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Andrea Bocelli: Then and Now

The Italian tenor talks about life's lessons

by Bill Newcott, AARP The Magazine, January 2013

En español | Andrea Bocelli, 54, is passionate about many things — among them, his homeland (Tuscany) and his family (including a new baby daughter). At the moment he's also very passionate about his new CD, Passione, on which he sings in six languages and performs duets with Jennifer Lopez and Nelly Furtado.

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In an interview with AARP, he shared his observations about life.

The Most Beautiful Language on Earth

Of course it's Italian! I recognize that I'm not very objective, but I love the music of the language.

Find Some Peace and Quiet

Even in the most beautiful music there are some silences, which are there so we can witness the importance of silence. Silence is more important than ever, as life today is full of noise. We speak a lot about environmental pollution but not enough about noise pollution.

God Is Here

I was an agnostic until I realized that I had to choose between God and fate. The idea that humanity and nature are the result of fate was not convincing at all. I find the presence of God everywhere.

Good Critics and Bad

Criticism in good faith is good. When it's targeted solely to destruction, I'm not interested.

An Audience of One

When I sing for myself, I sing in a more free, athletic way. When I face an audience, there is always some fear that makes me put the brakes on a bit.

Change Is Good

I studied to be a lawyer, and after that I did something, obviously, completely different. With change, you learn something. If you do the same thing over and over again, you never learn anything.

In Celebration of Fathers

I thank God that I'm a father [to two sons and a daughter] and for my own father, because being a father is actually the meaning of life.

Tuscany

It's the center of the world for me. It's where I was born. I'm linked to everything here. I ride my horses here, although not as well as I once did!