en.Sketsamalang.com – Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performed before thousands of fans at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) Kemayoran on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, concluding his Indonesian leg of the Romanza 30th Anniversary World Tour. His performance featured classical opera selections and popular songs from his 1997 album Romanza. Outside the venue, however, a protest calling for the concert’s cancellation turned tense, with 33 people reportedly injured.
Bocelli’s performance lasted around two hours, according to CNN Indonesia, while the concert event itself ran from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., according to the Jakarta Metropolitan Police. The singer opened with classical opera compositions before moving on to well-known songs from Romanza, including “Romanza,” “Time to Say Goodbye,” and “Con Te Partirò.”
The concert also featured several guest performers from Indonesia and abroad. Indonesian soprano Lea Simanjuntak joined Bocelli for “The Prayer,” while Italian soprano Mariam Battistelli performed “Con Te Partirò” with him. Other performers included Mexican baritone Juan Carlos Heredia, soprano Amy Manford, and violinist Rusanda Panfili.
Manford performed “My Heart Will Go On,” while Heredia sang “Toreador.” Violinist Iskandar Widjaja also appeared during the opening segment, accompanied by the traditional Sluku-Sluku Bathok dance presented by Pagelaran Sabang Merauke.
The Jakarta Concert Orchestra, led by Avip Priatna, and the Batavia Madrigal Singers provided musical accompaniment. The production also incorporated ballet performances, Indonesian cultural elements, and visual messages highlighting humanitarian issues and children affected by conflict.
Bocelli largely refrained from speaking between songs, allowing the music to take center stage. CNN Indonesia described the performance as a two-hour musical experience, while ANTARA reported that the audience responded enthusiastically to his signature tenor vocals.
Indonesia was the only Southeast Asian country included in this leg of the world tour. Before performing in Jakarta, Bocelli held a concert at Borobudur Temple in Magelang on October 31, 2026. The two Indonesian performances celebrated the 30th anniversary of Romanza, the album released in 1997 that helped establish his international career.
Protest Outside the Concert Venue
While the concert proceeded inside JIExpo, demonstrators gathered outside the venue to oppose Bocelli’s appearance in Indonesia. The protest was linked to the singer’s past participation in a 2010 fundraising event for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) in Los Angeles, as well as his 2022 concert in Tel Aviv.
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) had previously called for the cancellation of Bocelli’s Indonesian concerts, citing his past association with events supporting Israel. Despite the objections, the Jakarta performance went ahead as scheduled.
According to Jakarta Metropolitan Police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Budi Hermanto, around 300 people had initially notified authorities of their intention to demonstrate. The protest began at approximately 3:30 p.m. and continued until around 6 p.m. After the initial group dispersed, demonstrators from other areas, including Jakarta and Bogor, also arrived.
Police said mediation meetings between protest representatives and the event organizers had taken place three times but failed to reach an agreement. Stone-throwing subsequently occurred, with rocks and pieces of wood directed at security personnel.
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The incident left 33 people injured, including members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), police officers, and members of the public. Three of those injured were still receiving inpatient treatment in hospitals following the incident.
Among those injured was hardline cleric Habib Bahar bin Smith, who was present at the protest. Budi Hermanto said the injuries sustained by Smith were reportedly caused by an object thrown by someone from his own group. Medical personnel provided treatment to those injured at the scene.
“There were a few incidents last night, but thank God everything was brought under control,” Hermanto said, as quoted by ANTARA on Wednesday.
Police confirmed that no protesters were detained. After the situation was brought under control, organizers and security personnel safely evacuated the performers and assisted concertgoers and invited guests in leaving the venue.
Despite the unrest outside, the incident did not disrupt Bocelli’s performance inside the concert hall. His Jakarta appearance marked the end of his Indonesian tour, bringing the country’s two-concert celebration of Romanza to a close.