Andrea Bocelli is the latest star on a long list of celebrities who have tested positive for COVID-19.
In a video shared by Italian newspaper La Stampa and translated by French outlet France 24, the opera singer, 61, confirmed to a group of journalists that both he and his family had experienced the novel coronavirus.
“My whole family was contaminated,” he said in an English translation. “We all had a fever – though thankfully not high ones – with sneezing and coughing.”
He continued, “I had to cancel many concerts… It was like living a nightmare because I felt like I was no longer in control of things. I was hoping to wake up at any moment.”
According to the outlets, the video was taken outside of a hospital in Pisa where he and his wife donated their plasma for COVID-19 research. The outlets report he tested positive for the virus in early March.
Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, singer Pink and Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne are among the celebrities who’ve tested positive for COVID-19.
Bocelli, who has been blind since age 12, used the power of his voice to send an awe-inspiring Easter message last month via a livestreamed concert that echoed around the world from the empty cathedral.
This historic event, titled “Music for Hope: Live From Duomo di Milano,” resonated with fans across the world, who watched the 30-minute performance more than 28 million times on YouTube within the first 24 hours. It later broke records as the most-viewed classic music event in YouTube history.
During the April 12 show, Bocelli spoke only during the opening scenes, which featured a flyover of Duomo di Milano and its 135 spires, as well as the deserted city. The Italian opera singer said he happily accepted the opportunity to send an Easter message even without a live audience, as the public wasn’t allowed in the cathedral because of the coronavirus.
“On the day we celebrate the trust in a life that triumphs, I’m honored and happy to answer ‘si,’ ” Bocelli said. “Thanks to music, streamed live, bringing together millions of clasped hands everywhere in the world, we will hug this wounded Earth’s pulsing heart.
Source: USA Today
