CD REVIEW - ANDREA BOCELLI
DUETS – 30TH ANNIVERSARY
Decca 2CDs 652 4103 [65:41 & 71.37]

Readers with long memories may recall my admiration for the Italian tenor as a great singer and human being. On this new release there is a treasury of 32 tracks on 2-CDs celebrating the 30th anniversary of his years in music and containing the best of his duets, which Bocelli describes as "an artistic gamble that has always intrigued me and brought me fulfilment".

Good to hear again are such as Time to Say Goodbye (Sarah Brightman), The Prayer (Céline Dion), La Vie en Rose (Édith Piaf), Can’t Help Falling in Love (Katherine McPhee), Hallelujah (Virginia Bocelli), Amazing Grace (Alison Krauss), "Au fond du temple saint" (Bryn Terfel) and What Child is This (Mary J Blige).

Other featured duettists from previous releases are Jennifer Lopez, Matteo Bocelli, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Christina Aguilera, Ellie Goulding, Giorgia, Laura Pausini, Lauren Daigle, Marc Anthony, Stevie Wonder and Veronica Berti. Lang Lang's piano fulfils the role on Io ci sarò. I particularly enjoyed Pianissimo with Cecilia Bartoli, and E più ti penso from Morricone's 'Once upon a Time in America' with Ariana Grande.

There are also ten brand-new tracks: Vivo por ella (Karol G), From this Moment On (Shania Twain), Holding On (Gwen Stefani), Il mare calmo della sera (Chris Stapleton), Rimani qui (Elisa), Moon River (Soia Carson), Bambia mia ricordati (Virginia Bocelli), Time to Say Goodbye (Matteo Bocelli & Hans Zimmer). Also included is Notte 'e piscatore (Luciano Pavarotti) remastered from a 1994 live recording.

Bocelli shares his thoughts about duets in the booklet and there are interesting details of all the orchestras, instrumentalists and supporting singers involved in this delightful double album, priced as a single disc.

© Peter Burt, October 2024