A palace steeped in history, art and beauty welcomed one of the most beloved voices of the new Italian generation. Matteo Bocelli chose the refined setting of the Hotel Nani Mocenigo Palace, a noble residence in the heart of the Dorsoduro district, for his stay in Venice. Singer, composer and ambassador of Italian style in the world, Matteo Bocelli is fresh from a successful international tour and extraordinary performances – such as the one that saw him starring at the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, where he enchanted guests with Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love.

On the occasion of his Venetian visit, Bocelli found in the Hotel Nani Mocenigo Palace a place that reflects his artistic sensibility: an authentic setting, rich in history and culture, that combines 18th-century frescoes, precious stuccoes and an interior garden that is unique in the city’s historic centre. «Travelling is wonderful but also tiring – said Matteo Bocelli – and finding places that know how to welcome you with harmony really makes a difference. The Nani Mocenigo Palace is a place that tells a story with every detail. You feel part of something bigger, and this recharges you, inspires you, makes you feel at home».

In your music, vocals and piano often merge with a writing that is contemporary yet full of classical yet pop sensibilities. How do you manage to maintain this balance between past and present?

It is something that happens quite naturally, perhaps because I grew up in an environment where classical music was part of everyday life, but at the same time I am a child of my time, so I have also been influenced by pop and international music. For me, balance comes from listening: I try not to force anything and to let myself be guided by the emotion that a melody or a text can arouse, always trying to maintain a musical sincerity, even when the worlds mix.

Your career is divided between music and recently also cinema, projects with an international vocation. How do you work in these different, sometimes communicating worlds, and what idea of Italianness do you want to convey abroad?

I believe that music and cinema share a common language: they both tell emotions. When I approach a project, be it a film or a song, I always try to understand what the heart is, the deep feeling to be conveyed. Italianness for me is this: a way of feeling and expressing oneself that passes through beauty, passion, attention to detail. I try to bring this sensitivity, which is not only cultural but also human, abroad.

Venice is a city with a deep cultural and musical tradition. Is there a particular bond you feel with this city? 

Absolutely, yes. Venice has a unique soul, suspended in time, and every time I come back here I feel a kind of magic. It is a city that invites you to slow down, to listen, to observe. Walking through its silences and reflections always puts me in a special, more receptive, more creative state of mind. She is a silent muse, but very present.

Do the places you stay – even if only for a few days – influence your way of being an artist and performer? Have you ever composed or thought about new musical ideas in a hotel, perhaps like this one?

Yes, it happens a lot. Sometimes a view from a window, an architectural detail, a particular light is enough to make me think of a melody or a phrase. Places have an energy, and when you are travelling, more exposed to new stimuli, that sensitivity is amplified and they become little refuges in which inspiration also finds its place.

You are often on the road between concerts, international events and musical projects. What value does it have for you to find a place that can welcome you with beauty and history like the Nani Mocenigo Palace?

For me it is fundamental. Travelling is wonderful but also tiring, and finding places that know how to welcome you with harmony really makes a difference. The Palace, which I did not know, is a place that tells a story with every detail. You feel part of something bigger, and this recharges you, inspires you, makes you feel at home.

The building that houses the hotel is a blend of 18th-century frescoes, Gothic details and aristocratic memories. How do you experience the dialogue between art and music in your career? Do you find affinities between these languages?

Absolutely. Art and music are sisters. They both try to give form to the invisible, to tell what words alone cannot say. When I find myself in spaces so rich in art and history, I feel that music immediately finds its place, a resonance. It is as if there is a silent dialogue between the notes and the walls, between the sounds and the colours. This continuous exchange fascinates me and accompanies me on my creative journey.

Opening photo: Matteo Bocelli. Credit: Settimo Cannatella