L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano A s s h o w t i m e approaches, long lines of auto and pedestrian traf- fic converge on Madison Square Garden in New York for a concert star- ring one of the world's pre- mier opera singers. Fans are arriving from near and far to see and hear Andrea Bocel- li, who is making his final appearance in a US tour of sold-out performances. Backstage, Bocelli studies his song sequence while wait- ing patiently for all 19,000 seats to become occupied. Aside from that evening's event, he's looking forward to the end of a weeks-long dry spell. He strictly abstains from alcoholic beverages dur- ing a tour. He's also anxious to return home after a series of appear- a n c e s , t o h i s e s t a t e a n d w i n e r y i n L a j a t i c o , a n iconic town about 30 miles southwest of Florence in Tus- cany. In addition to his musi- cal career, he and his brother Alberto manage a business n a m e d B o c e l l i F a m i l y Wines that was founded by their family in 1831. When Andrea and Alberto took over the company in 2000, they initiated plans to introduce new practices and products designed to assure long-term success. In the past, the family was- n't not only dedicated to wine but was also active in growing w h e a t a n d r a i s i n g c a t t l e . T o d a y , w h i l e A n d r e a p e r - forms on international stages, Alberto oversees the manage- ment of the winery with assis- tance from his son Alessio. They offer nine wines, includ- i n g b e s t - s e l l e r s l i k e S a n - giovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Grigio. In 2015, their Sangiovese scored an i m p r e s s i v e 9 0 p o i n t s i n industry ratings. W h i l e t h e f a m i l y e s t a t e buzzes, Andrea, with his gold- en voice and distinguished stage presence, is established as one of the most admired Italian opera stars in modern history. Primarily a solo per- former, he has also thrilled audiences by teaming up with renowned vocal artists such as Sting and Celine Dion. Born in 1958, the talented tenor came into this world v i s u a l l y i m p a i r e d , t h e n became completely blind at age 12 when he was struck in the eye while playing in a soccer game. His blindness, however, doesn't interfere with his passion for music. Along with his vocals, he has learned to play the flute, sax- ophone, trumpet, trombone, guitar, and drums. He has recorded 15 solo albums in pop and classical music, and in 2000 he sang for Pope John Paul II in Rome. Dual careers in music and wine have paid off hand- somely for Andrea, whose net worth is estimated at $100 million. When he's not singing or involved with the vineyards, he relishes time spent with his wife Veronica, their children Amos, Matteo and Virginia, and their pet dog Katarina. B o c e l l i d e c i d e d t o g e t committed to business when he began traveling and per- forming around the world. At some locations, he had the pleasure of tasting great wine. That's when he decid- ed to make a serious effort to produce quality wine with h i s o w n w i n e r y . B r o t h e r Alberto, on the other hand, was employed in architec- ture but also saw an oppor- t u n i t y t o m a k e f i n e w i n e without shutting down his p r i m a r y c a r e e r . S o t h e y brought in consultants and i n d u s t r y e x p e r t s t o h e l p guide them to improve their product and sales. T h e y s t a r t e d s l o w l y t o expose their wine and pro- m o t e s a l e s b y p u t t i n g o n such events as wine tastings at Andrea's concerts. The combination of music and wine thus proved beneficial to their brand awareness and sales. When Andrea was asked what type of wine he person- a l l y p r e f e r s , h e r e p l i e d : "Though I like all good wine, the one that stands out for m e i s S a n g i o v e s e , s o m y favorite is Terre di Sandro. It's the most typical grape with which we make a good deal of our wine. But I also w a n t t o m e n t i o n A l c i d e wine. That's my grandfa- ther's name, so we put it on t h e l a b e l . I t ' s a b l e n d o f C a b e r n e t S a u v i g n o n a n d Sangiovese that started out as an experiment, but has since turned successful." A d d s A l b e r t o : " S i n c e I was young, I always imag- ined that my work would fol- low my passion for architec- ture, as my brother did with h i s m u s i c . O u r f a r m h a s a l w a y s b e e n a s o u r c e o f pride, and we surely intend to keep it that way. Despite o u r o t h e r a c t i v i t i e s , w e a l w a y s f i n d t i m e f o r t h e farm. When papà passed away in 2000, we decided it w a s t i m e f o r f a v o r a b l e c h a n g e s , s o w e b e c a m e devoted to them. Our goal is to distribute our wine all over the world." Andrea's reputation pre- ceded him. Years ago, at the end of a performance in a Chicago suburb, he and his entourage decided to go out f o r a l a t e d i n n e r . T h e y w o u n d u p a t P e s c a t o r e Palace, an Italian seafood e a t e r y i n t h e s u b u r b o f Franklin Park. Andrea had a taste for pasta, but couldn't find what he wanted on the menu. So he and owner-chef Vito Barbanente retreated to the kitchen and assembled a signature dish according to the singer's instructions. The o w n e r n o t o n l y k e p t t h e p a s t a o n h i s m e n u b u t named one of the restau- rant's dining rooms in honor of Bocelli. Among Bocelli's favorite pasta dishes is Luciano's M i d n i g h t P a s t a , w h i c h gets some sass from garlic and chiles. Here's the recipe: Ingredients (Serve 4) 16 oz. of spaghetti 1 tbsp of salt 6 fluid ounces of olive oil 3 small chili peppers 4 cloves of garlic 5 tbsp of chopped parsley 5 tbsp of freshly-grated parmesan. Directions H e a t w a t e r t o b o i l i n g point, then add the salt and the spaghetti. Cook them according to packet instruc- tions. In a large pan, add the oil, a n d s a u t é t h e g a r l i c a n d chilis in it. Once cooked, drain the pasta, then put one-third of it in a large bowl and add one-third of the chili and garlic oil, along with add one-third of the parsley and o n e - t h i r d o f t h e c h e e s e . Then, toss everything. R e h e a t t h e p a s t a f o r 2 m i n u t e s , a n d a d d t h e remaining pasta, oil, parsley, and cheese. When all is mixed, reheat for an extra minute in the microwave. A d d e x t r a c h e e s e a n d serve hot. Andrea Bocelli and his brother have been running a winery in Tuscany for many years (Photo: Stefano Marinari/Dreamstime) Bocelli balances vocals with wine LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE TRADITIONS CHUCK PECORARO

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