Andrea Bocelli and the power of his voice sent an awe-inspiring Easter message in “Music for Hope: Live From Duomo di Milano,” a livestreamed concert that echoed around the world from the empty cathedral.
Bocelli, 61, who has been blind since age 12, spoke only during the opening scenes, which featured a flyover of Duomo di Milano and its 135 spires, as well as the deserted city. The Italian opera singer said he happily accepted the opportunity to send an Easter message even without a live audience, as the public wasn’t allowed in the cathedral because of the coronavirus.
“On the day we celebrate the trust in a life that triumphs, I’m honored and happy to answer ‘si,’ ” Bocelli said. “Thanks to music, streamed live, bringing together millions of clasped hands everywhere in the world, we will hug this wounded Earth’s pulsing heart.”
Bocelli, wearing black tie, sang four songs near the altar, standing a short distance away from the cathedral organist Emmanuelle Vianelli.
He performed “Panis Angelicus,” “Ave Maria,” “Sancta Maria” and “Domine Deus” without comment. In the silence between the songs, even the slightest sound echoed in the cavernous cathedral, the largest in Italy.
Bocelli walked from the ornate bronze doorway into the cathedral square to a single microphone to perform his stunning finale, “Amazing Grace” performed a cappella. As the voice echoed through the empty square, the camera pulled back to show the famed white facade in all its glory.
The organ started as the camera showed shots of empty sidewalks and streets around famed global locations such as the Eiffel Tower, London’s Trafalgar Square and New York’s Times Square.
But the camera came back to Bocelli singing the final line, “Was blind, but now I see.”
The Andrea Bocelli Fund is raising money with the concert to provide hospital emergency resources such as protective equipment for medical staff.