Il Volo’s Tribute to Ennio Morricone in the Shadow of St. Peter’s Basilica

When Ennio Morricone died I knew there would be a tribute to him and I was certain Il Volo would be the one to pay tribute to him but, I never imagined that it would be on such a grand scale.

Morricone had already made his mark in the music industry long before our guys were born but, to be honest, they have a lot in common. They both did the impossible and they did it by taking their music around the world!

Morricone brought his music around the world through his films. He won acclaim in America by revolutionizing the music and motion picture industry with his musical scores. People may not know his name but if you ask them if they know the theme from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” they’ll say, “of course.” Morricone has certainly left his mark all over the world!

Likewise, our guys brought their music around the world. Through their bel canto, they left their mark all over the world. They are superstars in North and South America, throughout Europe and Asia.  And now Italy! They revolutionized the music industry with their Operatic pop or Popera and Classical music.

In America, Morricone won an Oscar and an Oscar Life Achievement Award. In Italy he won among other awards a Donatello, which is the equivalent of the Oscar in America.

And what did our guys do, in America they won the Latin American Billboard Award and in Italy, among other awards, they won Sanremo, the greatest achievement in the Italian music industry! And let’s not forget the millions of albums they sold worldwide!

These great Italian men have made their country proud by their achievements around the world. They have brought Italy to every corner of the world through their music.

It’s so interesting to think that just five years ago the guys were concerned because they weren’t recognized in their own country and, now they are representing their country around the world in this wonderful project. The event is part of United For The World, a format that combines music and visual arts, born from an idea by Thomas Errera. Who could imagine that this project would take off on such a grand scale? In the shadow of St. Peter’s Basilica? In your wildest imagination would you ever think that such an event would take place in such a prestigious place?

This event could draw over a million people. Think of the canonization of another great Italian man, Padre Pio, which took place at St. Peter’s Square just behind Piazza Pio XII. There was a sea of people that extended from the doors of St. Peter’s back to the Tiber River. I know! I was there! An amazing event and now our guys get to be the presenters of this phenomenal event in this amazing place.

Getting back to the guys at the press conference!

We’re talking about four remarkable men, Il Volo and Ennio Morricone, who have done extraordinary things in the music industry.

So, what did the guys have to say about this event?

Gianluca said: “The great Maestro Morricone was a source of inspiration for us, we also got to know him and work with him, especially in the studio, when we were children of 14 and 15 years old and were recording our first album. It is a source of pride and, perhaps, I allow myself to say that he is the greatest composer of the twentieth century, so we know that this project, this tribute, requires a great responsibility.

We will work hard because this is also the way to bring our musical heritage around the world, but above all, our culture, because he has made millions of people dream all over the world with his soundtracks and of course our goal has always been to bring and be ambassadors of bel canto all over the world, but not with presumption.

Piero said: “When we presented this project to other countries, North America, South America, Japan and many European countries, there was great enthusiasm on their part, because, as you well know, a couple of years ago we did a concert-event and the film was shown on American TV, and our goal is to convey Italian beauty with the music that surrounds us. In this event we are above all enthusiastic about the positive feedback from those who have collaborated, with Maestro Morricone, in recent years, such as the Sinfonietta Orchestra, which has always played with the Maestro, so we are talking to them. We are really excited and delighted that there is this interest on their part.

Ignazio was asked “as your colleagues have already mentioned, in the past you have also had close relationships with the teacher.”

Ignazio said: “Yes, they have already said everything but, I’ll put the icing on the cake…  It was in 2011, when we had the luck, the pleasure and the honor of singing E PIÙ TI PENSO, which is a song that was part of our first album. We sang in Piazza del Popolo, in Rome, and we have this beautiful memory…  We were young and at our age we had the experience of sharing the stage with one of the greatest composers in history, with greater tranquility.”

The Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, welcomed the guys with these words:

“It is a special moment. Let me greet three guys who are internationally renowned, with extraordinary voices and who bring bel canto all over the world and allow traditions to be kept alive.

We need to think about the future, carrying a message of hope. Our goal is to focus on major events, on culture, on the possibility that this city joins artists of national and international caliber. The idea is to attract investment. Work must restart.

Today we present a great event that will take place on June 5^th, 2021, a tribute to Ennio Morricone. It will be a free concert of the highest level, the beginning of a series of concerts, because we need fixed appointments that remind us what we are able to do. This event is meant to be the beginning. It is a strong signal.

This is meant to be a tribute at a time when we need unity. Thanks to the guys and all those who are working on this great event.”

The creator of the event is Thomas Errera and the project is followed by their manager Michele Torpedine and produced by Friends & Partners and MT Opera & Blues.

Ferdinando Salzano (Friends & Partners) in reply to Mayor Raggi, said: “June 5^th will be a historic date, because it will be a great street event in an extraordinary location of international value. It could be the revival date for live music. There will be a great live broadcast…. There will be many guests.”

But it doesn’t stop there! The guys let us know there is a great recording project in the works in conjunction with this event.

“Il Volo’s Tribute to Ennio Morricone” is the title of the next album by our three artists with worldwide publication for Sony Music. This is also part of United For The World,” a project that combines music and visual arts. It is a project that, through entertainment, aims to raise awareness on important global issues such as the care and protection of the planet.

And the guys have let us know that as part of the event and the new album ”Il Volo’s Tribute to Ennio Morricone,” there will be a dedicated tour as soon as conditions allow it! I will assume this will be similar to the Magica Notte Tour! Exciting news!

Ignazio says: Beyond this project, we are working with Shade, Fedez, Ermal Meta and others on a project to support workers in difficulty. It is too early to say but we are working together to do something that is useful. It is important that we young people try to give an example in our own way, such as wearing a mask and respecting the distance even if we are very young.

The guys have been working to bring back the music industry. They started at the Seat Music Awards. It was the first time they were on stage since the beginning of the pandemic when they had to cancel their last three concerts and go home.

Let’s remember their message of hope that evening.

Piero said: ”Now, the world is getting ready to start again! Now the moment has arrived to raise the curtain! Now, we will turn on the music!” This is the theme that reoccurs and, it will continue until music comes back to the arena’s and stages around the world. The stages that are missing our guys and their wonderful concerts.

It says we may have to perform under these new world conditions, but we don’t have to change who we are or why we’re here. In the ancient Arena of Verona, they looked to the past while following the path to the future. From their first note the whole arena lit up. They were back! Music had returned to the Arena!

Let’s stop a moment to think of the great event that will take place at Piazza Pio XII. This is the first time that the Municipality of Rome has granted a concert to take place in this square. Just picture St. Peter’s Basilica as the backdrop for this event. The complete scenography will be created with this perfect background. The event will be extraordinary.

The guys will present the Maestro’s melodies and imprint them in everyone’s mind! The lasting memory of Il Volo’s Tribute to Ennio Morricone and in the background, St. Peter’s Basilica. Who knows, maybe the Holy Father will drop by?

They will be accompanied by a large orchestra that will be conducted by a prestigious baton. Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca will pay homage to the great conductor, musician, composer and author of the most beautiful soundtracks in Italian and world cinema.

Since they left their homes after the quarantine the guys have worked tirelessly to bring back the music industry. This is an enormous project which they have undertaken. The genius of these three young men has brought us to this place in history, the beginning of an event which will be repeated year after year! And, who better to start such a project then our guys! It tells us that while they were locked way, they didn’t stop working for us.

The guys left us with the thought that there are other projects and surprises coming!  Do they ever sleep?

Credit to owners of all photos.