Opera superstar Andrea Bocelli wowed fans worldwide by performing a special solo concert at the empty Duomo cathedral in Milan, Italy on Easter Sunday.
The tenor staged the show, titled Andrea Bocelli: Music for Hope, with just organist Emanuele Vianelli, singing tracks including Ave Maria, Sancta Maria, Panis Angelicus, and Domine Deus.
Before the event, Bocelli expressed a wish for his music to bring people together to pray for Earth's healing amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced his native Italy into a national lockdown.
And as he wrapped up the set outside the historic venue with a cover of John Newton's Amazing Grace, viewers flocked to social media to share their joy at the 61-year-old's flawless performance.
Among those who tuned in for the unique gig was Kim Kardashian, who gushed on Twitter, "A prayer for our world from @AndreaBocelli," while Hugh Jackman posted, "From the bottom of our hearts, thank you @AndreaBocelli A tremendous gift and exactly what we needed. #AmazingGrace #HappyEaster".
Bocelli was invited by city officials to hold the live-streamed concert to bring hope to his fellow Italians, who are currently under full lockdown until 3 May. The clip has already been viewed over 25 million times.
More than 150,000 cases of infection have so far been confirmed in Italy, where over 19,800 people have died as a result of Covid-19.
