The question came from Philip Dy of MCA-Universal and my first reaction was, "The Andrea Bocelli!?!"
I must admit, though, that I’ve never been an opera fan (as I’ve been saying, I am a Beatlemaniac forever) and my closest brush with "opera" was back in college when I’d spend some of my free time at the Manila Grand Opera House (doesn’t it make your heart bleed that that historical landmark along Rizal Avenue is gone, replaced by an MRT station surrounded by little carinderias?) which was staging all sorts of shows – but opera.
You put me in a venue staging an opera and in a minute I’d be slipping into slumber-land. No, I’m not ashamed to admit it. Ask me what Verdi is and you get a blank look as an answer (but ask me about any Beatles song and I’d give you an answer in a flash). I did watch Luciano Pavarotti when he did a concert at the PICC a few years ago, but only because a friend gave me two complimentary tickets (P10,000 each, would you believe!?!) and I even dragged Ronald Constantino along.
But when Philip Dy asked me to do a 10-minute interview with Bocelli on the phone, he from his native Tuscany in Italy, I jumped at the rare chance and told Philip, "I’d take a day-off for the opportunity." Not every writer can talk directly to a Bocelli, the great tenor and newest superstar of opera, even just on the phone, and I felt privileged to have been tapped for the assignment.
From the literature Philip sent to me, I learned that Bocelli was born in Lajatico, rural Tuscany, not far from the ancient city of Pisa (where the Leaning Tower is). The press kit doesn’t say if Bocelli – who is, as opera fans know, vision-impaired – was born, well, "sightless" (although I remember reading somewhere that he lost his sight when he was in his teens?) but it reveals that Bocelli finished Law at the University of Pisa and practised as a state-appointed defense attorney for a short time. He studied Law to placate his family, until he was sidetracked to his first love – opera (his passion since childhood).
The interview was arranged by Philip as part of the promo for Bocelli’s new album, Cieli di Toscana, which MCA-Universal has just released (opera fans, your cue!). It was set on a Monday afternoon, 4 o’clock. I was reminded not to ask any question about Bocelli’s being, well, vision-impaired, and that was okay (I would have wanted to ask him what he’d like to see if he got a chance to regain his sight for just one day). I wanted to find out more about the person than about the singer.
Bocelli’s voice was as soothing and as magical as his music, very human and down-to-earth, heavy with an Italian accent. He spoke in perfect English. Here’s how our phone interview went:
Hello?
"I’m here."
Am I talking now to Mr. Bocelli?
"Yes, you are. I’m here!"
How are you?
"I’m fine. And you?"
I’m fine, too. Mr. Bocelli, I want to find how Andrea Bocelli the person is different from Andrea Bocelli the artist/singer.
"Those are two questions. You will have to ask my friends or my fans. The only thing I can say is that I try my best in everything I do everyday, because that’s important. Then everyone can judge and have his opinion but certainly, I always give my best."
When you’re not busy doing concerts or recording, how do you spend your free time?
"I try to stay at home with my children; I rest and relax by reading, or playing the piano... studying new repertoire."
How many children do you have?
"I have two. Amos, 6, and Matteo, 4."
Do you think the two, or one, of them will follow in your footsteps and be an opera singer?
"I don’t think... (Laughs a bit)... They are shouting a lot everyday but I don’t think they have the talent to be a singer... for now. It’s too soon to tell. And anyway, what’s important for me... when they grow up, they are free to choose what they want to be."
I understand you studied Law in college to please your parents. You won’t do that to your children, will you? For them to take up a course just to please you.
"No. I only want my children to be free and to choose what’s best for them."
According to Celine Dion, "If God had a singing voice, He would sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli." How do you feel about it?
"Celine is very kind and I have a good relationship with her. But God, I think, is very busy so He won’t have time to sing."
Are you a God-fearing person?
"I believe (in God) very deeply."
You’re Catholic, I presume.
"Yes. But first of all, I believe."
Do you also believe in praying?
"I speak to God everyday."
When you speak to God, what do you tell Him? What do you ask from Him?
"It’s a very deep question. I speak to Him about the problems in the world."
Don’t you ask Him anything for yourself?
"The only thing that I ask is to live tomorrow better than today."
Let’s talk about your arias, the ones included in your other album, Sacred Arias (also released by MCA-Universal)...
"...you know, from the beginning I said to my company, ‘I would like to record an album of sacred arias,’ but they laughed. I’m sure that they thought that it would be impossible to sell that kind of repertoire. But incredibly, we have already sold more than five million copies so far. They didn’t realize that many people around the world love and understand this repertoire very well."
What’s your favorite aria and why?
"I don’t know, really, because all the arias and all the songs that I’ve recorded are in my heart; they come from my heart."
Being an opera singer, do you also like pop music in a way?
"I did a pop album, Sogno, in 1999. I think it’s important to record another pop album because many people love pop music. By this kind of repertoire, some people can later discover classical music. I have recorded several classical albums, like La Boheme. My new one, Cieli di Toscana (Tuscan Skies), is, I think, my finest pop album to date."
Who among the pop artists do you like?
"It’s difficult to say because I don’t know very well their kind of repertoire. But for me, I like all the pop singers, like Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Frank Sinatra."
Do you have any personal favorite, regardless of whether it’s classical or pop – you know, one song that touches you the most?
"No. It’s impossible to choose just one."
One US magazine has chosen you as one of the sexiest men in the world. How do you feel about it?
"Ha, ha, ha, ha!"
You found it funny?
"I don’t believe it."
Why not?
"It’s flattering but I don’t believe it."
Is there any chance for you to do a concert in the Philippines?
"Do you know that three years ago, somebody asked me to go to the Philippines... to do an opera, La Boheme? But then, my schedule was changed. But I hope to go there as soon as possible, not now because it’s too dangerous to fly."
How has stardom changed your life, if it did?
"Before, I stayed only at home. But now, I fly everyday; I spend a lot of time around the world, even if I prefer to stay home with my family."
If you were an aria, a song, what sort would you be?
"I don’t know. It’s impossible to say."
Aside from doing albums and concerts, what do you look forward to?
"I have to try to have time for myself. In the past six years, I haven’t had a holiday. I want to have time for myself, my family and my friends. It’s important because in order to sing well, you must have inspiration and inspiration comes from life, from living."
What’s the most beautiful word or sound that you’ve ever heard? You know, the most beautiful thing somebody has ever told you.
"Probably the voice of Franco Corelli, my idol."
What about your own voice... when you listen to your album(s)?
"Very often, I recognize many, many defects, so I try to improve myself everyday. I think my voice is very communicative."
How do you take care of your voice?
"I study everyday for at least two hours. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I don’t eat spicy food."
Thank you so much for the time, Mr. Bocelli. And see you in the Philippines soon.
"Thank you, too, and see you soon."