career.

Zucchero was a close friend of and collaborator with Luciano Pavarotti. In 1992, he wrote what he thought would be a sure hit for the legendary tenor, titled “Miserere,” but he needed someone to audition the tune for Pavarotti.

Immediately thinking of his friend at the piano bar, “Zu” gave the song to Andrea, who recorded it on a cassette. Luciano was smitten with the song and the singer. After a brief deliberation, he said, “Andrea should be the one to record it.”

Over the decades, the relationship between Luciano and Andrea blossomed along with the maestro’s respect for the next-generation phenom. In 2003, Luciano asked Andrea to perform at his wedding to his second wife, Nicoletta. Four years later, Nicoletta asked Andrea to perform at Luciano’s funeral, a full circle of respect.

After Luciano’s ringing endorsement in 1992, Zucchero brought Andrea on tour to perform the song as a duet with him, drawing attention to the latter’s talents and helping him develop his own fan base. He was eventually given solo sets on the tours, which were regularly met with standing ovations.

Andrea returned to the Sanremo event in 1995, performing “Con te partiro.” The following year, he recorded the English version, “Time to Say Goodbye,” with British soprano and classical superstar Sarah Brightman. The song became one of the best-selling singles of all time.

Andrea went on to record three albums beginning in 1994, one more popular than the other, before releasing “Romanza” in 1997. Although it was a compilation, it was considered his breakout album. It achieved triple-platinum status in the U.S. and became an international smash.

The following year, another duet, this time with Canadian icon Celine Dion, rocketed Andrea to another galaxy of musical popularity. “The Prayer” took the world by storm and was everywhere on the radio, turning him into a pop superstar.

Andrea’s subsequent American tour was a massive arena-by-arena sellout. When he was to come to Chicago, his American promoter, Frank Gelb, needed a photographer. Through a series of connections, my wife, Elena, a talented photographer, got the gig. They gave us front row-center seats to get the best shots, and that she did!

Over time, Andrea’s quiet, reserved personality has blossomed into a more accessible, communicative one as he continued to make inroads into other nations around the world and with ethnic groups here in America. He has re-recorded many of his albums in different languages, vastly expanding his global reach. His frequent shows across America have provided me with plenty of opportunities to spend time with not just him, but also his wife, Veronica; daughter, Virginia; and son, Matteo.

Veronica has been instrumental in Andrea’s career, providing guidance and support daily. Virginia is a budding young vocalist who appeared as a singer in the recent biopic “Cabrini.”

When his son Matteo, an incredible vocalist in his own right, went on his first solo tour of the United States, the opportunity to present him came across my desk.

“Are you kidding?” I asked the agent for the tour. “Absolutely! I’ll bring him to my theater in St. Charles!” Relationships matter in this business.

Matteo put on a spectacular show that night. He brought a bit more pop to the stage, but his father’s musical essence was felt by all.

I invited a young lady with whom I am very impressed, Daniela Crocco, to have dinner with Matteo and me the night before his show. The goal was to introduce the two in the longshot hope that Daniela might join Matteo onstage for a duet. She has the voice of an angel and I truly could see them performing together.

The possibility wasn’t mentioned overtly, it was more of a conversation about topics of professional relevance. But as we were leaving, Matteo casually asked Daniela, “Do you know ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’? Learn my father’s version and come to my sound check tomorrow.”

At the sound check, Daniela sat patiently in the audience. It was a couple of hours before the show, and nothing had yet been said to her regarding her possible presence onstage. As the sound check was coming to an end, Matteo said in Italian, “Get her a microphone.”

“Is this really happening?” she asked herself.

A few minutes later, she was running through the number with him onstage. And when the time came during his show for them to perform together, she killed it! It was a magical moment not only for Daniela, but also for every person in the audience that night.

I prefer to experience an Andrea Bocelli concert in the same way that he experiences life. At moments throughout the show, I close my eyes and listen in darkness, albeit a darkness illuminated by music that permeates the soul. His darkness has provided great vision, yielding musical experiences that flow from his heart directly to ours through the illuminating power of his voice.

At 67, Andrea shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, he’s doing more now than ever. His recent duets with modern superstars the likes of Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa are bringing his greatness to the attention of new generations. Andrea Bocelli is truly the voice of this millennium.

Andrea Bocelli will perform at 8 p.m. on Feb. 25 at the United Center. To purchase tickets, click here.

The above article appears in the February 2026 issue of the print version of Fra Noi. Our gorgeous, monthly magazine contains a veritable feast of news and views, profiles and features, entertainment and culture.

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