Double whammy as opera fans miss out

After missing out on hearing their idol Andrea Bocelli on a visit to Italy, the couple were really looking forward to the singer's show nearer to home at Birmingham's NIA.

But the pair from Lye, must wait another month for the pleasure after the performance was postponed, leaving the couple feeling they are magnets for bad luck.

The star called off his show at Birmingham's NIA on September 27 citing ill health, putting it back to November 4.

Mr Farwell, aged 61, of Pedmore Road, said he could hardly believe his misfortune at missing the singer again.

Bocelli's management released a statement claiming it was the first time that Andrea has had to postpone a concert in these circumstances.

The statement said: "He (Bocelli) 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."

Mr Farwell was also disappointed seven years ago when his wife Chris, aged 60, paid for them both to go to Italy especially to see the singer.

Bocelli was due to take the lead role in the Opera Tosca, in an intimate open-air lakeside theatre called Toro deLargo – but at the last minute it was announced he would not appear.

Mr Farwell said: "I'm not a big moaner and always try to find the bright side, but I do feel annoyed. I'm a big fan, and I was really looking forward to seeing him – it was very disappointing the first time, particularly as we had paid so much money and travelled so far, but for it to happen again is a big let-down." The Farwells had paid twice the face value of £49.50 for the NIA tickets through an internet aucyion site.

Father-of-four and grandfather-of-two Mr Farwell, now retired, was a construction worker most of his life, building large parts of his own house and making motorised trikes for Hell's Angels in his spare time.

Mr Farwell said he and his wife have a history of bad luck. For various birthdays and celebrations, the couple tried to eat at one particular recommended restaurant four times in two years – and were turned away for different reasons each time.

On another occasion, they went to Spain on a luxury holiday – only to find that the hotel they were expecting had yet to be built.

"You couldn't make this stuff up. Fortunately we can both see the funny side," he said.