Who knew an opera singer could trump — pun intended — other international pop acts at an event the whole world was watching?

But that’s exactly what Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, elegantly dressed in a blue velvet suit, black bow tie and sunglasses, did at the World Cup Draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Friday afternoon.

It helped that he was backed by a symphony orchestra, an unseen chorus of voices, and the song was the thrilling Nessun Dorma. (You may recall Aretha Franklin had to fill in last minute for an ill Placido Domingo at the Grammys one year with that song.)

“I got goosebumps,” said event co-host Kevin Hart afterwards opposite his Amazonian sidekick Heidi Klum on stage.

No wonder Bocelli has sold 90 million albums worldwide.

Next up was the usually entert

See Full Page