‘Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration’ Sets Release Date, Drops Preview Clip of Breathtaking ‘Nessun Dorma’ Performance
Andrea Bocelli has touched hearts worldwide with his smooth tenor voice for 30 years, and the Italian superstar is commemorating the anniversary with a new concert film.
Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration will be arriving in theaters on November 8, Mercury Studios and Fathom announced on Tuesday (Oct. 8). The film chronicles 66-year-old Bocelli’s three-day July concert event at the Teatro del Silenzio (Theater of Silence) in Lajatico, a natural amphitheater in Bocelli’s Tuscany hometown. The concert featured a number of tracks from Bocelli’s genre-spanning repertoire, as well as captivating star-studded duets with Ed Sheeran, Shania Twain, Jon Batiste, Brian May, Sofia Vergara, David Foster & Katharine McPhee, Matteo Bocelli, Sofia Carson, Lauren Daigle, Eros Ramazzotti and more.
“The first time I had the idea to celebrate Andrea’s 30th anniversary, I shared it with him and Veronica, and they immediately embraced and supported the vision,” Bocelli’s manager, Francesco Pasquero, said in a press statement. “From that moment, two years of non-stop work followed to turn this dream into reality. The support from the entire team, with Almud and Maverick playing pivotal roles, and powered by Mercury, Impact, and CitySound, was instrumental in bringing this project to life. We created an event that will go down in the history of classical, pop, and crossover music, as nothing like this had ever been achieved before, with such a grand stage and world-class artists from all over the globe. When we saw the final cast come on stage, we were truly amazed by the result— we couldn’t have dreamed of anything better. The incredible direction by Sam Wrench, the artistic vision of Francisco Negrin, and the stage design by Stufish elevated the show to extraordinary levels. I’m deeply honored to have been part of this career-defining moment for Maestro Bocelli.”
Emmy Award winner Sam Wrench directed the film, and has previously worked on major concert films like Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and Billie Eilish: Live at The O2. “The lessons I’ve learned from all the concert films I’ve made is always just to trust the music and trust the artists,” he tells Billboard. “Lean into what they’re showing and what they’re putting on, and that will always deliver the best and the most authentic film. That’s always what we’re trying to do, bring that live experience of the evening to to the cinema.”
He added of Bocelli, “I was so excited to celebrate him as an all-arounder, and to really capture the breadth of what he can do on film. To see someone’s artistry and that his voice never, never shows any hint of failure is incredible.”
Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events, mirrored the sentiment. “This concert was so breathtaking in person that we can’t wait to present it to fans worldwide,” he shared in a statement. “The music and pageantry of this amazing event will be even more remarkable on the big screen, and we are beyond proud to be bringing it to theaters around the world so that fans of Maestro Bocelli – and all of the other special guest artists – can see and experience it!”
Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration isn’t the only exciting project the vocalist has in store. The 30th anniversary celebration continues with an album, Duets, which will arrive on Oct. 25 via Decca Records/Sugar Music. The 32-track collection includes previously released collaborations with Ed Sheeran, Céline Dion, Dua Lipa, Jennifer Lopez, and Luciano Pavarotti and more, as well as new duets with Shania Twain, Chris Stapleton, Gwen Stefani, Marc Anthony, Karol G, Hans Zimmer and his son, Matteo Bocelli.
Tickets for Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration are available to purchase here. Ahead of the film’s release, check out a preview of Bocelli’s breathtaking rendition of “Nessun Dorma” from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot here.
Rania Aniftos
Billboard