Andrea Bocelli's rendition of "Silent Night." This program of sacred arias marked the second collaboration between tenor Andrea Bocelli and conductor Myung-Whun Chung, music director of Rome's Santa Cecilia Orchestra. In this interview, they talk about their work together and the appeal of the music selected for the concert. GREAT PERFORMANCES: Haven't these sacred arias long been favorites of opera singers, especially tenors? Andrea Bocelli: Yes, all the most famous singers in our century, from Caruso to Luciano Pavarotti, have recorded sacred arias as a mark of affection for this style, for a type of music in danger of being forgotten. These arias were written to glorify and magnify the greatness of God. They testify to and represent the surge of the composer's soul towards God, and are the highest and most spiritual moments in music. This is the reason why, at the threshold of the new millennium, my desire was to sing some of the most touching and purest of them ever written. GP: How did you first know this music? AB: When I first became passionately fond of opera, friends and relatives would give me records, and among the operatic recordings there would also be recordings of pieces like these. I remember I had a record of sacred arias by the great tenor Franco Corelli, and sometimes I would cry when I listened to it. GP: Haven't you also included several Christmas carols as well? AB: Yes, because I also have many happy memories of Christmas when I was a child. I would go to church, and even in those days I sang sacred songs such as these. Christmas, for me, and I believe for everybody, is above all the most wonderful time for children. It is also a time of reflection for Christians, and the time when people can truly enjoy being with their families. GP: Did you enjoy working with Maestro Chung on this CD? AB: Very much, and I hope to record more with him. He is a very special man -- a great artist who loves music and understands the importance of reaching people through music. He is also a good cook, and we have had wonderful times in my kitchen! GP: Did the two of you choose the repertory for this concert together? AB: Yes, and it was done in a friendly way, although there were a few disagreements. I tend to think sometimes too much about vocal matters, where his concerns are always about what is important musically. GP: During the rehearsals, how did you and Maestro Chung work together? AB: First of all, at the piano. We spoke very much about the style and the mood of each piece. He reminded me that it was important not just to show off my energy and my voice, but to remember the intimate character of the music and, when necessary, to sing softly. I always tried to do what he suggested because of my great respect for him. It is very easy to work with such a maestro. GP: Does this concert have some special meaning you wish to convey? AB: I hope that those who hear it will be moved and feel the sort of deep sensation I had when I first discovered this music. I hope that I have brought something personal to this music by singing from my heart. Using your heart is the only way, I believe, to have a style that is all your own. GP: You have ranged from popular songs to operatic arias and now sacred songs. What can we expect from you in the future? AB: I never think of the future. I try to take care of the present and leave the future to God. GP: Maestro Chung, how did you and Andrea Bocelli meet? Myung-Whun Chung: We were asked to collaborate on a concert for the Pope during a gathering of young people at the Vatican. And immediately I found a young artist who was not only warm and caring, but who shared my interest in sacred music. That bond between us led to this new concert. I have always felt drawn to people with whom I could first communicate on a human level before we moved on to a musical level. That doesn't always happen. But it did with Andrea. GP: Did your work together on this recording go smoothly? MC: Yes, because to me the main ingredient in any collaboration is the willingness and the desire to achieve a good result, and if you begin with this goodwill, anything is possible -- your efforts then become not work, but a great pleasure. GP: And what was Bocelli like to work with? MC: Always hardworking, serious, and cooperative. GP: Have you a favorite piece in the concert? MC: This is a question I am often asked about composers and their music, and it is an almost impossible question to answer. It's like asking which of your friends or your children are your favorites! But I did especially enjoy Franck's "Panis angelicus," which we performed in a version that included chorus. It came out beautifully, and for me, it was very moving. A 1999 interview by the late John Ardoin for GREAT PERFORMANCES Online.