Does Andrea Bocelli Know the Secret Formula for Keeping Classical Music Alive?

About 9,000 people descended upon Napa Valley, California, this past weekend for a once-in-a-lifetime experience featuring one of classical music’s most successful singers. Andrea Bocelli, whom fans often call the Maestro, hosted the aptly named A Weekend in Napa, treating guests to three days of music, wine, and adventures in America’s wine country.

“Places like Napa allow you to have direct, respectful, and authentic contact with nature’s beauty and landscapes that invite silence and reflection,” Bocelli told ELLE through a translator. “This is an invaluable source of inspiration for me: for both my music and my private life.”

On Friday evening, a limited-seating gala dinner, hosted by Julianne Hough, featured performances by Bocelli and many of his collaborators, including Pia Toscano and Babyface, at Monte Olivos Estate. Here, an auction raised money for the Andrea Bocelli Foundation.

Saturday and Sunday had more robust performances with a similar crew, this time at Charles Krug Winery. The winery was filled with vendors from around Napa and hand-selected wine from Bocelli himself. During the concerts, fans sang along to every word of the classics, from Giuseppe Verdi’s “La donna è mobile” to Giacomo Puccini’s “Nessun dorma,” and gave multiple standing ovations.

Andrea Bocelli performs with Pia Toscano, while Julianne Hough looks over.

“We’re talking about a splendid mosaic of rolling hills and golden vineyards that produce some of the best wines in the world,” Bocelli said of the experience. “A land that is the cradle of hospitality, of fine living, and of good food, a place where nature and culture blend harmoniously.”

Bocelli is perhaps the world’s most well-known classical musician. He has released 18 albums, collaborated with pop and opera stars alike, and has toured the globe. In 2018, he earned a No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for his album, Sì, decades into his career, and his concerts always have a star-studded guest list. Last year, when he celebrated 30 years of being in the arts with a concert at his own performance venue, Teatro del Silenzio, attendees included Shania Twain, Plácido Domingo, Sofia Carson, Jon Batiste, Ed Sheeran, Will Smith, and more.

His fans are ever-adoring, coming by the thousands to his events. Bocelli can sell out an arena, a rare feat for someone in his genre, and for his Napa weekend, some guests came all the way from South Africa. At the first night’s auction, an attendee even gave $200,000 for a guitar that was used and signed by Bocelli. In short: The Bocelli craze is real.

A guest paid $200,000 for Bocelli’s signed guitar.

For classical music aficionados, Bocelli has always been a controversial figure. He’s known for embracing contemporary sounds, and some opera purists have even called him a pop singer, critiquing his understanding of repertoire and vocals. Bocelli, in his own words, is a lover of music, regardless of genre. “I prefer classical music, but I also appreciate pop, which has its own masterpieces,” Bocelli told ELLE. “In my offerings, the main distinction I make is always between good music and bad music. The challenge is to continue to disseminate and advocate for quality, wherever it is.”

Over the weekend, Bocelli aimed to create an accessible environment, offering experiences for every generation and curating a music festival-like atmosphere. This attitude is more important than ever, as opera houses work to welcome younger audiences into the fold. In the 2024 season, the Metropolitan Opera’s average age for a ticket buyer was 44, down from 50 the previous season, a result of the company’s efforts to produce more contemporary operas. Bocelli uses a similar approach. On his recent album, Duets, collaborators included Karol G, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Ariana Grande, and Dua Lipa.

“If we take our listeners by the hand, any audience will be able to discover a repertory that can touch us, amaze us, at times make us laugh, and above all, make us think,” he said. “It is up to us artists to take the first step, when necessary, leaving the theater and meeting young people halfway, helping them see the revolutionary power of practicing beauty.”

The full cast for Bocelli’s concert performance.

He continued: “As an operatic singer, I want to point out how the opera itself remains still perennially current, precisely because it lets primary emotions come into play with an intensity that can break down any cultural barrier. It’s a representation within everyone’s reach and can ‘capture’ the audience at any latitude. It’s a potential picklock to a better understanding of ourselves, of the strength of feelings and human relations.”

As for what’s next, Bocelli has a tour in the works, and he hopes to host more events like A Weekend in Napa. “Not a day goes by without my reflecting on the privilege I have, as an artist and as a person,” he says. “I feel at home in California, not only for the many friendships that my family and I have established here over the years, but specifically for the level of empathy I receive every day. Every time I step on stage, especially in this part of the world, I am welcomed with a warmth that truly touches me.”