Q&A: Famed tenor Andrea Bocelli looks forward to 'embracing' Columbus audience again

Andrea Bocelli, seated, will perform with his son Matteo and daughter Virginia at Nationwide Arena on Dec. 8
Andrea Bocelli, seated, will perform with his son Matteo and daughter Virginia at Nationwide Arena on Dec. 8
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Andrea Bocelli may be one of the most admired and adored vocal artists on the planet, but let it never be said that he doesn’t like to share his stage.

Currently on tour with the 64-year-old Italian tenor, famous to millions for his iconic performances of pieces including “Time to Say Goodbye,” are two of his three children, vocalists each: 10-year-old Virginia and 25-year-old Matteo.

All three members of the Bocelli family will perform in a concert on Dec. 8 at Nationwide Arena.

Speaking via email, both Bocelli children expressed the joy of performing with their father. They also are featured on their father’s latest album, “A Family Christmas.”

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“Ever since I was in my mother’s belly, I was listening to my father sing, hearing the songs of other artists that he would play at home,” Matteo said, adding, “For us, singing together is quite normal. We do it often at home. But of course, it’s extremely special to bring our music and our bond for an audience onstage.”Added Virginia: “Performing in front of thousands of people can make me a little nervous sometimes, so having my family members with me onstage is always encouraging!”

The Bocelli brood won’t be the only artists making music with the tenor in the upcoming show: The Columbus Symphony will provide musical support to the singers in the concert at Nationwide.

The Dispatch caught up with Bocelli, whose email answers were translated from Italian, ahead of his upcoming concert in Columbus.

Question: You last performed with the Columbus Symphony in December 2019. What did you enjoy about collaborating with the symphony, and what do you enjoy, in general, about performing with orchestras?Andrea Bocelli: I consider it a great honor to be able to collaborate, once again, with a historic institution of such great cultural bearing, and not only for the state of Ohio. It’s always exciting to be able to make music live, together with a prestigious symphonic orchestra. I have fond memories of my concert in 2019; I was struck by the strong complicity that emerged immediately with the musicians. I am happy to return to the Columbus stage, after three complex years, during which the world had to face serious, unprecedented difficulties. It will be a joy for me to be able to embrace the Columbus audience once again and exchange Christmas greetings in person, through a musical repertory that is good for the heart.

Andrea Bocelli in concert.
Andrea Bocelli in concert.

Q: How long have you been back touring since the pandemic? What have you observed about audiences during this time?Bocelli: Just as restrictions were eased, I resumed my concert tours. As an artist and as a person, I suffered a great deal from the forced inactivity. I mostly missed direct contact with people, the audience’s embrace and that exchange of positive energy that can happen only at live concerts. The desire to share and socialize is a part of human nature. Traveling again, I perceived a bit everywhere the need for people to meet with each other, to be together in serenity and feel the joy of beauty — also through music.

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Q: This concert also features you performing with your son Matteo and your daughter Virginia. From your perspective, was it only natural that they pursue singing as their father has? Did you encourage them in singing, or did they just follow you naturally?

Bocelli: I never encouraged them to take on an artistic career. But I always motivated them to study music (alongside their other studies), because I think music fosters interior growth; that it is good for the mind and heart; that it is a practice with strong, cross-disciplinary effects. At home, music is part of our everyday lives, and we always find moments to gather around our piano, to play or sing. This year, with the album, “A Family Christmas,” we wanted to give each other a special “Christmas gift,” recording these songs together. Virginia is still a young girl and for now, singing, even onstage, is a bit of a fun game for her. Matteo, instead, decided to embark on an artistic career and is doing so with good results, expressing his own personality, regardless of the last name he has. On my end, I immediately tried to caution him, letting him know how complex and, at times, how fickle show business is.

Q: Your new album with Matteo and Virginia, “A Family Christmas,” has just come out. This album features many Christmas classics, from carols to modern tunes like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” How did you approach singing music that everyone is so familiar with and make it sound new and fresh?

Bocelli: The album is the result of an exciting challenge: The entire family was involved, starting with recording the vocals, which was done in our home recording studio. My wife, Veronica, and my eldest son, Amos, also participated in choosing the songs. And the selection that emerged is atypical, dedicated to intimacy and yet also to a feeling of universal solidarity. … We chose songs that were not necessarily the most famous but the most intense, that were able to spark that Christmas spirit that we were looking for.

Q: What sort of music will be played during the concert in Columbus? Christmas music? Other popular favorites of yours? Any surprises?

Bocelli: The concert will follow the usual format, with a first part centered on well-known and loved operatic pieces, and a second part tied to popular romanze or narrative ballads and other songs. The concert will feature the great composers that have given luster to my country, such as Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini. Among the guest performers who will flank me onstage (is) the splendid voice of soprano Larisa Martinez. The second part of the concert will be dedicated to romanze and other songs, with ample space given to the Christmas repertory taken from this latest album. Next to me, there will also be Matteo and Virginia. With the Columbus audience, we will have the pleasure of sharing the warmth of the upcoming festivities, exchanging our holiday wishes through music.

Q: What is it like performing with your family onstage?

Bocelli: Having part of the family onstage with me is an extraordinary feeling. It’s a dream come true, the best Christmas gift I could ever receive. I will thus be onstage, but at the same time, literally “with the family,” while the audience will be our “extended family,” with which to celebrate Christmas through music.

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At a glance

Andrea Bocelli will perform with the Columbus Symphony at 8 p.m. Dec. 8 at Nationwide Arena, 200 W. Nationwide Blvd. Tickets start at $83. For more information, visit nationwidearena.com.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Andrea Bocelli and children to perform Dec. 8 with Columbus Symphony