The Music of Silence

In this honest and engaging memoir, translated from the Italian, Bocelli talks as never before about his blindness, his early life, the importance of his family, stage fright, and the pressures of international stardom. Andrea Bocelli cannot remember a time when he was not passionate about music. Born among the vineyards and olive groves of Tuscany, Bocelli was only a few months old when his beautiful blue eyes began to fail due to glaucoma. "He suffered much, and it was difficult to calm him," his mother, Edi, explains. It was the music filtering into his room that would soothe the unsettled child. She says, "It seemed to be the reason for Andrea's tranquillity. I was happy because I had discovered something that gave him some relief from his pain." Bocelli's parents nurtured and encouraged his love of music. His passion for opera was also apparent, and he participated in local talent contests and won several prizes. At the age of twelve, however, Bocelli was completely blinded during a soccer game. Undeterred, he continued to sing, learning to read special Braille sheets and musical scores. It was only after he earned his law degree that he was inspired to attempt to join the ranks of the great tenors. Bocelli's persistence and devotion paid off during an audition in 1992 when he stunned Pavarotti with the seemingly effortless way he captured the essence of the song "Miserere." It was this performance that fueled Bocelli's rise from piano-bar performer to the phenomenal international success we all adore today. No fan of classical music can afford to be without the engaging and humble memoir of this fascinating, triumphant star.