Andrea Bocelli’s concert at the Poznań Stadium, photo by Jakub Janecki on Wikimedia

Top 10 Remarquable Facts about Andrea Bocelli


 

Andrea Bocelli is an Italian operatic tenor and multi-instrumentalist. He was born on 22nd September 1958 in the small village of La Sterza, a frazione of Lajatico, Tuscany in Italy.

Andrea was born with impaired sight but went completely blind later in life. Other than impaired vision, Andrea was born with congenital glaucoma.

His mother had been advised by her doctor to abort his pregnancy which she denied. This inspiration from his mother played a huge role in making him oppose abortion.

Andrea’s family lived on their farm alongside his small brother known as Alberto. They used to sell farm machinery and made wine in their small village which is located 40 km south of Pisa.

The younger brother of Andrea and his mother still lives at the farm even after his father died in 2000. Even after the setback of getting blind, Andrea Bocelli never gave up on his studies.

He started piano lessons at the age of 6 and was introduced to more instruments by his nanny as he grew up. Andrea finished his secondary education and joined the University of Pisa where he studied law.

After his classes, Andrea used to play the piano at bars to earn money for his upkeep. He also competed in local singing contests which opened up his career. Andrea has won several awards and accolades in his career.

Here are the top 10 Remarquable Facts about Andrea Bocelli:

1. Andrea’s Mother went against her Doctor’s Abortion Advice due to his Condition

Andrea was born with congenital glaucoma which got made him have impaired sight. Doctors who note this condition usually urge their clients to either have an abortion or give birth to babies with congenital disabilities.

The mother of Andrea Bocelli was a real hero as she went against her doctor’s advice. She decided to give birth to him and overrule the advice. That decision made Andrea Bocelli got inspired and be against abortion.

2. He Suffered Complete Vision Loss after a Childhood Accident

Bocelli rehearsed for his Under the Desert Sky concert in Lake Las Vegas, in 2006. Photo by Dovywiarda on Wikimedia

Andrea Bocelli was born with impaired vision but later on, lost his vision completely. At the tender age of twelve, Andrea was playing football with his friends.

His role was as a goalkeeper in a match. He suffered an accident whereby he was hit in the eye by a ball that made him get a brain haemorrhage.

Doctors tried to save his sight but did not manage. They resorted to leeches in a last-ditch effort, but they were unsuccessful leaving him blind.

3. Bocelli Won his First Song Competition at the Age of 14

Andrea was born special as his mother once stated that music used to calm him. At the age of 6, he started piano lessons. He later learnt how to play the flute, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, guitar and drums.

His nanny gave him the first recording of Franco which clearly showed his interest in pursuing a tenor career. At the age of 7, Andrea was able to recognise and tried to emulate the voices of famous musicians.

In his childhood, he spent more time singing and performed his first concert in a small village market. At the age of 14, Andrea won his first song competition with O sole Mio at Margherita d’Oro in Viareggio.

4. Andrea Studied Law and Had to Perform in Bars to Earn

Andrea Bocelli, Italian pop tenor. Photo by Sannita on Wikimedia

Andrea never gave up on education even though he was completely blind. He completed his secondary education in 1980 and proceeded to the University of Pisa and studied law.

At the university, Andrea had to earn money for his upkeep. He used to perform piano in the evenings in bars.

This is also where he met his future wife, Enrica, in 1987. After completing his studies in law, he spent one year as a court-appointed lawyer.

5. The Voice of Andrea Earned him Praise from Great Musicians

Andrea is a singer with a wide fan base worldwide due to his voice. However, in classical music, ther3 have been negative reviews by critics due to his voice.

Andrea has been praised enormously by great musicians across the world including Celine Dione. Italian spinto tenor Franco Corelli praised Andrea’s voice and even offered him private lessons.

Puerto Rican musician Ana Maria Martinez who regularly performs with Andrea Bocelli has also praised his voice in several instances. Celine Dione also praised Andrea during their work for the Christmas song. “If God would have a singing voice, he must sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli.” Celine Dione stated.

6. Andrea Married and Separated with First Wife he Met at University and Married Another One

Andrea Bocelli with his future wife, Veronica Berti, at a ceremony for Bocelli to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Photo by Angela George on Wikimedia

While studying law at the University of Pisa, he used to perform piano in bars. He met his first wife, Enrica Cenzatti here and got married on 27th June 1992.

The couple was blessed with two children, Amos and Matteo. However, Andrea Bocelli separated from his first wife in 2002.

Andrea then married his second wife and manager Veronica Berti. The couple met in 2002 and had their first daughter on 21st March 2012.

7. Andrea Enjoys Horseback Riding

Being blind, people thought that Andrea Bocelli could not participate in any other activities. However, Andrea has his favourite hobbies.

He has always enjoyed horseback riding for much of his life. Andrea Bocelli usually rides his horses and stirs them carefully, something he enjoys doing.

8. A Section of the Beach in Jesolo was Named after Andrea

Coast of Adriatic Sea in the southern part of Makarska Riviera. Photo by tomkennedyastro on Wikimedia

Andrea Bocelli is a popular person across the world because of his talent and impact on other people’s life. To show gratitude for his good deeds, some places have been named after him.

On 11th August 2003, a section of the beach located in Jesolo, on the Italian Adriatic coast was named after Andrea Bocelli. This is a good way of appreciating Andrea who also loves nature and the beach.

9. The Municipality of his Hometown Built an Outdoor Theatre where he Performs Once Yearly

In 2006, Andrea Bocelli managed to convince the municipality of his hometown to build an outdoor theatre. This theatre was named the Teatro del Silenzio.

Andrea serves as the honorary president of this outdoor theatre in his hometown. He only performs at the theatre for one night every July. On the other days of the year, the theatre does not operate.

10. He Is Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records

Andrea Bocelli at a ceremony to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Photo by Angela George on Wikimedia

Andrea Bocelli is an accomplished person who has won several awards and accolades since he began his career. This has earned him greater recognition across the world.

He is captured in the list of the Guinness Book of World Records. The release of his classical album Sacred Arias earned him this record. He also simultaneously held the top three positions on the US Classical Albums charts.

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