Andrea Bocelli broke records with his Easter Sunday Music For Hope livestream concert, which has been seen by 35 million people.
The 61-year-old opera singer's performance in the deserted Duomo di Milano cathedral in Milan, Italy, reached over 2.8 million peak concurrent viewers amid the coronavirus lockdown, making it the largest simultaneous audience for a classical livestream in YouTube history.
The video received more than 28 million views from across the globe in its first 24 hours, and has been available to watch in more than 100 countries worldwide, as it continues to trend globally across YouTube and social media platforms.
"I am moved and delighted to have received such an overwhelming reaction, that has gone beyond our highest expectations," Bocelli commented. "For an artist, the event is the reason for the sacrifices of a lifetime; for a believer and a Catholic as I am, it was further confirmation of the benevolent smile with which the Heavenly Father looks to his children.
"It was an immeasurable honour and privilege to lend my voice to the prayers of millions of people, gathered in a single embrace – a small, great miracle of which the whole world was the protagonist and which confirms my optimism about the future of our planet."
He added: "Thanks to everyone who worked in the shadows for weeks, from management to the record label, and especially to all of those who have shared this moment with us, to stay truly united."
The full performance can be viewed on Bocelli's YouTube channel.