THE BOCELLI FAMILY 

Beginning in the 18th century, they were mere sharecroppers on the property of the noble Corsini family. On March 21, 1831, however, Gaspero Bocelli used all his savings to liberate himself and became a landowner. Acquiring the small Poggioncino parcel for the sum of 1000 scudi, he began growing Sangiovese.

The Bocelli clan has left their mark on wine for almost 200 years, crafting classic Italian wines on their small single estate. 7 generations later, 2 brothers – Alberto and Andrea Bocelli have revolutionized the cellar, transforming their family farm into a world-class winery. 

The setting for this family vineyard s 20 hectares in Tuscany with a farm set between two rivers, surrounded by forests. Down the road is a wine bar designed by Alberto and is home to an art museum.  

The 2 brothers are Renaissance men to the core.  Alberto earned his degree in architecture, and Andrea studied in law prior to his career as a world-renowned tenor.  

In the rolling countryside near Pisa stands a wondrous outdoor amphitheater known as Teatro del Silenzio (“theater of silence”). For 364 days per year, there is pristine silence, with only the sounds of nature. But one spectacular day every summer, that silence is broken with a concert by tenor Andrea Bocelli. With friends from around the world (sometimes as many as 15,000), he leads a celebration of life and the coming harvest. Tenor Red is the Bocelli family’s homage to this spirit.

It was an ambitious project from the very beginning. The challenge was to use the natural amphitheatre in the hills of Lajatico and turn it into a theatre, on one condition: it had to be returned to the rural landscape immediately after the show. I remember that, back then, I even dared say I wanted to create some sort of a Woodstock of Opera, welcoming a variety of artistic experiences. In a sense, now I can say “mission accomplished”!

To get a taste of a modern twist on the music of Bocelli.

Ed Sheeran flew to Tuscany to record a duet with Andrea Bocelli. Andrea Bocelli says Sheeran flew out to his home in Tuscany for the day because he was so keen to make the collaboration work. The pair recorded one track, Perfect, for Sheeran’s latest album Divide. It was Ed’s idea actually.“He really, really wanted me to sing on that particular song, with an operatic touch to it — something that he didn’t think was actually feasible. But he was so determined that he came all the way to my house. He came, and we did it.”

Bocelli said Sheeran was humble and did not act like a global superstar. “It was all rather simple really,” he said. “He came out on his own on a regular flight. We had lunch — seafood on the coast — and then we went to my house and we started to sing. “The situation was very peaceful because I had my two sons with me who are great fans of his. So they were very excited and very happy to be able to listen to his voice live. It is a privilege and quite emotional to listen to a singer who sings live for you. My sons were in awe. And then he caught the last flight in the afternoon and just left. We have decided to meet again soon.