MUSIC

The Houston Symphony and Houston Symphony Chorus will perform with world-renowned and beloved Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli in a special, one-night-only concert on December 8 at Toyota Center.

Making his Houston Symphony debut, Bocelli returns to Houston with this performance after nearly ten years. His concert will celebrate much of the repertoire the classical crossover singer has made world-famous over his incredible career, as well as, music from his latest CD release My Christmas, giving his fans a stirring evening of world famous arias with a truly heart-warming and captivating welcome to the holidays. 

Andrea Bocelli,  born in Lajatico, Italy in 1958, is one of the greatest singing talents in the world today. He has been blind since age 12, owing to congenital glaucoma and a blow to the head while tending goal during a soccer game. Andrea did not begin his singing career until the late 1980s, when he began performing in piano bars throughout Italy. Before then he earned a law degree from the University of Pisa.

In 1993, he was signed to a record contract after a scout heard him sing during a party. That was the beginning of a spectacular career, which saw him team with some of the best voices in the business. Andrea has worked with the likes of Luciano Pavarotti and Sarah Brightman, and has sung for the Pope.

Perhaps his best-known hit is "Con Te Partirò [Time To Say Goodbye]", a duet with Brightman. Bocelli has also done "Vivo Per Lei," which means "I Live For Her". The song has been translated many times, and Bocelli has teamed up with many different singers in the translations. He himself sings the Italian and Spanish versions, and sings in Italian on the French and German versions of the song. Hélène Ségara, Marta Sánchez, Sandy and Judy Weiss have all teamed with him on different versions of the song. He has even worked with Céline Dion, teaming up with her for the song "The Prayer."

Andrea met Enrica Cenzatti in 1987, and they married in 1992. They have two sons: Amos (b 22-Feb-1995) and Matteo (b 8-Oct-1997).

Artists:
Eugene Kohn, conductor
Houston Symphony Chorus
Charles Hausmann, director