Who Is Andrea Bocelli And Is He Really Blind?

Andrea Bocelli (born 22 September 1958) is an Italian singer, writer, and music producer. He is both an operatic tenor and a classical crossover singer.

To date, he has recorded four complete operas - La Bohème, Il Trovatore, Werther and Tosca - in addition to various classical and pop albums. Bocelli has congenital glaucoma and is blind. Bocelli's parents sold farm machinery and made wine in the tiny village of La Sterza, a frazione of Lajatico, 50 km from Pisa.

As of 2006, Bocelli's 67-year-old mother and brother Alberto still live in the family home. Bocelli's father is deceased.As a child, Bocelli played the organ in church, and at age 12 he won the Margherita d'Oro in Viareggio with "'O Sole Mio", his first win in a music competition.

That same year, Bocelli was struck blind as a result of glaucoma and an accident while playing football.

After working for one year as a lawyer (he graduated with a Doctor of Laws from the University of Pisa), he took singing lessons from maestro Luciano Bettarini and thereafter took up music full time.