TANTORA: Italian opera star Andrea Bocelli entertained a sold-out crowd on Friday night at this week’s Winter at Tantora concert.
The Tuscan tenor, known worldwide for his unique blend of modern pop and classic opera, delighted his audience with a truly spectacular performance at Al-Ula’s Maraya Concert Hall.
Bocelli told fans that he was delighted to be performing for the first time in Saudi Arabia, and that he hoped he would be able to return in the future to perform again.
“This is my first time to perform in Saudi Arabia, and I’m very pleased with the great reception and hospitality I received from the organizers and the wonderful audience here,” he said.
“Al-Ula is a great surprise. It’s a beautiful natural destination, and it has been an honor to sing in such majestic surroundings.”
The concert, conducted by Marcello Rota, featured the National Symphony Orchestra accompanying Bocelli, as well as performances by soprano Maria Aleida Rodriguez, violinist Anastasiya Petryshak and guest singer Ilaria Della Bidia.
The concert featured a variety of performances by Bocelli and his companions, including solos by Rodriguez, Della Bidia and Petryshak.
Bocelli, 60, appeared to be in great spirits as he greeted the crowd with a rousing performance of “La Donna E Mobile.”
Along with his companions, he performed some of his most popular hits, such as “Donna Non Vida Mai”, “Canto Della Terra” and “Granada,” as well as a selection of opera classics.
“It’s a great pleasure to be here for the first time. I’m very emotional about this,” he told fans. “It’s an honor to be here.”
He said he had a special connection to the Kingdom because it was his Saudi friend Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel who encouraged him to create the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, a charitable organization for music and science.
One of the biggest surprises of the night came when Bocelli stepped out onto the stage wearing a ghutra (a traditional Saudi men’s headdress), which garnered thunderous applause from the crowd.
Bocelli gained fame in the 1990s as an opera singer worthy of international attention. Blind since the age of 12, he has nonetheless managed to gain global fame as an opera singer and obtain a law degree from the University of Pisa.
He has received multiple accolades and awards over the course of his career, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
He was made a Grand Officer of the Order of the Merit of the Italian Republic, and has performed with some of the biggest names in music, including Luciano Pavarotti, Ed Sheeran and Celine Dion.
Fans were delighted to see Bocelli in the Kingdom, with many of them tweeting their support for him and urging him to return in the future.
“Please come back, Andrea,” tweeted one fan. “You have audiences in multiple cities. Saudi Arabia would love to have you again.”
Winter at Tantora, now in its seventh week, was recently extended with two more concert dates added to the roster.
The festival has enjoyed massive success during its run, with every concert selling out within days of being announced.
Featured renowned artists include Kathem Al-Saher, Rashid Al-Majed and Majed Al-Mohandis, among others.
Opera star Andrea Bocelli regales music lovers at Saudi Arabia’s Tantora Winter Festival
Opera star Andrea Bocelli regales music lovers at Saudi Arabia’s Tantora Winter Festival
- Bocelli, 60, appeared to be in great spirits as he greeted the crowd with a rousing performance of “La Donna E Mobile”
- Winter at Tantora, now in its seventh week, was recently extended with two more concert dates added to the roster
Saudi crown prince, European council president discuss cooperation
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call from European Council President Antonio Costa, the Saudi Press Agency said early Thursday.
The pair discussed enhancing cooperation between the Kingdom and European Union countries.
They also tackled a number of regional and international issues and the efforts made to achieve security and stability.
Interpol to establish regional office in Saudi Arabia
- The Kingdom and the international police organization sign host country agreement
RIYADH: Interpol is to establish an office in Saudi Arabia that will serve the Middle East and North Africa region.
Hisham Al-Faleh, undersecretary at the Kingdom’s Ministry of Interior, and Jurgen Stock, secretary-general of the international police organization, signed a host country agreement on Wednesday.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, the Saudi Minister of Interior, and Maj. Gen. Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, the president of Interpol, also attended the signing ceremony, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In addition, they discussed Interpol’s activities during a meeting that also included Nasser Al-Dawood, the deputy minister of interior; Brig. Gen. Abdulmalik Al-Saqeeh, the director general of Saudi Interpol; and other senior officials.
Saudi Shoura Council speaker receives Japan’s newly appointed envoy
Saudi Shoura Council Speaker Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al-Asheikh received Japan’s newly appointed Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Morino Yasunari in Riyadh on Wednesday.
The Japanese ambassador praised the strong ties between Saudi Arabia and Japan, affirming his country’s commitment to enhancing cooperation across various sectors, Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the meeting, the two sides also discussed ways to bolster parliamentary collaboration between the Shoura Council and the Japanese Parliament, and other topics of mutual interest.
Qassim governor praises green initiative’s success
- The Green Qassim Land Initiative has completed planting 5 million trees as part of the broader Saudi Green Initiative
RIYADH: Qassim Gov. Prince Faisal bin Mishaal commended the success of the Green Qassim Land Initiative in planting 5 million trees as part of the broader Saudi Green Initiative.
In a meeting on Wednesday, he praised government and private sector efforts, particularly the contributions of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.
The governor also lauded the ministry’s and center’s innovative approach to repurposing materials confiscated from environmental regulation violators for sustainable reforestation, notably in Qassim National Park.
Prince Faisal reaffirmed the region’s commitment to expanding vegetation cover and strengthening environmental protection, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The ministry’s Qassim branch director general, Salman Al-Suwainea, said that the initiative has progressed through various stages of collaboration with governmental and nonprofit organizations, playing a key role in advancing the Saudi Green Initiative’s objectives.
King Faisal Prize announces winners for Service to Islam
- The prize was awarded jointly to the Mushaf Tibyan Project for the Deaf, and Sami Abdullah Almaghlouth, consultant at the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information
RIYADH: The 2025 King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam has been awarded jointly to the Mushaf Tibyan Project for the Deaf, and Sami Abdullah Almaghlouth, consultant at the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information.
Mushaf Tibyan Project for the Deaf is a Saudi initiative by the Liajlehum Association, which serves people with disabilities.
Prince Turki Al-Faisal announced the laureates for the Service to Islam category at a ceremony in Riyadh on Wednesday.
Mushaf Tibyan Project for the Deaf has been awarded the prize for its provision of a complete Qur’anic interpretation in sign language, and for providing an interactive Qur’an for those with hearing disabilities.
It offers an innovative approach to Qur’anic interpretation, using techniques that enable the deaf to reflect on and understand the meaning of the Holy Qur’an.
Sami Abdullah Almaghlouth has been awarded the prize for his outstanding efforts in documenting Islamic history, his achievements in the field of historical and geographical atlases, and his accomplishments in both the diversity and comprehensiveness of the topics covered, which include most aspects of Islamic history, its figures, monuments and stages.
The Saudi national’s work includes atlases on the life of Prophet Muhammad, the history of the prophets and messengers, the Rashidun caliphs, atlases on religions, places in the Holy Qur’an, Islamic sects and schools of thought, Hadith scholars, and Holy Qur’an interpreters.
His work has been translated into several languages.
Earlier, on Jan. 8, the KFP, awarded in five categories, was announced, except for the Service to Islam prize. Announcing the winners then, Dr. Abdulaziz Alsebail, KFP secretary-general, said: “The selection committees, after meticulous deliberations, have reached decisions for ... Islamic studies, Arabic language and literature, medicine, and science. ”
The coveted prize for Islamic studies for 2025 was awarded jointly to Professor Saad Abdulaziz Alrashid and Professor Said Faiz Alsaid. Both are Saudi nationals and professors at King Saud University.
The prize for Arabic language and literature was withheld due to the nominated works not reaching the set criteria.
The prize for medicine was awarded to Michel Sadelain (Canada), and the prize for science awarded in physics to Sumio Iijima, a professor at Meijo University, Japan.
The KFP was established in 1977, and given for the first time in 1979 in three categories — Service to Islam, Islamic studies, and Arabic language and literature. Two additional categories were introduced in 1981 — medicine and science. The first medicine prize was awarded in 1982, and in science two years later.
Each prize laureate is endowed with $200,000, a 24-carat gold medal weighing 200 grams, and a certificate inscribed with the laureate’s name and a summary of the work that qualified them for the prize.
