Get used to it, I’m going to use the word phenomenal a lot in this article.

Let me say, I can write at least five pages just on the opening of the concert. If I wrote what I felt, saw, experienced in this concert, I would have to write a book!

Let’s set the scene!

The first note and we immediately know it’s “The Ecstasy of Gold.” The whistle of the wind!

The setting is gold! Then white! Then gold! Look at the gold flecks that come in and out! The orchestra vibrates! Each note intensifies our senses. We’re drawn to the back of the stage. To a tunnel where we know our guys will appear! The focus is always rear center stage! The lights change to intense red and now we are looking at the stage from the back of the arena. We are coming forward. The shadow of Il Volo turns into a force that is coming towards us! The theme of the concert is set!

Listen to the intensity of their voices! What force! Watch their motions. Look at Gianluca! Watch his body react to the music! The fist that comes at you saying this is the punch, just the beginning.  Listen to how Ignazio rides the note that guides us into the story! Now we’re sailing on the wind! Piero intensifies the moment with his powerful voice that says the journey has begun! Follow us!

The scenery is in motion again. In the background, the movie comes into view and blends with the voices! Everything on the stage comes to life! We’re now inside the film. Even the guys are taken by the movement around them. They look around and they are feeling the moment! Andrea Morricone steps up the music and we step back and look, in amazement at what is before us!

What exactly is before us? A work of art! A Titian painting. In Venice there is a very magnificent painting by Titian called the Assumption. It is a painting in motion! Believe me, when I tell you what you are looking at on that stage is a Titian painting. Titian was known for his movement in painting! Titian was 24 years old when he painted the Assumption. Our guys are in their mid-twenties and they have painted the scene before you. If you don’t know the renaissance artist Titian, google him! You’ll understand what is going on here!

Now let me explain what is before you. Movement. Lots of movement.

Take a look at the stage! You the audience are the spectators! You’re being drawn to the stage. You watch the guys’ approach and, you are in awe of their presence. You feel the intensity of the music, you and the guys are pulled into the movie. The music is all around you!  Their voices are a force in your head. You look up in amazement! You are a part of the scenery! You are a part of the orchestra! You are a part of the movie! You are a part of ~ Il Volo!  You have arrived and you are ready to follow the guys no matter where this journey leads you! It’s only the beginning! Fasten your seat belts. Phenomenal! 

In each set the scenery and the music all come together to form a symphony of color!

Now let’s listen to some very romantic songs!  Even songs not geared towards romance are romantic when they are sung by our guys. Notes flowing through the air. Very ethereal, very light, very eerie, very romantic! Just so beautiful!  Phenomenal! 

“Your Love” is a very beautiful love song. This is a song we are emotionally attached to. It will always be a part of our lives. If you saw the guys’ performance at Sanremo 2021, you know what I mean! In Sanremo the guys, especially Ignazio, were in shock. They were experiencing something they never experienced before. The loss of one of their own! Yet, they delivered this song with such dignity and emotion that it will always be a special moment in our lives.  We will long remember it. In this tribute they reminded us of Sanremo but in a bittersweet way. It is an emotional feeling that is a mixture of happiness for where we are and sadness for where we came from. This will become a signature song. The guys will come back to it and we will expect them to.

The song we will always love!

“Se Telefonando!” Both Laura Chiatti and Ignazio said: ”From three notes one of the most beautiful songs of our century was born.” And I couldn’t agree with them more. What a magnificent song! Just Phenomenal!

The three notes are from the sound of a police car siren and when they are played, they are immediately recognized. This seems to be a signature with Ennio Morricone. Think of “The Ecstasy of Gold” and “Cinema Paradiso!” These are songs that are recognized with one or two notes of the song. The guys put such love and emotion into “Se Telefonando.”  I think they fell in love with it! I know I did. This will be the song that I take away from this concert that will always lead me back to the concert and the history that was made that night. The song is about love being born fast and being lost before it has a chance to begin.

And how do the fans feel about this song? Everyone, everywhere on Instagram and Facebook posted this song and commented about the beauty of it.

Now let’s talk about “Cinema Paradiso.”

Again, from the first note, we recognize this song! It takes us back to a time, just after World War II, when cinema was beginning to make its impact in Italy! How the guys present this song, accompanied by the strings of a romantic guitar is why this song pierces our hearts and impacts us in this amazing way.

They present love in a different light.  This song tells of a first love for Totò. His love for a local Sicilian girl. But it also speaks of his love for film. Totò takes over Alfredo’s job as projectionist. Alfredo knows how much Totò loves film and he convinces him to leave his small town and follow his dream to become a filmmaker. 

This song sings of two loves. A romantic first love and a love of film. It is a very romantic love song! Listen to some of the words, they could just as easily apply to love of a woman as to love of film.

“If you were in my soul one day
you would know what I feel in me
that I’m enamored
over those instants together with you
and what I feel is
solely love!”

Beautiful song, delivered, in a Phenomenal way!

And then there was “I Colori dell’amore” a beautiful unreleased piece. A special gift from the Morricone family.

Piero said: “To  the whole orchestra and to the organization, really fantastic!  Thank you very much, thank you very much teacher! The teacher wrote the song for us. We present it to you this evening and we hope you like it ~ “I Colori dell’amore.”

These are just a few words from the song.

You will come back
next to me
You will undress
inside me
And you will relive
the time of a reality
with me
They are the colors of love
of passion and freedom
in hand a flower and then
two moments of us
pictures from a movie
ageless moments

The guys bring light and beauty to this song. Very romantic voices singing a very romantic song! Very sensitive! Very Phenomenal!

Let’s move on!

As you know the guys make decisions about where and how a song is presented. Their decision to do “Here’s to You,” in the audience had a lot of significance. We are used to having the guys in and out of the audience, interacting with the fans but, this was not possible at this concert.  But the guys made sure the audience would feel their presence, so they chose a very sincere, very personal song to share their time with the fans.

To explain this, let me start by presenting the meaning of the song. From Marco Gallini’s explanation and from my story last week you know Sacco and Vanzietti were executed for a crime that many believed they did not commit. But what you don’t know is why they were accused of this crime. To understand this, we have to go back to America at the turn of the 20^th century. Each group of immigrants that came to America experienced prejudice by the former immigrants. Therefore, the Irish were prejudiced against the Italians and the Germans against Irish before them and so on back to the beginning of immigration.

After a few hours deliberation, the jury convicted Sacco and Vanzetti of first-degree murder.  Anti-Italianism, anti-immigrant, and anti-Anarchist bias were suspected as having heavily influenced the verdict.

Back to the guys and where all this fits into their story.

By performing this song in the audience, the guys were first and foremost toasting Nicola and Bart but more so, they were three links which represented the people who stood in defense of Nicola and Bart. They told them they would not be forgotten and the crowd, the audience, stood with them.

Now the irony of it all!

This song was composed by an Italian composer for an American movie and, it was written in the English language.

The song was sung, in English, by three phenomenal Italian men who came to America and immediately became a success. The American people embraced them and called them their own. We feel they are a part of us and a part of our culture. You have to see the irony in this!

Now let’s turn to the showstoppers! The solos!

First up, Gianluca!

Gianluca remarks: “It’s hard to be alone after twelve years together on stage. I guess like all of us in times of difficulty, in moments of happiness, I take refuge in music. This is something I’ve done since I was little. I had headphones, I walked, I also went to the park to listen to music. Even at school I was distracted. In short it was my biggest distraction. Let’s say the music I feel this evening is a celebration of a great genius of music Maestro Ennio Morricone.  But I want to talk about other geniuses who changed my life. Artist like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra but also the great Elton John. Tonight, I will sing for you one of the most beautiful songs written in fifty-one years and I want to dedicate it to my mother.”

Elton Johns’ lyrics to “Your Song” express the romantic thoughts of an innocent person. Gianluca brings the song to another dimension. He is very romantic and everything he sings turns into a love song. His warm beautiful voice expresses the thoughts behind Elton Johns’ words. Here are just a few words to the song.

And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple, but now that it’s done
I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind
That I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you’re in the world

These beautiful words certainly express his feelings for his mother, Eleonora, who has been at his side throughout his career.

His beautiful rendition of this song would make Elton John praise his performance. Gianluca got a well-deserved standing ovation! Just phenomenal!

Next up Piero!

Piero said: “I always had a great desire to be accompanied by a great musician, a great flautist. I’ve always watched his videos while playing alongside Maestro Pavarotti, Sting and many other artists. This evening, he did me the great honor of accepting my invitation. The Master Andrea Grimmenelli.”

What can I say about Piero singing “No Puede Ser?” It’s my favorite aria that he sings. He takes my breath away. No one, and I have heard many tenors sing “No Puede Ser,” no one sings it like Piero.

These are just a few words of the aria, in English. They really express the meaning of the song. Piero makes you feel his love for this woman.

It cannot be so! This woman is good.
She cannot be a wicked woman!
In her look, like a strange light,
I’ve seen that this woman is unhappy.
She cannot be a cheap siren
who poisoned every moment of my life.
It cannot be so! Because I’ve seen her pray,
because I’ve seen her love,
because I’ve seen her cry!

Always a showstopper, always a highlight, a splendid moment in the concert. Please never stop singing it. A Phenomenal performance!

And last but, not least Ignazio!

Ignazio said: “I want to say that tonight is extremely exciting and, we all know in this year that we have experienced shortcomings. Especially shortcomings!

Many had great losses but many who had great satisfaction economically modify this concert. To all the people who have not made it through the whole year, our thoughts go up there to them.

I feel a little alone, but I will not be alone. I have a big but small surprise that is great because it is a crazy talent.  It is really a great talent. Gentlemen and ladies, ladies and gentlemen my comparative accompaniment in this my performance – Julian.”   

Ignazio sings Beyonce’s beautiful song “Listen.” It’s a song that expresses how many people are feeling. These are just a few words to the song.

Listen. I am alone at a crossroads
I’m not at home in my own home
And I’ve tried and tried
To say what’s on my mind
You should have known, oh
Now I’m done believin’ you
You don’t know what I’m feelin’
I’m more than what
You’ve made of me
I followed the voice you gave to me
But now I’ve gotta find my own!

Yes, it’s time to find our own voices. Ignazio knocks it out of the box with this song. His voice goes to unreal heights.  Not only does he express how we are all feeling but he gives us a beautiful version of the song that fills our souls with emotion. And, little Julian adds to the moment with his Phenomenal saxophone accompaniment. As I said before, guys, Julian is all of you at 8 years old. Now you know how people felt when they experienced your voices at such a young age!

Ignazio we always Listen to you and, we wish we could feel what you feel in your heart! You and Julian made a Phenomenal team!

What an ending!

And so, we come to the end of the concert and Piero’s closing words!

“I need to say an important thing. This concert was dedicated to Vito who we really miss and is watching us from up there.”

The dedication of “Conradiana” to Vito, Ignazio’s dad is very touching, very emotional and it certainly touched the heart of Ignazio and his brothers Piero and Gianluca, and I know it also touched our hearts. Their eyes said more than words. And the beautiful exchange when Ignazio looked into the audience at his mother, Caterina and his sister, Nina. His eyes said it all!

These are some of the words to this beautiful song.

Beyond the horizon
a sea of oblivion
You wander among the waves
you get lost in the scroll
Heart of darkness
life is gone away
Rock the ocean with
a sad joy.
Spaces beyond the sea
search for a way
Clear open sails
among clouds of mist
Heart of darkness
life is gone away
Rock the ocean with
a sad joy.

A very touching ending to a spectacular concert! Just Phenomenal!

I usually end here but, this week I can’t. As I said in the beginning, I could write a book about this concert! The feeling I got when I watched this concert, was indescribable! Thank you, guys for these magic moments!  

Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!

If you would like to share a story with me, please email:  susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com

To read more Il Volo stories visit us at www.ilvoloflightcrw.com

 

Credit to owners of all photos.