Andrea Bocelli's Easter message is rooted in a magical love story
Andrea Bocelli, the Italian crooner widely known for his unmatched tenor, is treating his millions of fans across the globe to a free concert on Easter Sunday.
Known as one of the most beloved singers of his generation, Bocelli will perform a concert at the historic Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy, and live-stream the show on YouTube for free. He will also not be taking a fee for this performance.
But while the revered tenor has a voice that is recognized the world over, very little is known about his personal life — other than the fact that he tragically lost his eyesight after a football injury at the age of 12.
In fact, the story of how the Italian legend won over his wife is a particularly interesting episode.
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Celine Dion once famously declared that "if God would have a singing voice, he must sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli."
And the night Bocelli met Veronica Berti, he gave the performance of his lifetime.
“I have always been lucky in life and I have always had love throughout it," Bocelli told The Guardian in 2014, before recounting the first time he laid his eyes on the brunette beauty.
“Veronica and I met at a party 12 years ago, and I was struck by her voice and how her skin felt," he said. “I sang my first aria for her that night. It was a piece called Occhi Di Fata (Fairy’s Eyes). Everybody was there; it was a really wonderful moment between us."
“It was the quickest, speediest start, because we moved in with each other that same night. Effectively the marriage began when we met," he remembered.
Berti, who admits she was meant to be at another party that evening, was just 18 when she met her future husband. She was trying to leave the party as she had an exam coming up, but Andrea begged her to stay with him.
“Stay. Don’t lose the energy. Don’t lose the moment," he told her. "Love is something you don’t think about.” Berti decided to stay, and little did she know it was the start of a whole new chapter.
The pair eventually tied the knot on March 21, 2014, in a lavish ceremony held in Tuscany at the Sanctuary of Madonna di Montenero in the port of Livorno in Italy.
The celebration also marked the second birthday of Andrea and Veronica's baby daughter Virginia.
When asked about the secret to a lasting relationship, the legendary Italian tenor said his "theory is chemistry."
“If there’s chemistry between two people, then there is poetry, there is harmony, there is mutual understanding — there is love; if not, nothing,” he said. “If the bedroom door opens the world to something beautiful and interesting, then love will last. If the bedroom door opens onto something that’s boring or uninteresting, it won’t last."
“I think happiness can be dangerous, so I opt more for serenity," he added. “So for me, serenity, or my form of happiness, is a lit fireplace, a glass of wine, a good friend to talk to… and my wife waiting for me in the bedroom!”
Aside from daughter Virginia, who is 8 now, Bocelli has two sons from his first marriage, Amos, 25, and Matteo, 22. He was previously married to Enrica Cenzatti before they divorced in 2002.
If you are interested in watching the performance titled 'Bocelli: Music for Hope', it is set to live stream in the US at 1 pm ET and 10 am PT. It can be seen exclusively on Bocelli's YouTube channel which you can access by clicking here.