Andrea Bocelli dazzles Barcelona audience at his 30-year career concert.

Review published on May 1, 2024, in the Periódico de Catalunya. By Pablo Meléndez-Haddad

Celebrating his 30-year career, he has already toured the United States and appeared at popular events such as the Viña del Mar Festival in Chile. He awaits performances in Qatar, Brazil, Turkey, England, Poland, Croatia, and Italy, where, in July, he will offer three galas in his hometown of Lajatico alongside, among others, Plácido Domingo and Josep Carreras. Selling out venues and moving records like few others (he's already at 90 million!), Andrea Bocelli reigns on the crossover throne, blending opera arias – his great passion – with popular melodies in both concerts and records. In his return to Barcelona, filling two Sant Jordi venues, Bocelli once again conquered his diverse audience with a melodic cocktail achieved by few. He complemented this with a stage setup worthy of a rock star, featuring giant screens and thunderous sound. All amplified, of course.

In the first part, the Italian tenor sang arias and duets starting with Verdi's "La donna è mobile" from Rigoletto, followed by selections from I Lombardi, Andrea Chénier, La Bohème, and, of course, the inevitable toast from La Traviata, which suits the divo poorly. At 65, Bocelli displayed ample prowess, with a slightly inflexible voice, a vibrato slightly exaggerated but optimal in breath control: he had no trouble hitting the high notes and prolonging them where necessary, causing the delirium of his followers. Proof of this was the final encore, also operatic, with which he earned a standing ovation: "Nessun dorma" from Turandot, in an arrangement tailored to his voice that moistened more than one eye.

In this section, the lyric tenor was joined by the committed soprano Cristina Pasaroiu as Maddalena and Mimì, while throughout the evening he sang alongside the Simfònica del Vallès and the 75-voice choir of the Associació Sardanista Polifònica i Cultural de Puig-reig, all under the direction of Carlo Bernini.

In the second part, amidst romanzas and Neapolitan songs, a couple of Spanish-language pieces were included, such as "Amapola" or "Granada." There were also melodies written by Bocelli himself and others that have become legendary, such as "Con te partirò."

Guest appearances included Italian singer-songwriter Giovanni Caccamo with his hit "Eterno," as well as the truly spectacular pop star Pia Toscano, violinist Rusanda Panfili, and dancers Francesco Costa and Brittany O'Connor. The divo's children, Angie and Matteo, were absent from the event.