In a song of extraordinary personal significance to Bocelli, he follows up “Grande” with one of his father’s favorites, “’O Surdato ‘Nnammurato,” which is “widely regarded among the finest and most popular of all Neapolitan songs” evoking imagery of lovers torn apart by the first World War. Yet, of course—Incanto isn’t only about fathers and sons for if there’s one truism about Italian men, it’s how much they love their mothers. Bocelli captures the legendary tenor Baniamino Gigli’s “Mamma” originally composed by Cesare Andrea Bixio form Guido Brignone’s wartime Italian film Mamma in Incanto’s festive third track.
In “Voglio vivere cosi,” which translates to the optimistic “I want to live like this,” Bocelli pays tribute to the song originally composed for Italian musical comedy that was revived by Pavarotti in the ’80s before moving onto two of the album’s undeniable highlights. Originally published in Naples “in the form of a ‘barcarolla’ or boatman’s song,” the folk favorite “Santa Lucia” easily transports us the Neapolitan seashore with its seductive refrain that serves as a nice bridge to the incredibly famous 1880 composition “Funiculi funicula.” Initially crafted by Luigi Denza “to celebrate the opening of the recently built funicular railway to the summit of Mount Vesuvius,” the irresistibly catchy “Funiculi funicula,” became as the DVD and press notes revealed, the first tarantella to sell more than one million copies.
The English song “Because,” penned by female songstress Helen Guy under her male pseudonym Guy d’Hardelot, which “became a smash hit success for Perry Como,” makes a nice midway turn for the album from the more traditional Neapolitan charmers to interject an English-language standard catalog favorite into the mix.
Another diverse standout is Bocelli’s testosterone driven take on “Granada,” a musical-must for aspiring tenors, this standard repertoire favorite which is set to images of bullfighting on the DVD (with attendees including Rita Hayworth and Pablo Picasso) “enjoyed enormous popular success in Latin America and Spain,” having been written by “Mexico’s greatest songwriter,” Agustin Lara.
Bocelli, who once shared his belief that, “I don’t think one really decides to be a singer—other people decide it for you by their reactions,” has made an album sure to generate an incredible reaction from not only his legions of fans but new listeners who are perhaps hearing some of these Italian classics for the first time. Humbling dedicated to delivering “songs of the people,” to the people, he argues that since the Incanto compositions “were written with love securely in mind.” Likewise, Bocelli continues that “if one of these pieces, with all the abuses made to music in our time, still succeeds in giving strong emotions today, we can imagine just what it managed to transmit fifty or more years ago.”
Article comments
1 - ADRIANA
THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL REVIEW OF ANDREA BOCELLI'S NEW CD/DVD, INCANTO.
HE IS INDEED THE BEST AND CERTAINLY THE VOICE OF ITALY AND ITALIANS EVERYWHERE. HE SINGS WITH HIS HEART AND SOUL. A SPECIAL GIFT FOR US ALL.
2 - Jen
Thank you for taking the time to read the piece and for the incredibly kind words. :)
3 - Carole
It's so nice to read such a complimentary review of my personal favorite singer. The man has a talent that few people in this world have can only dream of being blessed with, and yet he's so often reviewed so unjustly. Reading your review was a joy! Thank you!!
4 - Jen
Thanks so much, Carole. I agree-- I was so surprised that there was a big backlash by opera purists when it came to Bocelli. He's introducing listeners to such great music that I didn't think that would be a negative. If anyone is looking for bonus photos or samples of the music, click on the URL in the above line for a fun widget and exclusive pics I posted on my site in my reprint of this BC article.
Thanks,
Jen
5 - Bobbi
It was such a pleasure to read your review of Andrea Bocelli and his latest CD, "Incanto". He has an amazing voice, and is a wonderful man. He does not deserve the derogatory reviews that he often receives.
6 - kevin
my wife speaks italian so translates the lyrics to me as bocelli sings them.it conjures up such an amazing mental picture as she describes the highs and lows of his songs.lovely words sang with a true passion.
7 - Kŗemilek
Andrea Bocelli certainly is one of my favourite singers. Enjoyed his "Sacred Arias" immensely.
Unfortunately, in "Incanto" he is overdoing it, trying to sing outside his own capacity. He has never had a big "opera" voice and while he was minding that, he was very enjoyable. Here he is singing as if he had Pavarotti's vocal range and power at hand. He has not, and so the performance is strained.
Sorry, Andrea. Please tune down a bit, and I'll be shedding a tear or two listening to you again.