Hopping around on one leg is teaching me so much. Actually it is the LORD Who is teaching me, opening up for me the huge world of people who have overcome physical (and mental) challenges and have lived amazingly creative lives.
I am streaming the world’s greatest music, nearly 24/7, from my I-phone or I-pad through a beautiful pair of speakers—one of which is right beside my ear on the little sofa where I spend all of my nights and much of the days. Last night I added some fine Christmas music to my library of albums via this wonderful technology—and played the Christmas albums already on my devices.
Among the existing albums is a Christmas one by Andrea Bocelli, the Italian tenor. (Bocelli’s rendition of THE LORD’S PRAYER on this album defies description. You need to hear it for yourself.) While “shopping” for additional albums, my fingers stumbled on many more by Andrea Bocelli—some of them opera.
Because I love Italian opera, I added some of these to “My Music” via Amazon, and I am astounded! He is not Pavarotti, but Bocelli is perfect in his own right. Curiosity prevailed, and I GOOGLED “Andrea Bocelli” to learn more about this man. What I found on Wikipedia leveled me to tears, and will continue to inspire me forever.
Bocelli was born to a family in Italy. His parents had been advised by doctors to abort the pregnancy as it was apparent there would be something amiss with this child. His parents refused abortion, and Andrea was born in 1958. Almost immediately problems with vision were recognized, and a diagnosis of congenital glaucoma followed.
Music was a great passion and comfort to Bocelli, from early on. At age 6, he began playing musical instruments. Wikipedia states that “By age 7 he was able to recognize the famous voices of the time and tried to emulate the great singers.”
At age 12, Andrea Bocelli became totally blind. He was playing goalkeeper during a football* match, and was hit in an eye, resulting in a brain hemorrhage. Yet Bocelli persisted in the study of music, performing, entering contests etc. He studied law at the University of Pisa where he performed at piano bars in the evening to earn money. After finishing law school, Bocelli spent a year as a court appointed lawyer—but soon after, his music career took over. He was encouraged and promoted by the great Luciano Pavarotti.
His opera training gave Andrea Bocelli a depth and resonance which adds dimension to his pop genre music. In addition to singing, Bocelli composes. For fun I checked his website which lists the tenor’s pending engagements; they are in many countries—and he is beloved around the world.
All because an Italian couple refused to abort their child. All because that child was born with the God-given GIFT OF MUSIC—and because that child had the will, perseverance, and self-discipline to develop his GIFT, for the immeasurable blessing of music lovers everywhere.
I have been tremendously blessed by learning more about Andrea Bocelli, and adding more of his albums to my APPLE devices. There is so much to learn, if we only take the time.
Margaret L. Been — November 25th, 2018
*I ran this information through my husband, Joe, who is extremely knowledgeable in an area about which I know hardly anything: SPORTS. Joe commented that in Italy “football” probably means soccer.
Northern Reflections--glimpses of gold by Margaret L. Been 