Interview in the Telegraph

[susan]

I found this lovely interwiew with Andrea in the Telegraph UK 3.10.07 ..This is the link... hope it works..

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jh ... lli104.xml


regards

Susan

[marti]

Simply....WONDERFUL!!!
Thank you very much susan

[Meri]

I don't know... there were some parts that were a little bothersome to me... "freakish success," "terrifying ardour" of female fans, "erratic, quavery tone," "only does yearning," " lacks the technical attributes," "anomalies," maybe i'm just being too sensitive, but I think some of the words could have been chosen with a little more care.

[carolina1954]

This article is actually in today's newspaper, dated 4th October.
It is not a very nice article and I think Andrea gives him short shrift, but the photo is nice.....

I mean today's hard copy, available in the shops.

[Maris]

[quote="Meri"]I don't know... there were some parts that were a little bothersome to me... "freakish success," "terrifying ardour" of female fans, "erratic, quavery tone," "only does yearning," " lacks the technical attributes," "anomalies," maybe i'm just being too sensitive, but I think some of the words could have been chosen with a little more care.[/quot

As far as I can see, a reporter has only the obligation to the reader to relay his impressions, his perspective - no obligation to chose his words more carefully as you suggest to protect Bocelli. His opinion, hardly news, represents a long accepted view of the technical short comings of Andrea's voice which, as he notes, has met with such phenomenal success. Maybe Andrea does not like people who just don't see him as a opera singer.

[kbarham]

quote from the article.....'Luciano Pavarotti championed his (Andrea's) singing from the beginning'..............

That's good enough for me! You can't please everyone can you!

[carolina1954]

I get the impression this reporter went with a negative mind and Andrea picked up on that. Also, I am sure he gets extemely irritated at being asked the question if his blindness helped him in his career.

To me it seems quite a pointless interview.

[Maris]

To me it seems quite a pointless interview.

After ten years of covering the same material, most interviews are pointless but we will be reading a lot of them in the coming months as promo for the different concerts.

[Southerngirl]

Ya'll couldn't be more right - I've read the same interviews dozens and dozens of times - they never change. Like you, Meri, this guy made me bristle with "freakish success" and it didn't stop with that. I'm sorry Andrea has to put up with these type interviewers over and over again. Don't you know he's sick of them. I'll bet he wishes he could just once speak his mind, but that would be interpreted wrong and his critics would have a field day.

Thanks Susan for the find - the picture is gorgous and Andrea kept his cool, as he always does. I think we get more offended at these outlandish remarks about him than Andrea does. I hope he got a big laugh at this guy once he left.

[Iris]

Hi I totally agree about the interview, I loved the picture and I am sure that Andrea kept his cool, I know I felt the same way about some of the comments that were made, especially about the freakish success. He has worked for his success and has been very successful in so many areas, and it certainly cannot be called freskish.

[kaycarley]

This was a typical Telegraph interview. The interviewer is trying to show how "cool " and detached he is and how he is not impressed or "phased2 by meeting superstars.
I definitely wouldn't take it too seriously . In his own little way he is trying tobe nice about Andrea.
He is also assuming that few ,if any Telegraph readers will have even HEARD of Andrea so he is introducing Andrea to them!
I am sure Andrea DID have a good laugh - I know I did.

[sofia]

It's always the same old song,and it's every time against the same tenor.
Never is any one else victime of such a situation.
He is probably used to all this by now,still it's unfair that it is every time the same song........other less talented people are honoured like great talents......I really can't follow all this anymore!But then maybe it's me being to emotional........

[crocodileshoes]

No Sofia, I really dont think it is a case of being too emotional; when i read that article I feel offended and hurt; I find the words ' freakish' distasteful and greatly offensive, and other insinuations like 'the blindness must have helped his success' I feel deeply disgusted with; how can blindness help anyone have success ????? Andrea has success because of his most beautiful voice and because of his fantastic efforts and perseverance; the facts speak for themselves.... his voice and his person are also highly charismatic..... a person cant help having this can they ....? lucky guy ! I should say , its more lke WE ARE THE LUCKY ONES , BEING ON THE RECEIVING END O F THAT CHARISMATIC VOICE

[kaycarley]

The article proves that Andrea cannot be ignored even by the "snobs".
Andrea is an intelligent ,educated,cultured man quite apart from his extraordinary talent.
He doesn't need the validation of conceited journalists.
It really isn't worth upsetting yourselves. You wouldn't care what that person said on another subject so why worry about it onthe subject of Andrea. We all know better don't we?

[Meri]

I don't know. Maybe I just expect too much and think that journalists should have higher standards. It wasn't even really an interview. And if it was, then why didn't they print it? Once again, maybe I expect too much. I hardly ever complain about stuff like this, but this one just rubbed me WAY the wrong way.

[jezabel66a]

Quizas el problema este en que damos por sentado que los periodistas son personas de cierto nivel intelectual, y no siempre es asi. Muchos son profesionales, educados y respetuosos con el entrevistado, y lamentablemente otros no lo son. El artista, en este caso BOCELLI, debe recibirlos por igual aunque la entrevista resulte ser luego un hecho calamitoso. Esta entrevista no es una de las mejores, pero puedo asegurar que he leido algunas mucho peores.
Por eso quienes conocemos en parte al señor Bocelli por sus cualidades humanas y artisticas podemos sentirnos quizas ofendidos, pero creo que nadie podria hacer algo al respecto.

[jed]

As Andrea once said, opera world is full of vipera who would like to trip him up literally or subjectively. The same goes for the world of music
critics and "journalists."

[jed]

Apologies, should have read literally or "figuretively."

[jezabel66a]

Quizas cuidarse tambien de los "criticos"

Creo que la mejor opinion es siempre del publico que lo sigue y lo admira.

[syl]

As far as I can see, a reporter has only the obligation to the reader to relay his impressions, his perspective - no obligation to chose his words more carefully as you suggest to protect Bocelli. His opinion, hardly news, represents a long accepted view of the technical short comings of Andrea's voice which, as he notes, has met with such phenomenal success. Maybe Andrea does not like people who just don't see him as a opera singer.

Agreed, Maris. He certainly does not have to give any interviews if he does not wish to. He does because he wants the publicity. This sells records. Otherwise why would he subject himself to other than adoring fans? This reporter was only repeating what critics have said for years that the fame comes not from the technnical quality of his voice but from the timber and feeling in his voice.

[Maris]

This thread started out with Susan saying she had found a "lovely article" and Marti saying it was "simply wonderful" then Meri, who actually read the words, begins to express doubt with "I don't know........"

I think "freakish success" is actually, IMHO, a pretty apt description of the Bocelli phenomenon. So many separate elements come into play - like the perfect storm at the full moon and high tide - to produce this Tuscan sensation. I think NONE of these elements can be discounted, and that includes blindness. So many, many people have commented on the aura of pathos about Andrea and where do you think that comes from. Exactly! Nobody felt that way about Pav, rushing to nurture him and crush and malign nasty reporters.

I believe there are many people - not hordes but quite a few - that have equal talent but the moon was just a sliver and the tide was low.

[kaycarley]

I couldn't agree more Maris. As has already been pointed out there was nothing new in this article and Andrea probably considers any publicity good publicity when he is trying to promote a new album.
he is probably bored stiff by all this stuff. i have read several times of his interupting these interviews in his home to play instruments or to show off his record collections. I can't believe that this is because he does not want to answer or finds the questions difficult . he is probably just sick of repeating himself.

I am sorry that people get upset by this sort of thing . I really don't see how it can hurt andrea.

[Maris]

Well, if I were Andrea, I WOULD be bored but if I had the opportunity to ask him questions, I guarantee, he would NOT be bored. I could easily promise not to talk about blindness, his divorce or whether or not be ever intends to pop the question to the barista in the background. My questions would be coming way out of left field, fast and furious. I'd get him laughing but I bet he'd say a few real things and that's what I'd be after. No canned junk, no spin, no spam, no tried- tired- and- true answers we've all heard before, no sappy heart strings moves would be tolerated. It would be a lot of fun.

[annacelli]

It's always the same old song,and it's every time against the same tenor.
Never is any one else victime of such a situation.
He is probably used to all this by now,still it's unfair that it is every time the same song........other less talented people are honoured like great talents......I really can't follow all this anymore!But then maybe it's me being to emotional........

I DO AGREE WITH YOU SOFIA SOOOO MUCH

[sofia]

Again,there are 2 different opinions on this issue,I fully respect Maris view but then I just don't agree at all.
I can't understand her but if that is what she thinks then let it be.
But not my opinion!