Touched by an Italian Angel

RIGA - “If God could sing he would sound like Andrea Bocelli.” These words, spoken by Celine Dion, perfectly describe the talent of one of the most well-known soloists of all time.

On Jan. 10, Andrea Bocelli will give an exclusive concert at Arena Riga accompanied by a symphonic orchestra. His voice is his unique signature: sometimes melancholic, sometimes strong and dignified, and unrivalled in expressiveness and timbre. With an international career spanning 20 years and with more than 80 million albums sold, this Italian tenor has become a living legend.

Born with poor eyesight, Bocelli became blind at the age of twelve following a football accident.
Andrea Bocelli’s success cannot be compared with any other classical artist, because only Andrea has achieved a stunning career in two radically different worlds - crossover and classical music. His career has been incredible, with every album no matter whether crossover or operatic, selling millions of copies. He has had a major influence on the music market, with the ability to perfectly combine genres, introducing elegant classical music into the world of pop.

Andrea Bocelli has won many prestigious awards (including a Golden Globe and a Grammy) and his albums continue to set records in terms of sales, and maintaining a presence in the charts (Sacred Arias spent three and a half years at the top of the classical music chart).

With five million units sold worldwide, Sacred Arias became the biggest-selling classical crossover album by a solo artist of all time, and with over twenty million copies sold worldwide, his 1997 pop album Romanza became the best-selling album by an Italian artist of any genre in history, as well as the best-selling album by a foreign artist in Canada and a number of countries in Europe and Latin America. The album’s first single, “Time to Say Goodbye” was a duet with Sarah Brightman that topped charts across Europe, including Germany, where it stayed at the top of the charts for fourteen consecutive weeks, breaking the all-time sales record, with over three million copies sold in the country. The single went on to sell over twelve million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all-time.

His latest album Love in Portofino was released in October 2013. The CD/DVD compilation features some of Bocelli’s best known Italian and international songs including breathtaking performances of “Anema e Core,” and “Love in Portofino,” as well as “Il Nostro Incontro.” The compilation also highlights songs featured on Bocelli’s most recent studio album, Passione, including “Love Me Tender,” “Champagne,” “Roma Nun Fa La Stupida Stasera,” “Perfidia,” and “Quizas, Quizas, Quizas.”

Andrea Bocelli has performed for popes, kings, princes, presidents, and the very biggest names in music request that they be given the chance to duet with this great tenor. He gives only a limited number of solo concerts per year, and so every appearance of his is a great event, a real opportunity for music connoisseurs.

The concert will see maestro Bocelli perform classical arias from the most famous Italian and international operas. The artist will also delight the crowd with songs from his latest album, Love in Portofino and possibly one or two surprises.
The last time Bocelli performed in Riga, in 2009, it was in front of an audience of more than 14,000 people. As Arena Riga has limited space, only 8,000 tickets will be available to buy for this wonderful show.

Andrea Bocelli
Jan. 10 – 7 p.m.
Arena Riga
Tickets: 20 – 150 euros, available at: www.bilesuserviss.lv