(New York, NY, October 1, 2001) – Less than five
years ago, Andrea Bocelli became an international presence, winning
audiences over with his uniquely beautiful voice while establishing
himself as a true phenomenon. Both a beloved pop singer and an operatic
tenor, Andrea Bocelli has brought a whole new sound to the world’s
musical landscape. This fall, Bocelli returns to the pop fold with his new
album Cieli di Toscana, a dazzling and evocative collection
of new songs he regards as his finest pop recording to date. The CD will
be available October 16, 2001 from Philips/Universal Classics, followed by
a string of U.S. tour dates beginning November 21st in San
Diego, California.
His first pop recording since 1999’s smash, Sogno,
Cieli di Toscana is an album filled with lush arrangements that
soar and vocal prowess that astounds. Highlights from the fourteen-track
disc include the touching "L’Incotro," which begins
with an arresting recitation of a poem by U2’s Bono, written by
Bocelli himself, which contemplates the beauty and birth of his child. "E
Mi Manchi Tu" is a selection chosen from a songwriters' contest
sponsored by Bocelli’s record label, Sugar Music with the winner --
Zdenek Bartak -- hailing from the Czech Republic. Also breathtaking are "Melodrama"
and "Resta Qui." "We were fortunate to find writers
who have really sought to capture the characteristic sound of my voice, to
understand me as an artist and as a singer," says Bocelli. He adds,
"What I crave most, what I hope to achieve, is to communicate with
the listener; to touch them in the same way that I was touched as a child
by my favorite singers, who made me cry and made me dream."
With his pop albums Romanza, Sogno
and Cieli di Toscana, Bocelli has charted a beguiling new
direction in popular music, one that does not aspire to the formal
structure of classical music but reaches far above the lightweight trends
that dominate the pop charts today. In his classical recording career,
which addresses his lifelong passion for opera with albums including Aria,
Sacred Arias and Verdi, as well as his
acclaimed recordings of Puccini’s La Bohème and Verdi’s
Requiem, Bocelli has become the biggest selling classical
recording artist ever. A true crossover sensation, he has sold over 10
million records in the U.S. alone and over 40 million records worldwide.
Romanza, Bocelli’s first pop recording,
featured his unforgettable duet with Sarah Brightman, "Time To Say
Goodbye," which catapulted him to super-stardom. With the release of
the pop album Sogno in 1999, four of Bocelli’s albums
simultaneously held spots on the U.S. pop album chart – the first time
such a feat had been achieved by any act since Garth Brooks in 1992 and
before by U2 in 1986. Following performances with Celine Dion at the
Academy Award and Grammy Award ceremonies, and with Bocelli’s concert
tour breaking box office records across the country, the U.S. media coined
the phrase "Bocellimania". Television interviews soon followed
with Barbara Walters, Sarah Ferguson and Oprah Winfrey.
Later in 1999, Sacred Arias was to become
Andrea’s most successful classical album to date -- and the biggest
selling album by a classical soloist of all time. Upon its release, Andrea
captured the No. 1 position on numerous international classical album
charts as well as spots on the upper reaches of international pop album
charts. He simultaneously held the No 1, 2 and 3 positions on the U.S.
classical album chart; an unprecedented first that saw him achieve a
listing in the Guinness Book Of Records. In fact to date, Andrea Bocelli
has been No 1 on the U.S. classical chart, week in, week out for virtually
three and a half years.
With his new release, Cieli di Toscana, fans
will thrill to a fall season filled with many Bocelli happenings. Making
its premier on December 1st at 9:00pm, A&E will air
"Andrea Bocelli – Tuscan Skies," a new television special
featuring songs from Toscana, as well as exclusive footage of the
artist in his native Italy. The program explores the dichotomy between
Andrea's past and present, and
ultimately,
between the past and present of Tuscany as well. Fans can also catch him
perform on Victoria’s Secret’s first-ever primetime televised
fashion show, airing November 15th on ABC. Previously only accessible via
the internet, the show was so wildly watched that computer systems
everywhere crashed, resulting in this year’s TV broadcast. Later in
November, Bocelli will embark on another triumphant string of U.S. concert
dates, which are as follows:
Wednesday, November 21 San Diego, CA - San Diego Sports Arena
Saturday, November 24 San Jose, CA - Compaq Center at San Jose
Friday, November 30 Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
Saturday, December 1 Anaheim, CA - Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim
Saturday, December 8 Atlantic City, NJ - Atlantic City Convention Center
Saturday, December 29 Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay
Sunday, December 30 Phoenix, AZ - America West Arena
Tuesday, January 1 Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
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