Andrea Bocelli allures along with his operatic songbook in San Jose

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022. Derek Tobias/STAFF.

SAN JOSE — Andrea Bocelli performed to a packed SAP Center Saturday night in the third stop of his 21-city, “Believe” tour.

The world-renowned Italian tenor performed songs from operas as well as those from his own songbook. The show began with a video highlighting the Andrea Bocelli Foundation and illustrating the work it’s done to help people in need around the globe. Unlike his last major tour, where Bocelli partnered with local symphonies, this trek includes just one—the Los Angeles Festival Orchestrawhose members entered as amber lights cascaded down to the stage.

After turning their instruments the show began with a rendition of the “Kermess Waltz” from “Faust,” conducted by Eugene Kohn and accompanied by the San Jose State Choraliers singers

Andrea Bocelli was escorted to the stage and immediately launched into Verdi’s “La donna e mobile,” from “Rigoletto,” a song originally made famous by Luciano Pavarotti. Images of Napoleonic soldiers in the French Revolution were displayed on the screen as Kohn introduced Donizetti’s “Pour mon ame,” from “La Fille du Régiment.” Kohn told a story about tenor Enrico Carluzo, who notably struggled confronting the nine high C notes in the song. Bocelli tackled these with ease during his crisp and clear rendition, thrilling the crowd by sustaining one high C over eight counts.

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

soprano Larissa Martinez then joined the performers, wearing a stunning white lace dress. Martinez sang solo aria “Je veux vivre” from Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet,” followed by Bocelli performing Giordano’s “Sì fui soldato.”

The two dueted on a second song from Giordano’s opera “Andrea Chénier,” “Vicino a te s’acqueta.” Bocelli mentioned it was Martinez’s birthday and paused the show to sing happy birthday to her, with the crowd singing joining him.

Larisa Martinez

Larisa Martínez performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Immediately after, baritone Edward Parks and the choral singers performed “Toreador, en garde!,” Bizet’s classic from “Carmen.” Bocelli, who’d taken a break during this time, returned to join Parks for Bizet’s “Au fond du temple sainte,” from “The Pearl Fishers.” The opera set ended with Bocelli and Martinez performing “Brindisi” from “La Traviata” in a duet, accompanied by the chorus.

After an intermission, the show resets with the orchestra performing a medley of songs from Bernstein’s “West Side Story,” including “I Feel Pretty” and “Tonight.” A pair of dancers performed choreography to the high-energy “Mambo,” reenacting the dance battle with thrilling spins, kicks and flips, resulting in a roar of approval. Bocelli was then joined by the choir on Bixio’s “Mamma.”

Other fan favorites included “Funiculi, funicula” by Denza, and “O sole mio” by Di Capua. violinist Caroline Campbell, in a beautiful red dress, took center stage next. After a flourish of skillful bowing, Campbell played Lara’s “Granada” solo, backed by the orchestra. The dancers were back for a sensual Latin tango to Bocelli’s beautiful rendition of “Besame Mucho.”

At this point, singer-songwriter Catherine McPhee Foster made a surprise appearance in a flowing black dress. The one-time “American Idol” finalist and actress sang a moving rendition of “People,” made famous by Barbara Streisand in “Funny Girl,” before joining Bocelli for the Elvis classic “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Canto della terra.”

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

After a standing ovation and encore break, Bocelli returned to perform a few more hits, joined by Martinez (now in a silver sequined, zebra-striped gown) for Sartori’s “Con te partiro” before McPhee returned for “The Prayer,” one of Bocelli’s top hits, and a song notably cowritten by McPhee Foster’s husband, David Foster.

The performance concluded with Puccini’s “Nessun dorma,” on which Bocelli was nothing short of spectacular. The clarity of his voice through the night was pitch perfect.

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Larisa Martinez

Larisa Martínez performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Larisa Martinez

Larisa Martínez performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Larisa Martinez

Larisa Martínez performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Andrea Bocelli, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Chorus

Andrea Bocelli performs with the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus at Chase Center in San Francisco on Dec. 5, 2019.

Andrea Bocelli, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Chorus

Andrea Bocelli performs with the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus at Chase Center in San Francisco on Dec. 5, 2019.

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Andrea Bocelli, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Chorus

Andrea Bocelli performs with the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus at Chase Center in San Francisco on Dec. 5, 2019.

Andrea Bocelli, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Chorus

Andrea Bocelli performs with the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus at Chase Center in San Francisco on Dec. 5, 2019.

Andrea Bocelli, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Chorus

Andrea Bocelli performs with the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus at Chase Center in San Francisco on Dec. 5, 2019.

San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Chorus

The San Francisco Symphony and Chorus perform at Chase Center in San Francisco on Dec. 5, 2019.

San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Chorus

The San Francisco Symphony and Chorus perform at Chase Center in San Francisco on Dec. 5, 2019.

San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Chorus

The San Francisco Symphony and Chorus perform at Chase Center in San Francisco on Dec. 5, 2019.

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli performs at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on June 18, 2022.

Follow Mel Bowman at Twitter.com/melmichel other Instagram.com/coco_michel_coco. Follow photographer Derek Tobias at Instagram.com/simmonstobias.

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