Culture & Education | Friday 31 January, 2020 3:39 am |

For his second year running, International opera singer Andrea Bocelli will perform a grand musical concert at Maraya Concert Hall during the weekend of the Winter at Tantora Festival. The festival is organised by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) and offers a variety of world heritage, cultural, and artistic events.

 

The tenor will perform a selection of his most outstanding masterpieces, which received international recognition throughout his artistic career. On his return, Bocelli commented: "I’m delighted to return to Winter at Tantora for the second time as the event has become a global platform for arts and human heritage. In addition to the generous welcoming and hospitality, I was enchanted by stories of this magnificent landscape which contains pages upon pages of human history taking anyone who visits on an epic journey through time."

 

Last season, audiences from across the region and neighbouring countries flocked to AlUla to see Bocelli perform.  

 

Andrea Bocelli is an Italian opera singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is one of a few artists credited with popularizing classical music and attracting a variety of audiences. He is a well-known crossover performer who is active even today. He was born Andrea Bocelli on 22nd September 1958 in Lajatico, Italy. He was interested in music at an early age and began to play the piano at the tender age of six and later learned to play the flute and the saxophone.

 

In addition to his collaborative works with international musicians, Bocelli released over 16 studio albums and was awarded the Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic; one of the highest honours one can receive in Italy. 

 

Alongside his many achievements, Bocelli received Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist in 1999, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his song "Sogno" in 2000, as well as Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for his song "The Prayer. More recently, he received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in November of 2019 for his album Si (Decca/Sugar). The album also earned him his first #1 Billboard record and has, to date, surpassed sales of 1 MM globally. 

 

In the arms of the picturesque nature of AlUla, the concert will take place at Maraya Concert Hall, the largest theatre constructed with mirrors in the world. It represents a modern architectural masterpiece and can accommodate about five-hundred guests and provides a high-quality sound system. The festival also houses many other diverse activities including the local markets, winter garden, farms, and the old town.

 

Over the course of 12 weeks, the festival will present a variety of activities that merge Eastern and Western culture, embodying AlUla's heritage as a meeting point for different civilisations from around the world throughout history. 

 

Winter at Tantora Festival offers a wide range of diverse experiences that cater to all tastes from all walks of life. The festival will take place every weekend starting 19th December 2019, and running until the 7th March 2020. Guests this year will have the unique opportunity to visit the historical heritage sites before they are closed to the general public until October 2020. They will also be able to attend musical and artistic performances by some of the most respected artists in the Arab and international world.