Roberto Strappafelci wrote:

>Whit all due respect it is my opinion that, although a lovely person,
>Andrea Bocelli isn't up to all the acclaim.  Even worse, I do not like
>these deceitful stratagems by our beloved marketing gurus to make a lot
>of money at the expenses of musical culture.  Pavarotti teaches.

Agreed completely.  Mr. Bocelli has a pleasant enough voice, and it is
well suited for the popular tunes that he sings.  He doubtless brings some
pleasure to many listeners.  It is, however, simply ludicrous to assume
that he can have any kind of operatic career and I take offence at the hype
that is proclaiming him to be of the status of a Domingo for example.  This
opinion has nothing to do with his disability, I add strongly and in haste.
Without a microphone in his face he does not have either the stamina nor
the heft in the voice to sustain an operatic role.  This was proven by his
disastrous debut as Werther in Detroit which the New York Times derided as
an insult to music students!

We must get over the notion that 1) Great opera stars are made overnight.
It takes years of work and a gradual entry into larger parts.  2) All
singers can sing all parts during the first year of their careers.
(Gheorhiu and Alagna and Studer come immediately to mind.) We really need
to get off the "career" bandwagon and get back to music as art!  Great
things take time, and there is just too much too fast with most artists
these days!

Kevin Sutton