Madeline Vitella in D.C. & Maria Leps in Easton, PA.

Madeline:

THE SHOW OF SHOWS! Tonight’s concert at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was another sold out event! Il Volo put on another fabulous show for us and the crowd went wild with standing ovation after standing ovation. The solos were nothing but perfect and the duets were amazing. The crowd enjoyed the banter among the boys. The Maestro was enjoying the concert as much as the fans did. Here are a couple of pictures you might enjoy!

~Madeline

 

♦♦♦♦♦♦

Maria:

Easton State Theatre, 2/22/16
IL Volo Concert shared with my son Steven Leps

A great evening shared with my son Steven, 40, who is a graduate musician with a major in classical guitar, and has had several small bands through college and even recorded 4 CDs. This is just the background so you will know how wonderful it was seeing IL Volo again through his eyes. Of course he has heard me go on and on about them for the past year and a half and lived through my tales of my trip to Italy with the Granny Groupies (Madeline Vitella, Joan Brenin and Deborah Georgini Beaupre.

We had seats 15 and 14 first row in the stage ‘pit’. We were so close our knees touched the stage! As we sat there and the excitement mounted he explained all that the orchestra and IL Volo’s personal band was doing to prepare and how all the technical equipment was set up. Gianpiero Grani waved to me and Giovanni Granaro, Lead Guitar, also waved to me and pointed to Steven saying hello to him. I had told him at the Kennedy M&G that I would be bringing my son to Easton and he remembered!

Then I received a tap on the shoulder from a lady who asked me if I was Maria Leps who had written for The Flight Crew! She reads The Flight Crew all the time and loves it and that morning had read my article that Marie Crider had posted regarding the Borgata concert. She said she loved reading it and knew all about the Granny Groupies and would I write more. My son said ‘Mom you are famous’. It made me feel so special.

Then the concert started with their famous intro by the orchestra and band. Throughout the show Steven said many times ‘Mom, they are fantastic, they have such powerful voices’. He loved their music and songs. He explained the lung power they must have for these high notes and hold them so long and the fact that they have perfect pitch. We, like the entire audience gave them tremendous applause and innumerable standing ovations. As a musician himself, he loved being close enough to see everything they were doing. It was so special sharing this with my son and the fact that Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio recognized me and gave me a smile and wave as they looked right at me while they passed by on stage.

So now, for sure, IL Volo have another ‘younger’ fan to their credit, my son Steven.

~Maria