Hi everyone,
This spring I had translated some passages from the book of Torpedine, RICOMINCIO DAI TRE, and, seeing your great interest, I immediately translated the chapter about the night in which Ignazio did not return to the hotel.
For fear of having some copyright problem, I wrote several messages on the Facebook page of Michele Torpedine, LA TORPEDINIERA, asking permission for publication. I have repeatedly asked for an answer but I have never had any, until September 7th.
I received this response from the Torpedine staff:
“Good morning, Daniela, the wait – as you might have guessed – derives from business reasons. However now we refer to Michele. Thank you. -Staff”
Since then I still waited in vain, and because in my last message I had reported that I would have posted anyway, I would say that, if there was a problem posting the story, they would have communicated it to me.
I leave the post as I had set it a few months ago.
We started to get to know the manager of IL VOLO a little better and we really liked what we read.
The book RICOMINCIO DAI TRE, we recall that it was written by Michele Torpedine and published by Pendragon and distributed by LaFeltrinelli.
The piece that I’m going to translate this time, speaks of the night in which Ignatius did not return to the hotel, the anxieties, the concerns of a manager, but also a great friend. Naturally I await your comments and impressions.
A leap forward. Some time after. At night. A drama in which waiting is the solution.
I am in a big city in the United States where my last new artistic creature – IL VOLO – is going to perform in one of the prestigious concerts of their first American tour. Just a few hours before we joked in a restaurant with the euphoria of the successes already collected, with that contagious good humor that the three boys of IL VOLO have never abandoned, in spite of a sense of responsibility necessary but almost excessive, considering that in their peers it is rare commodity.
But that very responsibility in which I trusted so much, that night has cheated me.
I should not have condescended on a tour of the city with friends known the day before.
To think that, in spite of my suspicious nature, they had seemed right to me.
Instead Ignazio has not returned to the hotel. His cell phone is off.
The night goes forward and no news. Nothing at all.
Piero and Gianluca, tired of the evening, left him a few hours ago alone with other friends around public places, a few drinks, some girls.
The three of IL VOLO are very young and in themselves, it could be normal.
In my case, of course, there was the managerial responsibility for the engagement with an audience of about 10,000 people.
But perhaps it was only a question of staying apprehensive for a while and at most making him a stern rebuke when he returned, as his father would have done.
But it is already three o’clock at night. The city is large and unknown.
Ignazio is seventeen years old. Everything makes us think of the worst.
Start the process of pragmatics with my staff: we look in the hospitals, let’s go to the police.
No news. good news, say the British, but I’m not calm, for nothing.
A part of my mind chases monsters, then makes them disappear, then again materializes them and chases them.
The other part, perhaps to keep steady, retraces the first encounter with Ignazio and his parents, his bold manner of facing the scene, from Gascon, without fear.
Yes, I think, now that I do not know where he is and I am responsible not only for his career, but also for his life: Ignazio is always sure of himself, he always knows how to face everything and everyone.
Different was the meeting with Piero, the oldest of the three, who remembers me a little when I started, when I wanted a career as a musician.
Finally, Gianluca, and the first impression with him, certainly wrong: that aspect of a fragile, emotional boy, contained instead a strong character and very clear and precise ideas.
Meanwhile, no news yet. Needless to worry in advance, but now anger came.
And what to do then? Warn parents or not? Make them worry, at a distance with nothing certain? It was not yet the case.
But the concert? Cancel it? What economic damage would I have gone to?
A part of my mind was milling this, asking and answering, building anguish and erasing it.
But the other part, no.
While the only solution was the wait, I thought that those three guys determined and prepared, they had saved me from depression and the desire to leave everything.
Three teenagers, yes, but already great, in all respects.
Already great since the first time I saw them.
So my mind returned to that new beginning while I waited for Ignazio. Which fortunately reappeared, after that interminable night.
And in the evening he sang as always, indeed, better than ever: wonderfully.
Michele Torpedine
Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca embrace Michele Torpedine, his brother Nino and his sister Liliana.
*******************************
Great Michele, we can imagine the worry that evening and the relief when Ignazio is back, dented, but safe and sound.
That evening at the concert Ignazio wanted to thank all the crew and especially his friends-brothers Piero and Gianluca, making them a surprise with a video during the concert.
For those who have not seen it, here it is, was made by people therefore not of excellent quality, people laugh thinking that Ignazio is joking, but we know well, now, what had happened. Very sweet.
Credit to all owners of video and photos.
Daniela, I’m still missing something about this story. Why was Ignazio missing, where was he and was he in some sort of trouble? Having trouble understanding Ignazio speak back then-his accent was much stronger at that time. Mr. Torpedine doesn’t explain very much with this part of the story. How could they be left in a bar at age 17? Maybe I’m just too dense now. Thanks
Mark, I’ll explain to you what happened. It was September 2013, the boys were in Miami and the following evening they had the most important concert of their tour at Radio City Music Hall. The boys ask to go to a restaurant with a bar where they were well known by the owner. They were in a club, therefore not accessible to everyone. They had met some boys the day before and also in Torpedine they looked like good people. They had something to eat and drank, then they decided to go to the disco. Gianluca decides to stay still in the restaurant, Piero takes a taxi and Ignazio says he reaches him in the car with one of his friends. Piero waits in front of the disco but Ignazio will not arrive. He starts to worry, he waits and Gianluca arrives too. They worry a lot, they return to the hotel thinking that Ignatius has returned, but no trace, in the end they spend all night, then they will also call Barbara and Torpedine who will sift the city. Ignazio left the restaurant, no longer remembers anything, he wakes up in the morning in a flower bed, robbed of wallets and jacket and with several bruises. He manages to return to the hotel and eventually discovers that someone has melted in his glass, something on a drug level. Since then when they ask for a drink, they require closed bottles. The story is told very well on their book. The boys became even more united in friendship after this fact. Some of their parents were traveling by plane to reach them and they knew nothing.
I hope I have given you a vision of what happened.
If you have questions, ask.
Daniela, thanks for the full explanation and he is lucky it wasn’t a lot worse for him. This why we parents worry ourselves sick when they are in their teens. I still don’t understand how they got served alcoholic drinks as teenagers. If Ignazio was 17, Piero was only 18! and why would Torpedine leave them, as minors, in that place when he had total responsibility for them? Thankfully, Ignazio came out of it safe and alive. I feel relieved knowing what really happened-thanks again.
I think Torpedine had confidence because he knows the guys and he knows that they are good guys, and he trusts them, besides they were in places known with known people … but the danger is always around the corner and sometimes we say …. an angel has watched over him.
Daniela, I’ve watched the video above several times and Ignazio keeps saying to Gian that “——- are real, they are real”. I can not understand the word he is saying is real. Can you please clarify-thanks. Curiosity has gotten to me! Also, Did he make the video the next day after the incident, where he was beaten and robbed, and before the NYC concert later that evening?
Wow sorry for the boys I’m glad the are good I have a question do you know if have some presentation in future in usa or Italy please I will love go to saw him my don and mom love them too thanks so much
Someone drugged Ignazio’s drink (and you can be sure it was a non alcoholic drink) robbed him of his wallet and I don’t remember maybe his watch. He came to himself outside somewhere in Miami. He didn’t know where he was or how he got there. Then he tried to figure out how to get back to the hotel. He eventually made his way back to everyone’s great relief.
You remember very well, Penina.
When it was stated that they had some food and drinks at this club, there was an assumption that they were alcoholic drinks. But at that time they said several times they did not drink alcohol out of respect for keeping their voices, and he was only 17, and a possible legal problem for the club if they were serving alcohol to minors. So possibly Igna was drinking cola, ginger ale or whatever.
I agree Janet–I am sure it was a non alcoholic drink.
Yes, I want to know all of the answers to Mark’s questions, but we may never know. Daniela, thank you so much for the translation! It was wonderful and I love these three guys more than ever because I read it.
Jeanette, if you have specific questions, ask.
A few years ago Susan Peowrie was doing English Translations of Il Volo songs and interviews on Facebook. She translated this part of the boy’s book and it did have a lot of detail. I think she has not taken down the English Translations and you might find it on Facebook. It is amazing that they made it to New York to do the Radio City Music Hall concert the next night. If you watch that concert on you tube you have a new respect for the guys professionalism as they went on stage after this harrowing episode. Thanks Danielle as always for they great posts.
That part of the book is really intense and read everything, hoping that everything will work out for the best.
But the sweetness and affection shown by the three boys is a wonderful part. I think joined the boys even more.
Thanks to you JD you have commented.
I just wanted to let you know that I usually post under the name of Janet, but Word Press was not cooperating with that today, so they alternately have me as JD
Hi Janet, I was already wondering who this JD was !!
Thanks Daniela. Michelle seems to be a laid back individual but I am sure many things went thru his mind. I know Ignazio’s parents must have had some anxious moments. It is a shame that so many people out there are ready to do harm to unsuspecting individuals.
I absolutely agree with you, Gina.
I also believe that Michele tried to be calm, but I think he cursed himself.
Wow as entertainers in an unknown place no matter what age you have to not take up with strangers….not just rntertainers but anyone…..please tell them at any age to be aware of your surroundings….Danger is everywhere in the world today… live life but go in groups and come home in groups. God Bless these men someone was truly praying for Our Il Volo……mean people live in this world. God’s speed to Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca. Please please never do this again.
Rose Marie, I believe that the friendship between the boys, at that particular moment, has counted a lot.
Gianluca still stopped in the restaurant, but Piero, who was waiting for Ignazio in front of the disco, was immediately worried. If he had been another boy, perhaps he would have thought that Ignazio had changed his mind, or had gone for a ride. Instead he stayed there waiting for him and worrying. When Gianluca also arrived, they waited together and then, thinking that Ignatius had returned to the hotel, went looking for him. The light filtered under the door of Ignazio’s room and they thought he had fallen asleep with the light on, but not happy, because Ignazio did not respond to their knocking, they asked the porter to enter the room, but the porter did not want to open ( because of privacy), so they woke Barbara who after listening to the boys threatened the porter, making him open the door. Eventually Torpedine also woke up. If there had not been the great friendship that binds these guys, I think that each of them would not be interested in the other one, that night ……. but not Piero, Gianluca and Ignazio.
Daniela: My first concert was the Radio City one! I was so excited to go to NYC to attend. I was sitting in an upper level balcony and as the video played, Gianluca and Piero viewed it with great emotion. Because of the distance from the stage, it was difficult to comprehend the meaning ! As others have stated, it wasn’t until their book was published that this event became public and I realized the importance of it. God was definitely watching over Ignazio! For those who have never visited South Beach, all I can say is that it is quite a place filled with all kinds of restaurants and night life!
You’re right Annette, I think that night, no one understood the importance of that video made by Ignazio to thank his friends.
Piero and Gianluca were amazed by the surprise. Ignazio wanted in that way, to show all his affection and gratitude to the two boys.
Janet, my assumption was exactly as you thought-that they had alcoholic drinks because of the bar/club association. I shouldn’t have spoken as though they indeed had alcoholic beverages when I had no way of knowing for sure. It was the setting that allowed me to assume that. I too had heard them say that they did not drink anything with alcohol in order to preserve their voices. Mark
Janet and Mark, I have the book in front of me and translate what Ignatius wrote. “That evening they beat me up, beat me right and left, but I was not drunk, I just accepted a beverage, which had been drugged, but I did not had realize … Do you know one thing? From that day if I go to a pub or a disco, I always ask for closed drinks, I have to open them. “
Daniela, thanks for this clarification-puts my mind at ease.
Happy to have helped you, Mark.
Daniela, I have one more question above-you may have missed-Thanks
Sorry Mark, I had not read your question.
First of all, I did not understand what you were referring to, then I realized that it was the speech between Ignazio and Piero (not Gianluca, as you wrote).
I had to put the headphones to understand better, because the sound is not very good, it is also disturbed.
Piero, to continue the show, (after Ignazio’s surprise), introduces the argument that they have been in concert with Barbra Streisand, at that moment Ignazio intrudes and says more or less like “her nails are true” and repeats “her nails are true, because I read on the internet that people say are false, but you have to tell five thousand people that her nails are real”.
Perhaps Ignazio refers joking, to some published photos of Barbra Streisand, where her nails were very long.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiIk–VsvLfAhUDxhoKHUwJAwIQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmatt-switch.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Ffunny-girl.html&psig=AOvVaw0Pk22-CSAfDyASVmJCn_t9&ust=1547731190103688
According to the book, Ignatius was woken up by the police on the morning of 25 September.
The boys, at 09.50am had a flight to New York, and on the 27th there would be their concert.
Of course they lost the flight and left later, so I think the video was recorded on the afternoon of the 27th, just before the concert. Gianluca and Piero knew nothing.
My curiosity is satisfied-I would never have known what he was talking about no matter how many times I listened to it. He really has endured some unfortunate situations-lots of respect for that young man-the video was an outstanding thing to do. Thanks a lot.
Thanks to you Mark
The post translating these pages from the book, Una Aventura Extraordinaria is still on Il Volo English Translations Facebook, posts. It is in three parts, and dated Nov.1,2015, so you have to scroll down a long way to find it, but it’s definitely worth reading.
True Esther, is absolutely worth reading.
Just read this for the FIRST time in ‘20, I am horrified. Strange place, 17 year old males out loose with money in the city at night with limited language? Someone else’s kids? What was Torpy thinking? He should have had them on a LEASH!! Ever heard of Murphy’s Law? If it can happen, IT WILL!