Watch Andrea Bocelli and Russian Opera Star Aida Garifullina Sing ‘Ave Maria’ in Gothic Church

Getty Images | Jonathan Leibson

The iconic Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli was kneeling in prayer inside the Saint Anastasia Basilica in Verona when the cameras were rolling. It was not a candid moment of piety but the opening for a music video: a fresh remake of Bocelli’s “Ave Maria Pietas.” The opening verse is familiar:

Ave Maria (Hail Mary) Gratia plena  (Full of Grace)

In this version, Bocelli is joined in the second verse by a warm, crystal-clear female voice—leading star of the opera world, the elegant Russian soprano Aida Garifullina. She is donning a sparkling white gown, echoing his words and gestures of devotion.

Aida Garifullina and Andrea Bocelli perform as part of the 2017 Celebrity Fight Night in Italy. ©Getty Images | Jonathan Leibson

Since her first performance with Bocelli singing his classic “Con te partirò” (“Time to Say Goodbye”) in 2013 at the David Foster Miracle Gala & Concert, the two have become good friends, and Garifullina accompanied Bocelli on his 2019 tour in support of his hit album “Sì.”

Garifullina got her start in Russia at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg then went on to the Staatsopera in Vienna. She sang with Bocelli for the first time when she was just 26 years old. The up-and-coming soprano made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2019 as Zerlina in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.”

Andrea Bocelli attends the Rooftop Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel Cavalieri as part of the 2017 Celebrity Fight Night in Italy. ©Getty Images | Jonathan Leibson

The chance to work with Bocelli in such a unique project was something special for Garifullina. “I was so excited when he asked me to sing with him on ‘Ave Maria.’ This is a song that the whole world knows, this is a classic,” she told Haute Living. “And then, when he decided to make a video, it made it a lot more special, and everyone seemed to like it.”

The Gothic, art-filled Saint Anastasia Church was set as the location for the new video. Meanwhile, Bocelli had longtime collaborators and composers Danijel Vuletić and Mauro Malavasi create the haunting, transcendent piano-and-string score to accompany the traditional lyrics. Bocelli himself performed piano and flute parts.

Aida Garifullina performs during the opening ceremony prior to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia match between Russia and Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia. ©Getty Images | Catherine Ivill

Adding to the extreme drama, superstar ballet dancers Sergei Polunin, from Ukraine, and Italian Francesca Malacarne writhe, arc, and cast shadows on the ancient architecture.

“I think this video will be liked by Youtube users, because there is such a synthesis of dance and song, grace and feelings,” Garifullina says. Garifullina adds that she wants to make opera understandable not only to connoisseurs but also to young people.

So far, the video has garnered over 1.6 million views on YouTube.

The soprano told Town & Country in an interview, “I am very careful when choosing roles, ensuring that they develop my voice and showcase my range so that I can fully embrace the emotions of the character.”

As part of her wish to bridge the worlds of popular and classical music, Garifullina also represented her country at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Moscow. She joined with English pop star Robbie Williams for a duet, and with Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho for a performance of the Russian folk song, “Kalinka.”

Bocelli’s new album “Sì,” for which the “Ave Maria” duet is the closing track, is his first album consisting of entirely new material in 14 years. The album involved not only Garifullina but also many other collaborators, including rising star Josh Groban, British girl group Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, and not least of all, his son Matteo Bocelli.