Passione is the fourteenth studio album by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, released on 29 January 2013.[3] The album is a collection of Mediterranean love songs featuring duets with Jennifer Lopez, Nelly Furtado and a virtual duet with the late French cabaret singer Édith Piaf (who died in 1963). It was produced by multiple Grammy-winning producer and Verve Music Group Chairman David Foster who co-produced Bocelli's 2006 Latin album Amore. A Spanish version of the album titled Pasión is set to be released through Universal Latino label.
On January 9, Bocelli appeared on the magazine C a Vous on France 5, and sang "La Vie en rose". On the 12, he was interviewed on the radio show On Repeint la Musique on France Bleu.
On February 1, Bocelli gave an interview to the radio show Passion Classique on the Radio Classique station.
On February 3, Bocelli took part in an episode of Là où je t'emmènerai on TF1
On February 8, "Laissez-vous tenter" on RTL radio featured a short interview with Bocelli and played selections of Passione.
On March 31, Michel Drucker's Vivement Dimanche featured a performance of Bocelli singing "La vie en rose".
On January 27, Bocelli began promoting the album in the States on QVC. He sang ten songs from the album, including "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás" and "Corcovado" with Natalie Cole filling in for Jennifer Lopez and Nelly Furtado. The standard edition of Passione, along with a bonus cd with 6 tracks from Bocelli's 2006 album Amore was offered to QVC viewers.[7]
Adrian Edwards, of the BBC, praised Bocelli for "his relaxed manner belying an innate artistry as he moves from the classical style into a popular vein with consummate ease. His delivery is such that we hear his core feeling for each language, which colours his special timbre." He also complemented Foster for "the employment of instrumental colours from saxophone, guitar, flute and accordion across the palette, played by distinguished instrumentalists, adds variety to deft arrangements of some very familiar songs." However, regarding the virtual duet with "Piaf", he said "not even modern studio techniques can disguise the shortcomings of the original recording."[13]
Stephen Unwin, of the Daily Express, gave the album 4/5, stating that Bocelli "proves yet again that his voice is universal and his song choices commercially palatable." He also said that "a more interesting duet is La Vie En Rose with the late French cabaret singer Edith Piaf, (who died in 1963), though production from multi-Grammy winner David Foster ensures a meticulously romantic collection of slushy international classics."[14]
Andy Gill, The Independent's music critic, gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, mainly praising Bocelli's delivery in “Era Gia' Tutto Prevista”, “Perfidia” and “Roma Nun Fa' La Stupida Stasera”.[15]
Commercial performance
Passione entered the UK album charts at No.9,[16] making it his eighth album to reach the top ten in the country.[17] The following week, the album jumped two spots to No.7.[18]
Passione become Bocelli's seventh top 10 set on the Billboard 200 chart, by debuting at No. 2 with 94,000 copies sold. Thus the set ties Bocelli's earlier runner-up title, 2009's My Christmas, which spent five consecutive weeks stuck at No. 2, as his highest charting Billboard 200 album to date.[19]Passione was however the top selling physical album in the States, seeing as only 10% of its total sales were from Digital downloads.[19] The following week, with three new entries to the chart, the album dropped three spots to No. 5 with 51,000 copies sold, making it the No. 2 holdover of the week.[20] The album remained in the top 10, at No. 9, on its third week, with 48,000 copies sold, down just 6%, perhaps owing to gift purchases made for Valentine's Day.[21]
Pasion, the Spanish version of the album, also debuted at No. 59 on the Billboard 200, with 7,000 sold. The album also topped the Latin Albums chart, Bocelli's second No. 1, following 2009's Mi Navidad, the Spanish version of My Christmas.[19]
Andrea Bocelli: Love In Portofino was released in cinemas on February 14, 2013.[27]
The movie is of a Bocelli concert in Portofino, Italy, recorded in August 2012, where he performed songs from Passione, with an ensemble of supporting artists, including violinist Caroline Campbell, German star Helene Fischer, Brazilian singer-songwriter Sandy, trumpeter Chris Botti, and Bocelli's partner Veronica Berti joining him for a duet of "Somethin' Stupid", all backed by a 40 piece orchestra.
The world premiere of the release, with Andrea Bocelli in attendance, took place in London on January 21, 2013.
On March 3, 2013, the film aired continuously on PBS stations nationwide as part of Great Performances.[28]
Credits
Director: David Horn
Executive Producers: Filippo Sugar and David Horn
Executive Producer for Additional Footage: Alfred Chubb
Producers: Andrea Cotromano and Mitch Owgang
Music Production: David Foster
Featured songs
Cinema Paradiso (featuring Chris Botti)
Senza fine
Anema e core (featuring Caroline Campbell)
Quizás, quizás, quizás (featuring Jennifer Lopez)
A mano a mano
Perfidia
Champagne
Corcovado (featuring Sandy)
Tristeza
La vie en rose
Something Stupid (featuring Veronica Berti)
Besame mucho
Love Me Tender
September Morn
When I Fall in Love (featuring Helene Fischer, Chris Botti)
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
