Andrea Bocelli, born on Sept. 22, 1958, has already solidified his status as one of the most famous tenors in history.

Bocelli was born in Italy and had eyesight problems from his birth, eventually becoming completely blind by the age of 12 after suffering an accident during a soccer match. Despite that challenge, he showed great passion for music from the get-go and started to take piano lessons at age six. He would also learn a wide range of other instruments before realizing he wanted to pursue singing. By age seven he was said to have recognized the famous voices in the world quite easily.

He actually studied to be a lawyer, but managed his big break with none other than Luciano Pavarotti who urged Italian rock star Zucchero to use Bocelli’s voice for his song “Miserere” instead of his own. Eventually, both tenors recorded the song and it was a major hit.

Bocelli’s career would take off during the 1990s, the tenor performing concerts all around the world. He would also record extensively as well.

Bocelli earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 and was also invited to sing at the FIFA World Cup. That year, he also gave a recital at the Metropolitan Opera. He has given opera performances at numerous junctures in his career.

He has performed for virtually anyone you could imagine, including numerous Popes and has won a plethora of major awards, including ECHO Awards, Classic Brit Awards, and World Music Awards. He has also been a strong philanthropist.

Read More on Bocelli

A Look At Some of His Stage Performances In Operas

Watch and Listen

Here is a greatest hits album from the tenor.

Here he is in a production of “La Bohème.”