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By: Jon Gallo

Published: September 24, 2016

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The list of those who have seen tenor Andrea Bocelli perform is impressive: four U.S. presidents, three popes, the British royal family and several prime ministers.

Now, locals have the chance to see the world’s most famous opera singer when he comes to the Infinite Energy Arena in Duluth on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, at 8 p.m.

Bocelli, a 58-year-old native of Lajatico, Italy, who has sold more than 80 million albums, will perform his most iconic arias, crossover hits, love songs and music from his latest album, “Cinema,” which features songs from famous movies of the 20th century.

Songs from the album include “La Chanson de Lara” (“Lara’s Theme” from “Dr. Zhivago”), “Maria” (from “West Side Story”), “Moon River” (from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”) “No Llores Por Mi Argentina” (“Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” from “Evita,” a duet with Nicole Scherzinger), “Cheek to Cheek” (from “Top Hat,” a duet with his wife and manager Veronica Berti) and “E Piu Ti Penso (from “Once Upon a Time in America,” a duet with Ariana Grande).

“We listened and evaluated several hundred songs until we could define a sort of ideal selection, at least from our point of view: Those songs related to cinema that have marked my life, that have made me grow, have moved me, and have made me fall in love,” Bocelli, whose performance in Duluth will feature the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, told the Chicago Sun-Times. “The (songs that at the very least) were more congenial to the peculiarities of my voice. In many cases I came to know (first) the soundtrack, and only later the film. To my fantasy, music brought with itself stories, emotional frescoes, even different from what was — as I discovered later — the plot of the movie. It is one more proof of the fact that when film music is top quality, it can fly high and shine on its own.”

Tickets, which range from $79 to $369, will go on sale on Sept. 26 and will be available through the Infinite Energy Arena’s website (gassouthdistrict.com) or by calling (770) 626-2464. There is a pre-sale for Citi card members that runs through Sept. 25. For more info on that, go to citiprivatepass.com.

Bocelli’s story is well-known. He was diagnosed with congenital glaucoma at a young age and began losing his sight until becoming blind at age 12. However, he didn’t let his disability stop him from becoming an accomplished pianist and singer who performs before capacity crowds throughout the world, as upcoming shows in England, Ireland and Brazil have sold out.

Bocelli released his debut studio album, “Il mare calmo della sera,” in 1994 and has remained a fixture on the Billboard 200, while a record-setting seven of his albums have topped the U.S. Classical chart. His latest album, however, allowed him to combine his two passions: music and movies.

“With “Cinema” I have accomplished a desire that I have had for decades: To create an album dedicated to film music, because I think this is a privileged breeding ground,” he told the Chicago Sun-Times. “The scores conceived for films, in many cases, are a step ahead, they are potentially freer, more creative — being not necessarily subject to the schemes neither of classic songs nor to a topic necessarily referring to love. It is ‘utility music”’ because it gives a sound to images, but it can also represent an exciting challenge for composers, and turn, sometimes into masterpieces, into songs that live independently and … go beyond all generational barriers, becoming real immortal classics.”