New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Decca Label Group) Internationally acclaimed tenor
Andrea Bocelli will perform a free concert on Central Park's Great Lawn, Thursday,
September 15th with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by its music director Alan Gilbert, as a special gift to New York City (tickets required for entry). This spectacular evening, sure to be a once in a lifetime musical event will be recorded in high definition by THIRTEEN for WNET for national PBS broadcast on GREAT PERFORMANCES in late fall 2011. ANDREA BOCELLI LIVE IN CENTRAL PARK will also be released on CD and DVD by Sugar/Decca this November.
Bocelli is widely regarded as the most popular Italian tenor in the world with more than 70 million albums sold. He will present a varied repertoire including his bestknown and loved songsthat have become fan favorites. Andrea will also be joined by special guest artists to make it a truly memorable evening. Barilla is the main sponsor of the concert event.
All information for this special evening, including future ticket distribution, will be available at www.bocellicentralpark.com.
New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said, "The Great Lawn in Central Park is one of the most remarkable and beautiful outdoor venues in the world and it is a great pleasure to welcome Andrea Bocelli back to New York to perform there. This free concert will be a memorable cultural moment for the thousands of New Yorkers and visitors that will watch the event live in the park, and many, many more through the broadcast by WNET."
New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said, "I join the Mayor and all New Yorkers in thanking Andrea Bocelli and all involved in making a beautiful autumn evening full of splendor and world-class music possible, in one of the most cherished outdoor places in New York City. From the Great Lawn in the heart of Manhattan to the Great Performances series on WNET, where millions more will be able to share this gift, it will be a very special occasion. A million thank yous. Grazie mille!"
Andrea Bocelli comments, "I cannot help but smile when thinking about the upcoming concert in Central Park. It was my father's dream, and my father was right, because my artistic path would have been entirely different without the strong and sincere embrace of this extraordinary city where everything is possible, even when it seems impossible." Bocelli continues, "My father will not be there, but I can count on his blessing and his kind and gentle smile to give me courage. My mother, sitting in the front row, will feel my father too, and they will be together again just like when I was a little boy performing on the fireplace steps. Perhaps they had secretly dreamed that I might have the opportunity to perform in New York City, and maybe right here in Central Park."
Sugar Music, the label based in Milan that discovered Andrea Bocelli in 1994, was instrumental in orchestrating this concert event. Filippo Sugar, Sugar Music Chairman and CEO comments, "Sugar Music is delighted that Andrea Bocelli will have the opportunity to share his extraordinary talent with the people of New York City. This concert fulfills a dream we've had since we began our collaboration. Andrea and I are also incredibly appreciative for the support of New York City and Barilla, both of whom have been integral in bringing to life this not-to-be-missed concert in Central Park."
"The New York Philharmonic and Andrea Bocelli have teamed up on more than one occasion in the past to joyful musical effect," noted Zarin Mehta, President and Executive Director of the New York Philharmonic. "This September, in our grandest collaboration to date, New York's own Music Director, Alan Gilbert, conducts the New York Philharmonic in this spectacular concert starring Andrea Bocelli, and a universe of the brightest lights of the world's opera stages. The magnificent setting, Central Park's Great Lawn, is equal to the beauty and splendor that will certainly define this one of a kind, free event - a gift to the people of New York. I can't think of a better way for summer in the city to culminate."
Since Great Performances introduced American television audiences to Bocelli with 1997's Romanza concert, the tenor has been featured in a distinguished series of Great Performances specials, including Sacred Arias, Amore, Vivere, My Christmas, and American Dream-his spectacular "Statue of Liberty" concert from New Jersey's Liberty State Park. "Bringing artists of this magnitude to audiences is core to our mission at THIRTEEN," said Neal Shapiro, WNET CEO and President. "This free concert in New York City's ultimate performance space is another way we can make such historic events accessible to audiences who might otherwise find them out of reach."
"Andrea Bocelli embodies the authentic Italian spirit," said Guido Barilla, Chairman, Barilla Group, one of the world's most esteemed Italian food companies. "His music inspires millions, and there is no better place to demonstrate his talent than in New York's Central Park. Barilla and Andrea Bocelli have had a relationship since 2002, when Bocelli's music began appearing in television advertisements throughout the United States. We look forward to sharing the combination of Barilla and Andrea Bocelli with New Yorkers as it is a true expression of the authentic Italian experience."
About Andrea Bocelli
Tuscan tenor Andrea Bocelli is widely regarded as the most popular Italian and classical singer in the world and has sold 70 million albums worldwide. His voice combines the power of the heroic tone with a youthful tenor's grace strengthened by an unusually polished timbre.
In 1994 Andrea Bocelli "exploded" onto the world stage with the hit song "Time to Say Goodbye," topping charts all across the world, including Germany where it became the biggest-selling single in history. The song alone has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide.
In 1999, his nomination for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards marked the first time a classical artist had been nominated in the category, since 1961. "The Prayer," his duet with Celine Dion for the animated film, "The Quest for Camelot," won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song and was nominated for an Academy Award in the same category.
With the release of his classical album, "Sacred Arias," Bocelli captured a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records, as he simultaneously held the top three positions on the U.S. classical albums charts. Five of his albums have since reached the Top 10 on the Billboard 200, and record-setting seven, have topped the classical albums charts in the United States.
In 2006, Bocelli was made a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, and on March 2, 2010, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has been a guest at New York City's historic Carnegie Hall, and this past February, made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera House. He is widely regarded as the most popular Italian and classical singer in the world.
A completely new hardcover translation of Bocelli's memoir, Andrea Bocelli: The Music of Silence, (ISBN 9781574671971) including new material covering the last 11 years of Bocelli's life, will be published by Amadeus Press in September.
