From heart-breaking sorrow to bonkers bombast, Andrea Bocelli packs the full gamut of operatic emotion into “Festa”, the first original song to feature on a John Lewis Christmas advert in years. Written by Italian electro-pop duo Le Feste Antonacci, the track gives 65-year-old Bocelli a glorious opportunity to showcase his talent for being the average Joe’s idea of An Opera Singer. Unlocking intensely theatrical passion with tonsil-wobbling style, Bocelli dials directly into a classical Italian tradition hinting at emotions more timeless than those conveyed by more fleeting, vernacular pop.
Classical critics struggle to understand his appeal. They say his voice is too thin (thinning to the point of strangulation as his pitch rises). They say his phrasing is poor and jumbled. They sniff at his recording of popular songs in classical style. Yet the Tuscan tenor has sold 75 million records around the world, making him the most commercially successful singer in the history of classical music.
