Bocelli is a surprisingly understated performer for one so renowned.
There remains a subtlety and delicacy that at times gives the O2 arena an intimacy that belies its 20,000 seat capacity.
A wide range of ages gathered to welcome back the Italian supremo, who looked to have lost a few pounds since Music-News.com last met him at the 'Love In Portofino' DVD premiere, but none of his charisma.
The choir opened proceedings with Verdi’s ‘Vedi le fosche notturne’ before the man himself was led onto the stage by the conductor for Puccini’s ‘Donna non vidi mai’.
A variety of guests took to the stage throughout the two set performance with dancing violinist Lindsey Sterling amazing the crowd with her ballerina moves whilst delivering an accomplished rendition of ‘Take Flight’ from her recently released second album 'Shatter Me'. (Check out our exclusive pre-gig interview with Lindsey
here). The children's choir who supported him with gusto (not always at the right time) were clearly having a great night as was Britain's Got Talent graduate and Classical Chart Number 1 Lucy Kay.
The set contained all the popular classics you might expect from a wide variety of musical genres with stand out tracks including ‘Brindisi’ from La Traviata, Rossini’s ‘La danza’ and ‘Funiculì funiculà’. Whilst at the other end of the spectrum were ‘Love Me Tender’ and ‘Can’t help falling in love’ made famous by Elvis Presley. His ability to modulate his tone to suit these lighter pop classics is an unusual trait amongst big voiced operatic stars.
A man of few words, Bocelli let the music do the talking in a night of nostalgia and romance delivered by one of the finest tenors of the generation.
Closing with the enchanting ‘I found my love in Portofino’, his signature ‘Con te partirò’ and ‘Nessun dorma’ the crowd showed their appreciation and bid Bocelli a warm farewell with a standing ovation.
Andrea Bocelli UK 2014
Set 1
(In apertura Carisma)
G.VERDI Il Trovatore Vedi le fosche notturne C
G.PUCCINI Manon Lescaut Donna non vidi mai A
G.VERDI Il Trovatore Di quella pira AC
C.GOUNOD Romeo et Juliette Ah, je veux vivre S
J.RODRIGO from “Sentimento” Aranjuez con tu amor AVl
F.P.TOSTI from “Sentimento” La serenata AVl
G.BIZET Carmen Les toreadores Car
C.FRANCK Panis Angelicus (con coro bambini ) A cc
F.SCHUBERT Mille Cherubini in coro (“””””””””””””””””) Acc
G.VERDI La traviata Brindisi ASC
Set 2
N.ROTA Amarcord O
R.LEONCAVALLO from “Sentimento” Mattinata AVl
G.ROSSINI La danza A
L.STIRLING from “Shatter me” Take flight Vl
S.GASTALDON from “Sentimento” Musica proibita AVl
L.DENZA from “Incanto” Funiculì funiculà AC
ROSSINI-BRITTEN from Soirée musicales Tarantella O
from “Passione” Love me tender A
E.PRESLEY from Can’t help falling in love Apg
F.SARTORI from “Vivere” - Canto della terra ApgC
Encores:
I found my love in Portofino AVl), Quizàs,quizàs,quizàs ApgVl,
Vivo per lei Apg, (ev natalizia) -
Con te partirò ASCcc -
Nessun dorma (with finale O sole vita eternità) AC
A=Andrea
S=Soprano
Vl=Lindsay Stirling
Car=Carisma
O=Orchestra
cc=children’s choir
C=Coro
