Andrea Bocelli
Tell us a little about your relationship with Zubin Mehta.
In my opinion, he is the greatest conductor in the world today. For anybody who loves music, Zubin Mehta is a point of reference. His name is already written in history. I am honoured to call myself his friend. Every opportunity to work with him is an extraordinary privilege. I am really excited about singing and making music with him in his hometown, before he reaches an important milestone in life.
Can you tell us what will you be singing at the concert in Mumbai?
As I always say, there are in the field of classical music pieces so beautiful as to become popular; likewise, there are songs so beautiful in the field of pop that they become classics. The programme will include popular pages from famous operas by Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi and Umberto Giordano. There will be famous arias such as Recondita armonia and E lucevan le stelle from Tosca, La donna è mobile from Rigoletto, and some duets (with colleague soprano Maria Katzarava). Besides, there will be pages from my last album Cinema, including Be my love, and popular romanzas such as Voglio vivere così.
You once said that you hate to speak and that if you had your own way, you would only sing.
Singing is my greatest passion and my profession. Through this form of art, I have always tried to give my best and convey my emotions. It is, for me, a sweet privilege. To perform in front of an audience is a way to share a gift heaven has given me. It is the simplest and most direct way to have a relationship with others, to get their affection and give it back as much and as intensely as possible.
Balancing classical and pop music always brings out critics on both sides of the fence. How do you deal with that?
I have great respect for everybody’s opinion but you cannot please everybody. I think there is good music and bad music in every repertoire, in pop as in opera. Good music slowly grows on you and helps you to grow spiritually, making you feel better. I do not deny my preference for opera, but I do not look down on pop. I understand that my artistic career may seem quite atypical. I started as a lyrical singer; my training has been the rigorous one of tenors. But it was through pop that I reached international fame. I try to perform both genres with the same commitment and humility.
You’ve performed with several pop stars, including Celine Dion and Ariana Grande, and are scheduled to perform with Nicole Scherzinger in Dublin this year. Does juxtaposing classical music with pop music pose a special kind of challenge?
To mix the sound of two voices and weave their vibrations is like making a bet, it is an exciting experience. The choice of a vocal partner is a matter of reason and heart. We singers are always in search of colleagues. It doesn’t matter if they are of distant vocal training, as long as they can create this alchemy to reciprocally enhance and strengthen expressive qualities. As for the juxtaposition of pop and classical music, having acquired a certain credibility in the eyes of audiences that follow pop, I often try to offer them a few pieces related to the music I prefer, that is to say the masterpieces of opera. In my opinion, any audience is willing to discover a repertoire that sounds unfamiliar at first but that can convey extraordinary emotions.
Andrea Bocelli will be performing with Maria Katzarava and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at 8 pm on April 20, at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai
