Andrea Bocelli delivers a concert for the ages at PPG Paints Arena

On the first stop of his latest North American tour, and celebrating the 30th year of his recording career in 2024, internationally acclaimed Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli took the stage at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday night.

It was clear from the start that the audience was listening to a living legend. Every word and note was imbued with expression. Bocelli’s ability to hold notes with so much volume and vibrato is awe-inspiring. In short, his voice is just as incredible as advertised, and he demonstrated it throughout the night.

Bocelli, supported by the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, and joined by a choir made up of music students and faculty from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, performed a two-part program with a 20-minute intermission in between. The first half was comprised of opera selections, while part two was filled with poppier crossover staples. He gave a stirring live performance of “Time To Say Goodbye” with his son, Matteo, at last month’s Academy Awards.

Joined by a number of special guests and singing an impressively lengthy setlist, Bocelli made the show more of an event than a concert, with instrumental solo numbers, featured dancers, and a few exceptional guest vocalists, including his own daughter, Virginia.

Many of the first half’s selections may not be familiar to non-opera lovers, but the opening number, “La donna e mobile,” from Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” would sound familiar to most.

The evening also featured soprano opera singer Cadie J. Bryan, who first appeared in the program for “O Mio Babbino Caro” from Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi.” Her voice is clear as a bell and beautiful, and when she and Bocelli joined together for later selections, their vocal blend was truly lovely.

The evening featured dancing as well as singing — some in the first act, more in the second. Brittany O’Connor joined Bocelli onstage for a number, conveying the heartbreak and sorrow of the aria almost as well as Bocelli’s voice. Her movements were fluid and mournful over the stage.

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Another guest vocalist, baritone Edward Parks, took to the stage to perform one of the most widely known pieces of music from an opera, “Largo al factotum” from Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” (this is the one that says “Figaro” a lot). Parks has a powerful and pleasing baritone, and his playful facial expressions and mannerisms — and those of conductor Steven Mercurio during this piece — were just downright fun and funny to watch. But he did some serious singing too, ending on a soaring note that had the audience cheering. Parks, an Indiana, Pa., native, seemed to relish performing in front of an essentially hometown crowd.

The next piece added yet another artistic element to the show. While Parks and Bocelli sang a duet, painter David Garibaldi created a painting of Bocelli in action, swooping and swishing with his brush like he was his own conductor. Even more impressive, he painted his subject upside down before flipping the finished work at the end. The painting, which was finished by the time its musical accompaniment wrapped up, was signed by Garibaldi and Bocelli and auctioned off to benefit the Andrea Bocelli Foundation.

The first half wrapped up with Bryan and Bocelli dueting “Brindisi” from Verdi’s “La traviata.”

A video package at the beginning of the evening’s second half catalogued what a remarkable career Bocelli’s enjoyed, from performances at Ground Zero to the Pyramids to the Olympics in Torino, Italy, and even at Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

He sang selections from his many albums, often accompanied by O’Connor and fellow dancers Angelica Gismondo and Francesco Costa. All three of them got a chance to shine, showing off dances that conveyed emotions ranging from sultry and passionate to romantic to desperate and hopeless.

The orchestra also got a chance to stretch its legs in the second half, sounding especially lively and percussive in their playing of “Funiculi Funicula.”

In the highlight of the night, Bocelli’s daughter, 11-year-old Virginia, joined him onstage in a glittery silver dress to perform “You Raise Me Up,” a song made most famous by Josh Groban. Virginia is young but her voice is already impressive — earnest and sweet but surprisingly powerful. She had remarkably commanding stage presence as well. The crowd met her with deafening cheers as her father rejoined her onstage with a guitar.

“I know that was difficult for you,” Bocelli said, and Virginia revealed that she had “the worst cough ever.” The audience would never have been able to tell.

With Bocelli accompanying on guitar, and the orchestra joining in, the two sang a duet of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Their rendition, in both English and Italian, was so moving that it brought many in the audience to tears. The father-daughter pair have stunning vocal chemistry.

Not content with how touched the crowd was by that song, Bocelli next sang a solo of “Amazing Grace,” his voice so reverent that it felt like a prayer. Even the singer himself sounded emotional as the song hit its crescendo.

There were some very familiar tunes in this portion of the show, including an instrumental medley from “West Side Story” that showcased the dancers, and flutist Andrea Griminelli got the chance to show off his impressive talent with a selection of “American Themes.”

Singer Pia Toscano came out next, singing a powerful version of “The Power of Love,” made most famous by Celine Dion. Then, Bocelli returned to sing with her, performing “The Prayer,” a duet that he and Dion recorded together. He and Toscano sang together sweetly — and bilingually. It’s never fair to compare anyone to Dion vocally, but Toscano did a beautiful job.

Their last duet was powerful, their voices bursting forth and soaring to the arena’s rafters.

Bocelli capped off the evening with “Con te partiro” (“Time To Say Goodbye”) and legendary aria “Nessun dorma” from Puccini’s “Turandot.” Both brought the house down, and earned him standing ovations from many in the crowd.

Hopefully, Bocelli has another 30 years of performing in him, because everyone deserves the chance to see such a stunning voice live.

Those lucky enough to get a glimpse Thursday night will not soon forget the experience.

Editor’s note: This story has been revised to reflect updated information about Bocelli’s choral accompaniment at Thursday night’s concert. The screen during the performance and show program contained incorrect information on this matter.