Blind Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli to perform in Beijing

The blind Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli will "speak to" the Chinese audience at his forthcoming Beijing concert at the Great Hall of the People, on Oct. 15, sources with the Beijing Gehua Culture Co. Ltd. said Monday.

Bocelli, born in Italy in 1952, loved to play music in his childhood. He lost his sight in an accident at the age of 12, but he managed to finish his university education and later devoted himself to the world of music. Having a solid foundation in classical music research, he has explored rendering classical pieces in an accessible pop style, winning over audiences from around the world.

According to the organizer, Bocelli loves children very much and he visited some disabled Chinese children in his busy schedule for Shanghai concert last year. Ten children will perform with him during his Beijing concert: eight girls and two blind boys.

Last year, Bocelli was presented a golden key by Shanghai Municipal Government as an important figure in international cultural circles. This year, his Hong Kong concert broke the record of the highest ticket price in the city's concert history.

So far, 3,000 tickets out of the total 6,000 have been sold out, with the highest price of 2,900 yuan (about 350 US dollars).