Andrea Bocelli Biography

NAME: Andrea Bocelli

OCCUPATION: Pianist, Singer

BIRTH DATE: September 22, 1958 (Age: 53)

EDUCATION: University of Pisa

PLACE OF BIRTH: Lajatico, Italy

Tenor, born on September 22, 1958 in Lajatico, Tuscany, NW Italy. Interested in music from an early age, he learned to play the piano, flute, and saxophone, and was often asked to sing at family gatherings. Visually impaired from birth, he became blind at the age of 12 following a soccer injury.

Bocelli's first two albums -- Andrea Bocelli in 1994 and Bocelli in 1996 -- showcased his operatic singing, while his third effort, Viaggio Italiano, featured famous arias and traditional songs from Naples. Although released only in Italy, the album sold upwards of 300,000 copies. With his fourth effort, 1997's Romanza, Bocelli rose to superstar status as he embraced more elements of pop music. The multi-platinum album included the international hit "Time to Say Goodbye," recorded as a duet with Sarah Brightman. Bocelli continued to focus on pop balladry with Sogno, released in 1999, which featured a duet with Celine Dion on "The Prayer." The album sold more than ten million copies worldwide, received a Golden Globe Award, and led to Bocelli's Grammy nomination as Best New Artist. A collection of holiday arias arrived that same year, followed by Verdi in 2000.

In 2001, Bocelli paid tribute to his Tuscan roots with Cieli di Toscana, while the popular Andrea kept his international presence alive in 2004. Bocelli returned in 2006 with two releases: Amore, which peaked at number three on the Billboard Top 200 chart (Bocelli's highest chart position in America), and the live CD/DVD package Under the Desert Sky. His 20th album, a collection of Neapolitan love songs entitled Incanto, was issued in 2008, followed by a holiday album, My Christmas, in 2009. During 2010, he released and toured around Notte Illuminata, and in 2011, Bocelli made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York as well as performing in Central Park with the New York Philharmonic and guests including Tony Bennett, Celine Dion, Chris Botti, and Bryn Terfel. Concerto: One Night in Central Park featured Bocelli's 2011 free concert on Central Park's Great Lawn.