The “Believe” trailer for Andrea Bocelli’s latest album is unveiled.
When Bocelli was first presented Con Te Partirò, he had serious reservations, yet it ended up being one of the greatest singles ever. He was asked to return for the main competition the following year after winning the beginners division at the renowned Sanremo Festival in 1994. Zucchero, an Italian pop-rock icon who had been guiding the tenor’s career since 1992, wrote the song.

Years later, Bocelli revealed his concerns when he first received the song.

He said: “When it arrived at my house, the song was a candidate for the festival of Sanremo which I would soon participate in.

“I said, ‘This song is not good because the festival is a competition. And this is not a song for a competition. It’s a deep song. A timeless song. But it’s not for a competition.”

His instincts were proved right when he performed Con Te Partirò at Sanremo in February 1995 in the main ‘Big Artists’ section.

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Andrea Bocelli: Con Te Partiro at Sanremo

Andrea Bocelli: Con Te Partiro at Sanremo (Image: SG)

Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman

Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman (Image: GETTY)

Bocelli said: “In fact, when I gave in, we brought the song to Sanremo and we only made it to fourth place.”

The festival main draw is not a classical music competition and he was up against established pop and recording stars.

That year, for example, Italian singer Spagna placed third. UK fans of cheesy 80s music might remember her huge Number 2 hit Call Me from 1987.

Of course, the story was not over for the “timeless” Con Te Partirò.

Bocelli added: “After that, it went through the journey everyone knows.”

Although most people probably don’t realise it, the big breakthrough came at a German boxing match, of all places.

Andrea Bocelli with wife Veronica and children Amos, Matteo and Virginia

Andrea Bocelli with wife Veronica and children Amos, Matteo and Virginia (Image: GETTY)

The Sanremo show was televised and when Bocelli released his second, self-titled, album later that year, the song began to make its mark on various European charts.

Before the global smash of Time To Say Goodbye with Sarah Brightman, the track had already topped charts and broken records in France and Belgium.

Brightman heard it and persuaded Bocelli to make a duet with some English lyrics to open the farewell fight of German boxer Henry Maske on November 23, 1996.

Maske lost the match but over 21 million viewers saw Bocelli and Brightman belt out the stirring song and it shot up the German charts. Followed by the rest of the world.

Bocelli recalled; “After the famous boxing match with Henry Maske and his opponent the song jumped to the top of the German charts. Perhaps a week later it jumped to the top of the charts in France. And shortly afterwards it did the same in Canada. And so on.

Eventually it reached the top of the charts in basically almost every market in the world. Almost. And it joined those songs that can truly be called ‘Evergreen’.”

WATCH BOCELLI AND BRIGHTMAN PERFORM TIME TO SAY GOODBYE AT THE HENRY MASKE FAREWELL BOXING MATCH BELOW (NOTE: VERY POOR AUDIO QUALITY)

In fact, this new version of the song went on to sell over 12 million copies, making it one of the biggest-selling singles of all time.

Bocelli confessed it wasn’t just the phenomenal financial performance of the track that changed his life.

He said: “It obviously brought confidence, optimism, general euphoria. For me and also everyone who worked with me.”

Time To Say Goodbye has become a signature track for a man who has gone on to sell over 75 million records worldwide.