"Il mare calmo della sera" is a song written by Zucchero Fornaciari, Giampiero Felisatti and Gloria Nuti, for Andrea Bocelli. Bocelli won the Sanremo Festival in 1994, singing the song, which was later released as his debut single. It is among Bocelli's most popular and well-known songs.

The chorus opening phrase is virtually the same as the chorus opening phrase in "She Believes in Me", the title of a song recorded by American country music singer Kenny Rogers released in April 1979 as the second single from his album The Gambler.

In 1992, Bocelli's first break as a singer came when Italian rock singer Zucchero Fornaciari auditioned tenors to record a demo version of "Miserere", which he had co-written with U2's Bono. Passing the audition, Bocelli recorded the tune as a duet with Pavarotti, with whom he became very close friends, even singing at his second wedding, and funeral. After touring all over Europe with Zucchero in 1993, Bocelli was then invited to perform at the Pavarotti & Friends, held in Modena, Italy in September 1994.

Bocelli was then signed to Sugar Music by Caterina Caselli, who persuaded him to participate in the Sanremo music festival. He eventually won the newcomer section of the competition in 1994, with "Il mare calmo della sera".

After the festival, Bocelli released his first studio album, also titled Il mare calmo della sera. The single was also included in both of Bocelli's Greatest hits albums, Romanza in 1997, and The Best of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere in 2007.

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