Andrea Bocelli brought his Romanza 30th Anniversary World Tour to the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday, Sept. 15, for the first of two sold-out performances celebrating the upcoming 30th anniversary of his landmark 1997 album Romanza. The concert featured a large orchestra, choir, dancers and several special guests, including Jennifer Hudson, Diane Warren and David Foster.
Bocelli opened the concert with a nine-song run of selections from classic operas by composers including Giuseppe Verdi, Charles Gounod and Giacomo Puccini. The classical opening was followed by an eight-minute West Side Story medley featuring the orchestra, choir and dancers, with selections including “I Feel Pretty,” “Maria” and “Tonight.”
Another featured segment was the “Spaghetti Western Medley,” during which violinist Rusanda Panfili took the spotlight while Bocelli was offstage. The medley included Ennio Morricone’s theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, adding an instrumental section to the predominantly vocal concert.
Bocelli also returned to the piano for two songs from Romanza, including the album’s title track and “Il Mare Calmo Della Sera.” Pop vocalist Pia Toscano joined him during the segment, which connected the Hollywood Bowl performance directly to the album being celebrated on the tour. Romanza became Bocelli’s first album to enter the Billboard 200 and spent 91 weeks on the chart.
The concert’s guest-star segment brought Jennifer Hudson together with Bocelli for two performances, including “One Right Here,” the new song from the upcoming film Maserati: The Brothers, and “The Prayer.” Diane Warren, who wrote “One Right Here,” joined on piano, while David Foster played piano on “The Prayer” and later accompanied Toscano on “All by Myself.”
“One Right Here” is scheduled for release Oct. 2 through Decca Records. The song marks Warren’s first collaboration with Bocelli and her fifth with Hudson, with Walter Afanasieff serving as producer and arranger. Bocelli and Hudson previously performed together at the 2025 Grace for the World concert in Vatican City.
Bocelli also spoke to the Hollywood Bowl audience during the latter part of the concert, recalling his earlier appearances at the venue and thanking the crowd for continuing to attend his performances. The Hollywood Bowl engagement is part of a tour marking three decades since Romanza helped establish his international career.
The Romanza 30th Anniversary World Tour is produced by AEG Presents and is continuing with additional performances as Bocelli prepares to celebrate the anniversary of the album in 2027.
