When Andrea Bocelli sang his signature hit “Con Te Partirò” with Aida Garifullina, the duet took the uplifting romantic ballad to new heights! With how magnificent their harmonies sounded, it’s no wonder that 12.4 million viewers tuned in to hear the magical duet on YouTube. Garifullina joined Bocelli for the collaboration at his concert at The Verizon Center in Washington, DC. Bocelli opened the song with that famously honeyed tenor, and when they sang the hook together, it created a truly sublime feeling.
The pair not only shared incredible musical chemistry, but also shared a sweet moment when Garifullina took Bocelli’s hand as they finished the song, and he then picked her up like a little girl as she squealed with delight. The orchestra, led by conductor Eugene Kohn, created a lush soundtrack for the duet, producing an all-round masterful performance. Andrea Bocelli is a staple here on The Music Man, and that harmonized climax at 4:12 solidified this as one of our favorite performances from the Italian star!
Garifullina uploaded the duet with Bocelli to her YouTube channel, where it became her second most viewed video. Fans gave effusive praise, adding comments such as “Cosmic music, soulful performance, incomparable duet. Thank you!” and “This is something! This is a masterpiece! This brings any listener to a state of happiness and inspiration!”
Bocelli and Garifullina have enjoyed a fruitful collaboration over the years, producing several classic performances. One of their most popular duets is their live performance of “Ave Maria Pietas,” which they previously recorded for Bocelli’s album Sì. In the “Con Te Partirò” performance, Garifullina took a supporting role. However, she really stole the show on “Ave Maria Pietas” with an angelic high register vocal that showed her impressive range.
“Con Te Partirò” was written by Italian songsmiths Francesco Sartori and Lucio Quarantotto, who provided the music and lyrics respectively. Bocelli debuted the song live at the Sanremo Music Festival in 1995 and released it later that year as the opening track on his second studio album, Bocelli.
The Music Man readers may recall that “Con Te Partirò” became Bocelli’s commercial breakthrough, as it topped the charts in France, Austria, and Belgium. Bocelli re-recorded the song with partial English lyrics as a duet with Sarah Brightman under the name “Time to Say Goodbye.” This version sold even more than the hit original and topped the charts in Germany, Austria, and Sweden.