Andrea Bocelli wows Vivint Arena at first public Salt Lake City show
Andrea Bocelli, left, shakes hands with conductor Eugene Kohn at a concert Nov. 29, 2018, at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.
Andrea Bocelli performs Nov. 29 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.
Andrea Bocelli performs Nov. 29, 2018, at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.
Andrea Bocelli performs Nov. 29, 2018, at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.
Larisa Martínez performs at an Andrea Bocelli concert Nov. 29, 2018, at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.
Larisa Martínez performs at an Andrea Bocelli concert Nov. 29, 2018, at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.
Larisa Martínez performs at an Andrea Bocelli concert Nov. 29, 2018, at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.
The American Festival Orchestra and Chorus open an Andrea Bocelli concert Nov. 29, 2018, at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.
Vivint Smart Home Arena was filled to the rafters Thursday night as world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli gave his first public performance in Salt Lake City.
Bocelli performed a variety of classical favorites alongside an entourage of talented guest artists including soprano Larisa Martínez, pop singer Pia Toscano, violinist Caroline Campbell, dancers Brittany O’Connor and Jordi Caballero, and the American Festival Orchestra and Chorus, directed by Eugene Kohn.
Though Bocelli has never before performed publicly in Salt Lake City, he recalled with fondness a previous visit to Utah’s state capital to sing “The Lord’s Prayer” with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
The Utah crowd seemed constantly thrilled with Bocelli’s performance, hardly able to contain their applause until the end of each song and giving multiple standing ovations throughout the night.
“I will never forget your affection,” Bocelli told the audience. “Thank you for this.”
Each note Bocelli sang was carefully thought out and executed to perfection. Bocelli’s ability to sustain such long, powerful notes stunned even Martínez, who gave him a funny look that seemed to say, “How long is this note going to last?” as they held out the final note of “O, soave fanciulla” together, to the audience’s amusement.
Most of the concert was sung in a foreign language, but between the singers’ skilled interpretations of the music, the video opera scenes displayed in the background and the occasional accompanying dance routines, the meaning and messages of each piece still came through.
I especially enjoyed hearing Bocelli and company perform familiar opera songs like “La donna è mobile,” “Libiamo, libiamo” and “Funiculì, funiculà.” The tenor’s rendition of “Maria” from “West Side Story,” two versions of “Ave Maria” and classic Christmas tune “Adeste Fideles” were also highlights for me.
Martínez’s classical soprano voice complemented Andrea’s well. She also enriched the dynamic synergy of their duets by taking his hand, embracing him or dancing with him at times to communicate the message of the music they performed together.
Campbell offered an incredible, emotional violin solo number in the first part of the concert including several exhilarating sections of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” score. Her blonde curls flipped about as she played, reflecting the passion she infused into each note.
The dancers switched from ballet to ballroom to contemporary styles throughout the concert and performed many difficult moves that kept the audience’s attention each time they took the stage.
The American Festival Orchestra and Chorus also gave a great performance, providing the perfect live backdrop for Bocelli’s voice and the guest artists’ pieces. The groups also shined in their solo performances of “Hallelujah” from George Frideric Handel’s “The Messiah,” “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “Feste e pane.”
Toscano’s powerhouse, Celine Dion-like voice was introduced in a strong solo version of “All by Myself,” after which she joined Bocelli onstage to perform powerful renditions of “Canto della terra” and “The Prayer,” an obvious crowd favorite that kicked off the encore.
The audience was thrilled when Bocelli then returned to the center of the stage to perform two more encore songs — including a moving duet, “Con te partirò,” with Martínez and “Nessun dorma/O sole, vita” with the chorus — before taking the stage one last time to wave and bow to the relentlessly cheering crowd, standing in awe of a truly beautiful performance.
Andrea Bocelli
Vivint Smart Home Arena
Nov. 29, 2018
Feste e pane (chorus)
O, Souverain
Pour mon âme
Quando m’en vò (Larisa Martínez)
Recondita armonia
Sulla tomba che rinserra/Verranno a te (with Martínez)
The Pirates Dance “Macabre” (Caroline Campbell)
La donna è mobile
O, soave fanciulla (with Martínez)
Brindisi: “Libiamo, libiamo” (with Martínez, chorus)
Stars and Stripes Forever (orchestra)
Maria from “West Side Story” (with dancers)
Mamma (with chorus)
Funiculì, funiculà (with chorus, dancers)
Hallelujah (chorus)
Ave Maria pietas (with Martínez, chorus)
Ave Maria (with Campbell, dancers)
Adeste Fideles (with chorus)
All by Myself (Pia Toscano)
If Only
Canto della terra (with Toscano)
Encore
The Prayer (with Toscano)
Con te partirò (with Martínez)
Nessun dorma/O sole, vita (with chorus)