Andrea Bocelli's Birmingham concert called off at last minute
He said: “We were just walking into the arena ready for the show and already people were coming out. A lot were annoyed, as it was a huge disappointment.
“Thousands of people had paid a lot of money to see him and had been enjoying all the hospitality beforehand.
“A lot of people were wondering why they could not have let us know earlier, but obviously it’s extreme circumstances and you couldn’t forewarn people before they got there, but everybody was really stunned. I’m sure all his fans will be back to see him in November.”
Sarah Collins, of Wolverhampton, said more should have been done to let ticket-holders know.
“They should have announced it on local radio this afternoon,” she says.
“We were running around all day to get here then we had to queue for the car park. We have just got here and now they tell us we have to turn round and go back again. They should have let us know earlier.”
Ticket-holders were also unimpressed by the fact that the box office was not opened to take queries once the announcement was made.
“We have come all the way from Liverpool,” said Julia Rodgers.
“I don’t think we will come again but I can’t find anyone to sort out a refund.”
In a statement Bocelli’s management said: “It is with extreme regret that we have to announce the postponement of Andrea Bocelli’s concert tonight.
“Andrea has a throat infection and having attempted the rehearsals this afternoon and his warm-up, doctors have advised him not to sing this evening.
“Andrea is devastated at not being able to perform for you this evening and we can announce that tonight’s performance has been rescheduled to Wednesday, November 4.
“This is the first time that Andrea has had to postpone a concert in these circumstances and he has asked me to convey to each and every one of you who has bought a ticket how very, very sorry he is for letting you down.”
The 51-year-old Tuscan tenor, who has been blind since his childhood, has sold over 65 million albums worldwide during a recording career which began in 1992.
Bocelli famously appeared at the Royal Variety Performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome in 1999 at the personal invitation of the Queen.
He is a classical music superstar whose duet with Celine Dion, The Prayer, was nominated for two Grammy awards in 2000.
