Today I would like to give you a heads up about what will be going on at Flight Crew for the next few weeks! Our dear Pat has had surgery (which went well and is on the road to recovery!) and we will not be posting for a few weeks but, we will report any new and important news to you. What will go offline are our stories which require a lot of detail in order to be posted. This will be a short silence and when we come back it will be in full force.
I want to sign off today with a story I did last October. Moments to Remember! It highlights the career of our guys from 2009 to today! The reason I chose this story is because it contains some wonderful stories from the past. Over the next few weeks, you can go into our archives at www.ilvoloflightcrw.com and read all the stories that I speak about in this article. That should keep you busy for a while! So, while we’re away I would like you to keep Pat Farley Ward in your prayers for a quick recovery and take this opportunity to realize how valuable she is to Flight Crew! She stopped the presses! (which is pretty ironic, as she and her husband used to run a print shop!) See you in a few weeks when we will continue our journey Through the Fields of My Mind!
Over the last seven months I’ve been writing about the lives of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca from the day they were born to the present day. As I wrote each story, there were certain highlights in some stories that I thought should be put aside and revisited in another article. These were, what I consider, Moments to Remember.
If I asked you “What would you consider to be a memorable moment in the career of Il Volo?” I’m sure you could come up with at least 10 if not 50 moments. So, I needed to take these moments and decide what I thought were the most memorable and I actually got it down to 13 memorable events.
So where do we begin? Well you might say the night the three won first, second and third place (Gianluca, Ignazio, Piero) of Ti Lascio Una Canzone. Yes, that certainly was a memorable moment but, I think there was a moment before then that was more memorable. Gianluca points to that moment, “I thought there were three hundred thousand boys singing like me, and instead that night I discovered that there are only two: Ignazio and Piero.” Of course, Gianluca was referring to the night they sang together for the first time on Ti Lascio Una Canzone. So, let’s begin there!
Ti Lascio Una Canzone, Night 4 and Michele Torpedine – I have to put these two together because one wouldn’t happen without the other!
It is the fourth episode of Ti Lascio Una Canzone and the boys are given the music for “O Sole Mio.” They walked out on the stage, sang “O Sole Mio” and walked off stars!
Alone in his apartment, Michele Torpedine was sitting on his sofa with the volume off on his TV. The show he was watching was Ti Lascio Una Canzone. He keeps looking at the screen and he suddenly thinks, Ignazio reminds him of Luciano Pavaroti, Gianluca seemed similar to Jose Carreras and Piero is similar to Placido Domingo. He still had not heard them sing. Out of curiosity, he raised the volume and Michele says, “Here I am aware of another element, that is even more important than the first. The three casually put together to sing a song of the program possess an incredible vocality for their age.”
At this point Michele’s head is spinning. He’s thinking these guys are good and again repeats it to himself, they’re good! He thinks, “What if I try to put them together seriously? A trio, he tells himself.”
The rest is history!
“We Are The World for Haiti” – In 2010 shortly after arriving in America, the guys were invited by Quincy Jones to join “We Are The World for Haiti,” together with 80 international artists such as Celine Dion, Bono, Lady Gaga, Carlos Santana, Barbra Streisand, Enrique Iglesias, Usher, Natalie Cole. Il Volo were the only Italian artists to be invited. The three voices from the background caused such a sensation. “Who was that?” Everyone present couldn’t believe what they were hearing but, “Who were they?” Soon they would find out!
Barbara Streisand’s Back to Brooklyn Tour – In 2012 Barbra Streisand invited the guys to be an integral part of her “Back to Brooklyn” tour. They performed with her in America and Canada. They were not an opening act, no, they shared the stage with Barbara. To the guys this was a dream come true!
2014 Latin Billboard Music Awards – In 2013, “Más Que Amor” was certified “Gold” in Mexico and Argentina. And this catapulted the guys into the Latin market. From that day on they took the Latin market by storm. In February 2014, they receive two nominations at the 2014 Latin Billboard Music Awards, as “Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group” and “Latin Pop Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group.” At the awards show they were awarded as “Best Group of the Year in the Latin Pop Album” category and they also won the “El Pulso Social Award,” as the artist who dominated interactions on social networking sites during the Billboard Awards. This is unheard of! Three Italian kids taking over the Latin market! What a win!
The Christmas Concert at the Italian Senate, December 21, 2014. Ignazio wrote in their book: “We want to talk about the thrill of singing in front of the highest offices of state! What twenty-year-old boy has something like that happen? It happened to us, and it seems to me a beautiful result, an honor. You cannot imagine the emotional feeling to be called “guests of honor” inside the Senate. We were accompanied by the, fantastic, Filarmonia Orchestra Veneta conducted by Diego Basso. Half the beauty of the song is in the orchestra.
The most exciting moments? Everyone! But the hymn of Mameli was the heart-pounding one, the first song, singing in that place, with everyone singing along with us, including Giorgio Napolitano, (President) and Pietro Grasso (President of the Senate). It is one thing that I cannot explain.
And then, of course, the pleasure of shaking hands with the President of the Republic and of feeling that he knows Marsala, he has been there.
Sanremo Music Festival 2015 – On February 14, 2015, the guys participated in and won the Sanremo Music Festival with “Grande Amore.” This is the top award in the Music Industry in Italy. With this win the guys really came home. They were finally recognized by the Italian people. This win also gave them the opportunity to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015.
Eurovision 2015 – As Italy is a member of the Big Five, Il Volo went straight into the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest, which was held in Vienna on May 23, 2015. Grande Amore came in 3rd with 292 points but, they won the televote with 366 points and won the Marcel Bezencon Press Award, as best song according to the collective voting of the accredited press. The extended play Sanremo Grande Amore was released in Italy on February 20, 2015 and it was certified triple platinum by FIMI. At the Latin Billboard Awards, they dominated the social networking sites and now, they win the televote and the best song according to collective voting by the accredited press. The people speak!
Ignazio’s Accident in Tampa March 7, 2016 – While they were singing in concert in Tampa, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca brought 3 children on to the stage. The stage was narrow and, Ignazio picked up a child and carried him in his arms to take him to the center of the stage. There were electric cables on the ground and Ignazio tried to avoid them, but he tripped, and fell on the stage with the baby in his arms. To defend the child, who in addition to the fall would also have Ignazio on top of him, Ignazio twisted his body, so that his shoulder hit the ground and the child was protected. The two of them immediately got up and Ignazio finished the song.
When Ignazio began the next song, it was clear he had a problem with his arm but, he managed to finish the concert. He did not stay for the final greetings instead Barbara immediately took him to the hospital. At the next concert he had a splint on his arm and for the next two concert his arm remained in the splint. It was also recommended that he rest. Fabio Ingrassia, Ignazio’s dear friend, was in Miami, and he immediately came to help Ignazio. Ignazio was disheartened by the experience and Fabio remained with him to help him through it. Fabio made a nice drawing to dedicate to the fans with two hands that clasped. What a Friend!!!
Piazza Santa Croce in Florence, July 1, 2016 “Notte Magica” – 2016-2017 were the years dedicated to the “Notte Magica” project, the tribute to the 1990 event where the Three Tenors, Josè Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, enchanted the whole world from the stage of the Baths of Caracalla. On July 1st in Piazza Santa Croce in Florence Il Volo presented on stage “Notte Magica – A Tribute to the Three Tenors,” which was broadcast in prime time on Canale 5. The guys were joined by Placido Domingo who conducted the orchestra. This marks the beginning of the world tour of “Notte Magica – A Tribute to The Three Tenors” which debuted on March 4, 2017 at the Radio City Music Hall in New York. The show was sold out. After 15 stops in the United States, all sold out, the tour is extended to Europe from May 5, 2017 for 29 performances and from September it extended to Latin America. The concert “Notte Magica – Tribute to the Three Tenors” was filmed and broadcast in the United States by the national television network PBS, and in Italy by Canale 5 and, starting in June, it was broadcast in over 500 cinemas in Italy and around the world.
Ignazio Conducts the Asti Symphony Orchestra while the guys sing with Marcello Rota Jul 5, 2017 – During the rehearsals of the last date of the Notte Magica Tour in Naples, Ignazio steps in as conductor of the Symphonic Orchestra of Asti while Maestro Marcello Rota sings Ignazio’s tenor part! They sang “Libiam ne lieti calici.” Ignazio had everyone in awe of his performance as a conductor. The guys enjoyed singing with Marcello who usually conducts for their Concerts. Gianluca enjoyed it so much that he hugged Marcella in the middle of the song! All good sports! They all had lots of fun! A unique performance!
Mexico Earthquake September 8, 2017 – On Thursday evening September 8th, at 11:49 PM Mexico City time, (in Italy it was 6.49 on Friday) an earthquake of 8.2 on the Richter scale sowed panic in the country. The earthquake, defined by Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto as “the strongest since 1932”, had its epicenter off the south west coast of Mexico, but its strength reached the capital where the guys had just finished their concert at the Theater Metropolitan. Gianluca gave Facebook a short message shortly after the earthquake: “Thank you all for the messages, we are fine despite the strong shock that hit Mexico a little while ago.” Read the full story here!
World Youth Day Jan 27, 2019 – If you ask the guys after winning Sanremo, which truly brought them home, “What was your greatest performance,” they would probably answer, there were two. Singing for the Holy Father at World Youth Day was one of the most amazing events in their life!
Por Una Cabeza, Il Volo at Luna Park Buenos Aires October 30, 2019 – So I will end by going back to the beginning. This last moment tells me how far the guys have come and how the strangers became brothers.
When these three young men started out, they were 15 and 16 years old. Think of being 15 or 16 years old and you have a dream, and someone tells you that that dream, needs to be shared. To fulfill that dream you have to leave your family, your friends, your home, you have to go to another country and you have to share this journey with two people who you really know nothing about except that they had the same dream you did. You have to trust that the decision that was made by you and your family, was the right decision. If not, it’s back to square one! You’re going to be lonely and you have to learn to survive without the people you love. So, you learn to lean on one another. That dependence turns into a friendship and that friendship into a brotherhood. It enabled them to trust enough to collaborate and perfect something truly amazing. Something that revolutionized the music industry. Let me go further by showing you a collaboration by these three amazing, very, very talented, young men that is so unreal that it boggles your mind. This is a collaboration of love. You will notice that the whole Orchestra is in awe and Giampiero Grani can’t stop smiling. Stop and listen to this performance of “Por Una Cabeza”.
Look at how they smile at one another during the performance. A smile that says yes that’s it! Their faces are ablaze! Their expressions let one another know that it works. And, finally, when it’s over, they are so excited they can hardly contain themselves. Look at their smiles, their faces are lit up in joy and their embrace says it all! They are brothers who love one another! This is truly a Moment to Remember!
Credit to owners of photo and videos.
Prayers and well wishes to our dear Pat. Hope
you are on the mend and can feel our combined
energy coming through the time zones.
Thanks to Jana, Susan, and Daniela for being
a great support team for Pat. Love to All.
Get well Pat! I hope you will soon feel like yourself again. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Agree! Thanks to the team for all your contributions. It’s been quite hectic the past weeks, because the guys have been involved in so many things. It’s time for you all to take a break! Those of us who need our daily or weekly feed will go to the Flightcrew archives! Being a late discoverer of Il Volo, I’ve benefitted alot by digging there.
Best wishes to everyone! :))
Grazie. Get well wishes. Take care of yourself.
My prayers for Pat’s rapid and full recovery. You are in my thoughts.
Best wishes, Pat, on your recovery. You get to sleep a lot and watch all the old IL Volo videos. Hopefully, family is waiting on you. Tell them you want a big BLT and 3 brownies! It’s good to be missed. We (not the Royal WE or the Papal WE) will realize how important you are to the Flight Crew.
Thanks, Jana, for the review. I always thought that was the best Libiamo ever.
Pat, may you have swift and complete healing. Il Volo will help you through your recovery just as they did for me after my surgery. I thanked them for being on you tube where I was able to watch all their videos. I don’t have television so you tube and face book are my best friends. Il Volo soothes my soul and they will do wonders for you, too. Keep well.
Blessings on YouTube, Facebook, and t’Internet in general. 🙂
Good morning Susan
Great article as usual hope Pat is doing good
In my prayers will miss everyone’s stories
Love you Jenny
Dearest Pat, I’m thinking of you during your recovery and hope and pray all goes well. The Flight Crew couldn’t exist without you, so take time to recuperate, but hurry back!!! Much love, Dolores.
Susan, I haven’t read your presentation yet, but, I’m sure it will be excellent as were all your others. Will wait anxiously over the next few weeks for the next posting. Take care everyone and I look forward to hearing from you all again. The IlVolovers have become part of my family and a lot of you are so very familiar to me. Hugs, Dolores
Get well soon Pat, we will miss you.
Take your time becoming well again Pat-no need to rush for us. “The guys” and their fans would want you to have a complete recovery before you return to the thing you do best for all of us on the blog.
Get well soon Pat. We will miss you, but do take your time and don’t try and rush things.
I think after what you have all done this year you all deserve a few weeks off.
Dear Pat, as the saying goes, Absence makes the heart grow fonder. We miss you and hope you have a speedy recovery.
I was in the second row at that Tampa concert, it was a nasty fall because Ignazio got his feet tangled up in the heavy cables on the floor. He twisted his body so he would not fall on the little boy. Ignazio got up and continued as if nothing happened. The boy was not hurt.
Get well soon Pat. My thoughts and prayers are with you for a fast recovery. Take care of yourself.
My Prays go out to Pat for a fast recovery 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Best wishes, Pat, for a speedy recovery. Thanks for all the hard work by the contributors and a well-deserved break for the team.
Pat, you are one of our stars and you always come through for us. I am very grateful for this. I pray that you do all necessary to regain your health. I will keep my mind with you as well. And now, I don’t know the details of the special moment, however to me it was when Renis, Torpedine, the families and the boys came to that moment when it would all begin. All the training and commitment to become Il Volo.
I would like to extend my most sincere appreciation to all of the Flight Crew for your prayers and well wishes for a full recovery. My neck surgery went well and I am getting better every day. This is the first day I have sat at my computer. I want to you know that I will be back as soon as I can. But just FYI, this surgery was supposed to be my back surgery until I mentioned that my fingers had been tingling recently. I got whiplash in a car accident when I was 18 and thru the years my neck has become arthritic and nerves have become pinched. It was severe enough to have to be fixed first. Then, probably after the first of the year, I will have to have my back fixed! And years later probably my knees. I will end up being a bionic woman!! haha I love you all! ❤😊 Pat
you are supposed to be resting! 😉 take it easy! I’m sure you must be going crazy, but you need to take a break. 🙂
I am resting, believe me. And you are right I am going crazy. It took me a week before I even thought about or felt like sitting in front of a computer. And I only did it for a short bit. I’ll behave now. 😄