After Sanremo and Eurovision, the guys were riding high! Italy opened its eyes, and their fate was sealed! The Grande Amore Tour had them spinning but perhaps their proudest moments were PALASPORT 2016 at home with the Italian people. I like to go back and watch these videos because I can see how much the guys enjoyed these concerts. I thought about how the guys are preparing for the upcoming World Tour. So, I went back Through the Field of My Mind, and I pulled some of these videos. Then I remembered an article by Daniela where she wrote about an interview with some of the people behind the scenes and it was very interesting so, I decided to put it all together and relive PALASPORT 2016
These last months the Morricone project has brought the guy’s center stage doing one interview after another. Endless interviews! It was the same after Sanremo. In that period the guys had so many interviews and they had to repeat the same answers over and over again.
I decided to give the guys a break and let someone else do the talking. So, instead of all those questions and answers let’s look at an interview by the technical team from 2016 while we listen to the wonderful voices of Il Volo!
The date is 2016 and the Grande Amore Tour is under way between Italy, Europe and America.
The guys are already into the tour but there is always the fine-tuning for each concert. The crew is together, and they will lead us through the technicalities but without all the long technical parts.
This interview was written for the Sound & Lite newspaper.
IL VOLO – Live Palasport 2016 by Douglas Cole
They call this “Pòpera” a resurgence of opera in the field of popular music and a phenomenon that, in our humble opinion, returns a little faith in the ability of the general public to discern a true capacity for musical performance … because taste apart, the talent and work necessary to develop virtuosity with the lyric voice as an instrument are undeniable. So far, in this latest return of classical singing, the foreign public has been more receptive than the Italians.
Il Volo became the first Italian group in history to directly sign a record deal in America, before that in Italy.
Since the release of the first album, this trio has been almost constantly on tour in North America, South America, Europe and Italy.
In 2012, in addition to a tour in Latin America and the Il Volo Takes Flight tour in the United States, the group also did a very rare (and very successful) tour with Barbra Streisand, which cemented their fame in American pop. Since then, every year they do at least two Il Volo tours on at least two continents.
Having been taken away to America at the very beginning of their career and despite a large number of concerts in Italy, since the beginning of last year with the almost fortuitous victory of “Grande Amore” at the Sanremo Festival and with the consequent representation of Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest (third place, but with the prize of the press), Il Volo was still rather unknown in our country (Italy).
2015, on the other hand, marked the true return to the homeland, with their new album Sanremo Grande Amore which earned a triple platinum record, and a very successful summer tour, culminating in a big event at the Arena di Verona in September, re-transmitted in prime time on RAI 1. Well … better late than never: welcome home, guys!
I absolutely love this video because the whole audience sang with them. It really was a welcome home, Sign of Approval!
We crossed this tour more or less halfway, on a date at the Unipol Arena in Bologna, where we found the production manager,Eliana Dalila Biondi.
Elinana:I have been working for Michele Torpedine since 2011. In 2013, during a tour in South America, Michele asked me to follow the production. I am Argentine and, as a matter of language, I was the right person for the role. In that case we did a tour with local productions, 28 dates in 50 days …
This year, instead, it was decided to take the step, organizing the tour in the arenas. We have prepared this project together with Francesco de Cave (lights and show-design) for a world tour, which starts from Italy and then goes to the United States and then back to Europe.
Douglas: With the whole production?
Eliana: In Italy and the United States with the entire production, while in Europe we use local production materials, and we bring the direction, with us.
Douglas: Is this production a big leap forward compared to last summer?
Eliana:Yes, because this summer fundamentally focused on natural scenery: Taormina and other picturesque places where there was no need for much. The guys really don’t need much … they do the show. (Truer words were never spoken)
Douglas: The boys already seem very good at working the stage with professionalism!
Eliana:They are very confident of their abilities, in a positive sense, so they are never arrogant. They’ve been doing this job since they were 14, so they grew up on music and the stage. They have security dictated by experience. On stage they create a very nice atmosphere, thanks to their jokes and complicity with the public they have created over time and in many live performances.
Douglas: How many are you on tour?
Eliana:About sixty, and if we add the orchestra of as many as 34 elements in each city … we arrive at a beautiful number.
Douglas:Are the orchestras different at each stage?
Eliana:Unlike last summer, where there was always the same orchestra, this year due to a calendar issue we chose to take local orchestras.
Douglas: Logistically, for orchestral music rehearsals, how do you do it?
Eliana: There is a lot of work that is done upstream. All the material of the repertoire is collected, and our musical director sends it in advance to the orchestras who do the tests independently. Then there were also rehearsals with the Maestro who, whenever possible, anticipated the production to be able to listen and guide the orchestras before the concert … maybe even the morning of the show or, even, in the case of back-to-back long, a few hours before the concert!
Douglas: I ask Alessio Guerrieri, stage director, if it is difficult to manage, such as artists, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca.
Alessio:Absolutely not! Indeed: they are very good. They are not used to doing great tests … in fact when Francesco De Cave arrived, who was new to the production and was planning the show, he asked me: ‘But how will we explain a show to them in two days?’ I reassured him by telling him that he had to do only the lineup and explain the dynamics of the show: the artists would do exactly what was required of them, every time. In fact, they come from a lyrical musical setting and training, so they have a completely different kind of discipline. Since they have to do a precise warm-up routine, they have to eat and do everything according to a fixed schedule. If the show is at 9pm, for example, you know they have to eat at 6pm, and they do the same things every day. They are very square, and this is our luck. It is also important as a form of respect. If they give me the time of the show, I send the orchestra at 8:55 pm and the artists are on stage at 9:00 pm. To date we have never started a minute late. They are very professional and attentive to these things. And I assure you that it is not at all obvious.
Douglas: (Asked the sound engineer, Enrico Belli.) How much does the show depend on the orchestra?
Enrico:Very much of course for classic songs. They are songs that the singers sing singularly (in fact they don’t always sing in three, but they also make duets and solo pieces) mostly on classical works that almost completely depend on the orchestra and the piano.
Douglas: We also ask the lighting operator, Emanuele Vangelatos, for an opinion.
Emanuele: In the show there is a good balance between the most static scenes, used on classic, beautiful, colored pieces, developed in depth along with the video, and the more dynamic ones of the pop songs, in which we also push a lot, because we have projectors able to move the scene a lot.
The pieces of the solos, which are almost all purely lyrical, are in fact illuminated with very static and intimate, almost theatrical scenes. When there are the pieces in trio, plus pop, there is a director behind them, and the director has also coordinated and agreed about the movements of the artists on stage.
Paradoxically, says the engineer, despite their young age, they have several years of experience on stage. The presence is there, and the public greatly appreciates it. Everywhere we did the full: it is a confirmation of the fact that they are also strong in Italy.”
Despite my personal tastes, I respect the musical talent of any kind without reservation, and I appreciate a majestic performance of any kind. I didn’t know Il Volo before and when I was told what kind of concert it would be, I was very afraid of having to suffer the evening.
Instead, it is a really pleasant concert. It was taken for granted that the boys were good at singing, but the lineup includes so many songs with an almost universal familiarity that the interest never drops – even during the moments of speech, in which the artists show total control of the stage and the audience. I am amazed by the audience, made up equally of teenage girls and elderly men out for an annual evening, often with the two categories combined in groups of grandparents with their grandchildren: universal appeal!
The mix is very well done, with an orchestra that even seems to come from recorded tracks (called as a compliment!) and a very sensitive hand in following the dynamics of that type of voice taken with handheld microphones. The sound in the room is very beautiful, especially in the platea (the central and lower part of the theater). We believe that a couple of delays would not have done any harm to offer a greater direct reflection relationship at the back of the room.
The visual spectacle is truly remarkable. The effect of the video that comes out and incorporates the orchestra is really effective. The inevitable central staircase to the Broadway, with skyline in LED, immediately imposes the tone of the show, but it is anything but a static set design. Even the light design is very flexible: sometimes it offers bandstand show lighting, with colorful or white scenes combined with graphics and lights, in others it looks like a pop or rock music show with backlight.
I think Daniela said it best when she said, in the original article, “I was pleased to read the admiration towards our guys, from the technical team that supports them on their travels.
It is a very important thing and makes us understand the harmony in the team, also due to the seriousness of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, guys sometimes jokers, but also real professionals.”
Exactly right Daniela!
And now we await the World Tour. With less than two months to go, I’m sure the guys are busy putting the finishing touches on the setlist. I’m sure it includes many songs we are familiar with and the wonderful new songs from Il Volo Sings Morricone. And as was mentioned earlier, all the material of the repertoire are collected in advance, and the musical director sends it in advance to the orchestras who work independently. When they arrive on stage in March all teams will be ready to go!
I want to sum this article up by saying, our guys have total control of the stage and the audience. The music in each concert is framed and the setlist is run according to their audience. In some cases, the music in Italy will be different from that of North America or South America but the classics always remain. But above all Italy may have been the last to get on the bandwagon but I’m sure you noticed when they did, they went all out! The trio becomes an auditorium of singers!
They certainly have universal appeal!
And for your listening pleasure here is the complete concert from Milan. Part 1 and Part 2
I must say I enjoyed reliving PALASPORT 2016 and I hope you enjoyed it too!
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
Here I am with the second part of this beautiful interview.
I assure you that you will not be bored.
Enjoy the reading!!
MARA = Come back here. (long applause) You are guys, but you have a great responsibility, because you have immense talent …
GIAN = With this song we also had the opportunity to show the beauties of our country with the Frasassi Caves.
MARA = Yes, there was the video.
GIAN = I also want to say this thing, because for us it was a great honor, to be able to work with maestro Vittorio Storaro, who is a “cinematographer” and not a “director of photography”, which is a small detail.
MARA = What’s the difference, for those who don’t know?
GIAN = There is a big difference. In America they say cinematographer …
MARA = …. three Oscars, he made all the films of Bertolucci (another Italian director who won the Oscar for The Last Emperor), Vittorio Storaro …
GIAN = … exactly three Oscars …. because every time it is a life lesson, not only artistic, but his wisdom has given us wonderful moments …
MARA = Sorry if I interrupt you, Gianluca, but I have a backstage video and I would like to send it and then you all can comment on it.
Let’s watch it together.
(the video of the Frasassi Caves backstage starts)
In the video: Gianluca’s voice = The melodies of the great master Ennio Morricone are the protagonists in this wonderful setting that are the Frasassi Caves.
Ignazio’s voice = Sharing this fantastic place also with maestro Vittorio Storaro was a great emotion. (applause)
MARA = It is so beautiful that it seems unreal, it seems magical.
PIERO = Have you ever been there?
MARA = No, never been.
PIERO = Look, time stops there.
MARA = But where is this place, exactly?
GIAN = Near Genga, in the Marche region.
MARA = Ah, in the Marche.
GIAN = Yes, this place is one hour from my house, I’m near Roseto degli Abruzzi.
MARA = So did you know this place?
GIAN = Yes, I had already been there, because schools often organize trips with pupils to make excursions.
MARA = It’s a magical place, I want to go there.
PIERO = We had the privilege of having the caves just for us and Vittorio Storaro, to shoot the video.
MARA = Illuminated by Vittorio Storaro.
GIAN = Think about the power of Bel Canto, associated with a wonderful place, it is the perfect soundtrack, but then it allows us to join idols, like Vittorio Storaro, or as before, you saw us joking with Woody Allen, it is the prestige of Bel Canto. As you know it all started with Pavarotti, then with Bocelli, so we, humbly, always try to follow in their footsteps, to bring this kind of music higher and higher.
IGNAZIO = I’ll tell you an anecdote. In the caves, we were collaborating with the master Storaro, and he was still trying to get an extra emotion out of us. So when there were our solos, he would say to Piero: “Piero concentrate you, try not to think about anything, as if there were no one, the caves, the emotion …”
GIAN = He (Storaro)was also a director on that occasion, just for us.
IGNAZIO = …. “let the emotion out” …. ok, Piero, does his (solo), Gian does his, it’s up to me and I ask: “Give me some more advice, master …”
MARA = You are giving HIM to the master. (in Italy it is a sign of respect)
IGNAZIO = Absolutely … and he tells me: “Ignazio, forget where you are, it’s just you, the camera and nothing else around.” I followed his advice.
PIERO = He added “…and think of a person dear to you ….”
MARA = Think of a person dear to you?
IGNAZIO = Yes. The playback of the song was over and I cried and I cried for 15 minutes …
PIERO = He burst into tears.
MARA = Who were you thinking of?
IGNAZIO = Your Love is a song that means a lot to us, also because we performed in Sanremo three days after my father’s death, so it means a lot to us.
MARA = The memory!
IGNAZIO = By now, I associate that song with that moment and therefore I was in tears for 15 minutes.
GIAN = The whole album is dedicated to Vito ….
PIERO = … to Ignazio’s father.
On this occasion Ignazio proved to be a great man, because three days before our performance in Sanremo, we received this terrible news by phone, and we all expected a NO, from Ignazio, we thought we would stay at home. Instead he, as a great professional, arrived in Sanremo, sang, did his duty. He has my highest esteem. ❤(appaluse)
MARA = Who knows how you were inside, love.
IGNAZIO = I think that the greatest happiness of a parent is to see their children happy.
GIAN = There was a backstage part that I would like to tell and that moved us all.
During the rehearsals Fiorello (co-host of Sanremo), approached Ignazio and hugged him for three minutes, they hugged tightly, I’m telling you, because unfortunately he also experienced the same situation ….. and by the way we say goodbye to the great Fiorello, hello Fiore !!
MARA = (turning to Ignazio) Were you far away, when your dad passed?
IGNAZIO = I was in Bologna, we were, there. Before, we talked about the pandemic, and the lockdown, there are positive sides, I was lucky enough to spend a year and a half with my whole family, and that’s what we hope all the young people, all the boys of our age, have done – have the opportunity to spend time with their families, and to understand how important their support is.
MARA = I think so.
PIERO = But in these years…. we have been together for 13 years …
IGNAZIO = We are together, that is, we work together ….
MARA = But there would be nothing wrong, Ignazio ... (being together can be meant sentimentally)
PIERO = No, no, we are together
IGNAZIO = Of bad, nothing, but Piero, it’s not that I like him so much. 😁
MARA = Are the two of them engaged? (Piero and Gianluca). About you (Ignazio) we learned that you have a girlfriend in Brazil …
GIAN = The two of them who ??
MARA = Not the two of you together, although there would be nothing wrong with that.
GIAN = No but imagine, there would be nothing wrong …
MARA = Do you, your fiancée, have it?
GIAN = Yes, yes, I do.
MARA = You have her! And you Piero?
PIERO = No, I …
GIAN = Piero no.
MARA = Is he single?
GIAN = Piero is single, the only single, that’s right.
MARA = He is in love with Bellucci, he is waiting for Bellucci.
IGNAZIO = Morricone was one of the most beautiful projects we have ever thought …
MARA = Do you want to change the subject?
IGNAZIO = Is it understood ?? 😁
MARA = You are smart, eh !!! But when you can, with aunt !!! (she means that the aunt, that is Mara, discovers the smart ones)
IGNAZIO = (He gets up and sings to Mara, hugging her) “I’ll take you and I’ll take you away.” (applause)
MARA = Come on, another film I loved is Sacco and Vanzetti, directed by the great Giuliano Montaldo, starring Riccardo Cucciolla and GianMaria Volontè.
PIERO = For this piece, we studied a lot, because we didn’t know so many things ….
MARA = Wonderful movie.
PIERO = The story is truly poignant, because unfortunately there is injustice.
MARA = Exactly. Great movie.
GIAN = We are here, eh !!
PIERO = I was telling her about Sacco and Vanzetti …
IGNAZIO = We felt a little lonely.
MARA = Here he is (Piero), I brought him to you.
PIERO = This song is called: HERE’S TO YOU. (applause, here’s to you begins)
(applause and standing ovation at the end)
MARA = Well, you wonderful ones! I just want to say that this is an important film, an important theme, it is the story of two Italians, two emigrants who were unjustly condemned, and we at this moment want to greet all our compatriots who cannot be here.
I + P = Absolutely.
GIAN = And it is also nice to remember that soon we will be on tour, from March in the United States, we start in RCMH on March 4th, and then we will reach many people who have been waiting for us for two years since the last tour that unfortunately we had to stop due to the Covid.
MARA = So you will reach our compatriots, and not only !! But then I will also say all the dates.
Let’s move on because there is another beautiful song.
PIERO = There are many (dates)
MARA = Yes, a lot.
PIERO = More than 100 concerts in six months.
MARA = But when are you leaving?
PIERO = March 4th …
MARA = And are you coming back?
PIERO = In December
MARA = Next year (2022)
PIERO = Yes, and we will sing in Italy, we will do concerts in the summer and concerts in the winter.
MARA = How long are you away?
PIERO = From March to December no stop, only 7-8 days in July
MARA = Are you going back to Italy?
PIERO = Yes, at home.
MARA = Love !!
GIAN = At least, a little sun, a tan, otherwise we will be pale, tired, with travel …..
MARA = Let’s go on, now they make you listen to another beautiful song, music ….
PIERO = What is it?
MARA = SE TELEFONANDO
IGNAZIO = Another of my favorites.
MARA = I like it a lot too.
PIERO = Do you know how it was born?
MARA = Maurizio Costanzo (he wrote the words)
PIERO = Yes, but Ennio Morricone was at the post office paying a fine, a bill, I don’t know what it was, he heard the sound of the ambulance, the siren of the ambulance “ta-ta …. se telefonando” and from there makes you understand the genius of the master Morricone.
MARA = What a beautiful song.
PIERO = Magnificent.
MARA = Why him, great musician, great author, but then this is a song that everyone can sing, in truth.
IGNAZIO = Absolutely. But then the genius of the master Morricone was that he was inspired by silence, for him silence in his works was fundamental …
PIERO = Determinant
IGNAZIO = I like to compose, and sometimes, removing is more difficult than adding.
MARA = It’s true.
IGNAZIO = The essential is something difficult to achieve. It can only be reached by those who are geniuses, like the maestro Morricone.
MARA = How wise have you become, aunt’s love. (she hugs Ignazio)
IGNAZIO = Mamma mia, I’m getting emotional!
MARA = Come on, come on, come on, SE TELEFONANDO, Il Volo!! (starts Se Telefonando)
(applause and standing ovation at the end)
MARA = IL Volo, on Domenica IN, which makes us spend the wonderful Boxing Day !!
Good, good guys, good, good guys (she applauds the guys).
Now I’m sending something with you, from here, from this position. Last year was December 25, 2020, exactly one year ago, and where were you? In St. Peter’s Square ..
P + G + I = Yes, St. Peter’s Square.
MARA = With ???
PIERO = Nobody, there was nobody. Ours is a dream job, we are dreamers and we saw that surreal situation, lockdown, at home at ten, and we wanted to wish the whole country a Merry Christmas from there. We got organized, with the director of RAI1.
MARA = Stefano Coletta.
IGNAZIO = Let us wish him well for Santo Stefano.
G + P + I + M = Greetings director !!
PIERO = And so from there, we made these four songs, to wish a Merry Christmas, with St. Peter’s Square completely empty.
MARA = Let’s see it then. (start the video of Merry Christmas from San Pietro 2020)
In the video: Gian = On this very special day, in which, even if we are close, we are forced to stay away, we wanted to find a way to wish you a Merry Christmas.
Ignazio = With music, in this extraordinary square.
PIERO = The hope is that Christmas, with its magic, can bring a smile to your homes, and warm your hearts.
MARA = How beautiful !! It’s beautiful, I think you have performed everywhere, but I think this was an emotion …… (addressed to Piero) at one in the morning did you tell me?
IGNAZIO = In fact there was still a curfew, so thanks to the Municipality of Rome, and the Vatican who gave us permission to be able to register it. So as not to create a crowd, we did it after curfew, we finished at 1am.
I want take this opportunity to reiterate that the mind that thinks these things is Michele Torpedine, who has all these fantastic ideas.
MARA = That we say hello to Michele (she blows a kiss), where is Michele? It should be around here!
PIERO = Do you think that Luciano Pavarotti called him (Torpedine) Great Boss, and he too (Ignazio), jokingly also called him Great Boss.
I’ve never done, it but I told him: “The day you make us sing in front of Pope Francis, I’ll call you Big Boss”, and now I have to!
GIAN = Behind every singer, there are people who allow them to be able to fully express their art, surely he is the person …..
PIERO = Can you turn the camera? He is there, behind …(Michele is nearby)
MARA = No look, let’s do one thing: “Come here, Michele, we’re talking about you” (applause)
PIERO = Great Michele.
MARA = (drags Torpedine on stage). Sorry, they were talking about you.
MT = You know that these things embarrass me, I’m not used to it.
MARA = Come on. Listen, we are almost at the end of this beautiful segment, I don’t know how to thank you.
How do you handle these boys, Torpedine?
MT = How do you manage three dynamites like this, they go it alone, just say yes or no to things.
MARA = Now you all go, go around the world for months …
MT = Around the world, we hope that everything goes well with Covid.
MARA = We hope, we hope so.
IGNAZIO = We thought we would leave you with a Christmas song, since they told us that Christmas songs are sung until the Epiphany.
MARA = Come on, the witch is here. (herself)
PIERO = White Christmas.
MARA = White Christmas, Il Volo, and I take Michele away. (White Christmas song begins)
Thanks guys, (applause), thanks, thanks. Happy New Year!
IGNAZIO = We want to thank you.
MARA = Thanks to you.
IGNAZIO = We wanted to congratulate you for the new year.
PIERO = We never had the opportunity to spend all this time together, you are really human !!
GIAN = Thanks for believing in us.
MARA = You gave me a great gift, guys.
IGNAZIO = And you gave us a great gift, because talking about each other, is not always easy.
GIAN = Best wishes to you too who are following us, hoping that it will be a 2022 of normality.
IGNAZIO = We wish you to collect all the most beautiful, unthinkable and imaginary fruits, because “nothing is impossible”.
MARA = And it’s true !!
GIAN = He is also international, him.
PIERO = Only optimism !!
MARA = Come on guys, but see you, you go around the world …
PIERO = See you in concert in Italy …
MARA = At the Arena ??
PIERO = In June at the Verona Arena and Taormina …
MARA = And so, see you in March. They go and then they come back: Il Volo !!!
I have no words after this beautiful interview, it was long, but not boring at all.
I believe that when our young men open their hearts, we only know of good feelings.
This is also what we like about them, their way of being, unites us and brings us closer and closer to their human side, they are not only excellent artists, there is much more.
Sunday 26 December, Santo Stefano (with us 25 and 26 December are always holidays), on RAI 1, during the program DOMENICA IN, conducted in the studio by Mara Venier, Il Volo was a guest.
A pleasant hour, where Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca sang and talked, a really nice interview, which had already been previously recorded, to make sure that that day, everyone was with their own family.
Here is the video and its translation.
Click on the photo below to view the video.
MARA = I would start immediately with them, I thank them very much, they are indeed ambassadors of Italian culture and music in the world and thanks to Rai Italia, we are seen all over the world and I want to greet all the Italians living abroad and me I would start immediately with Il Volo.
(Applause. A video begins with the most important stages of Il Volo’s career)
But how wonderful this video is, how many very famous people they met.
Well we will be here, we will present the latest wonderful project of Il Volo, which is entirely dedicated to the great Ennio Morricone, but let’s start immediately like this: IL VOLO.
(Enter Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero, applause, kisses and hugs)
Guys, start right away with the first performance, then let’s talk about everything, everything.
GIAN = Come on, we are ready, here we are. (the song SE begins, from Cinema Paradiso)
MARA = Well done, well done.
PIERO = How beautiful.
IGNAZIO + GIAN = Thank you
MARA = I’m excited, maybe it’s Holy Christmas …. she turns to Gian: “Everything’s fine, dear”.
GIAN = Very well.
MARA = Very good, very good.
PIERO = This is too much. (He refers to the constant applause of the audience.)
MARA = No, it’s never too much. But have you seen the video we sent?
IGNAZIO = Absolutely yes, and it’s always exciting to see it.
PIERO = There were the images of the film Nuovo Cinema Paradiso.
MARA = These are taken from the film Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, which together with Il Ferroviere(another Italian film) are the films of my life (he means that they are his favorite films). I know the lines of the film by heart.
PIERO = It is also my favorite movie.
MARA = Mine too.
PIERO = I watched it during the lockdown, I dedicated a Sunday afternoon to this film, I don’t deny you that I cried.
MARA = When he looks at all the kissing film clippings …..?
PIERO = For me, the most exciting moment, as a Sicilian, when he says to him: “Don’t get nostalgic, never come back” …. there an emotion came to me ….
GIAN = It’s normal, it’s a bit like what we experienced, leaving what was ours ….
MARA = Sure, maybe because of this. Do you recognize yourself a little …
PIERO = So much ….
MARA = However it is a wonderful film, great Peppuccio Tornatore, great director, great friend, a kiss. (applause)
So guys, I saw in the first video, during your presentation, and I must tell you that I was quite excited, because the path you have made, who has it happened to?
Maybe in Modugno, I don’t know, I really think about the greats, the myths.
What happened to you in a few years is simply wonderful (applause)because you bring Italy to the world. And Italy is not just pizza, spaghetti and mandolin(stereotype of Italy), it is also something else and you are bringing something else, your talent, your voice, I wanted to tell you.
IGNAZIO = This has always been our goal, to make our culture known, however in this album, we give prestige to what was the maestro Ennio Morricone, and as you can see from the cover, we also remember Sergio Leone’s films (western director and friend of Morricone).
MARA = Beautiful.
GIAN = Remember the movie The Good, The Bad and the Ugly ….
MARA = Beautiful also the photo inside, though. Look at these three children.
PIERO = Can we have a marker to autograph this album to Mara?
MARA = Really? Immediately, live? Come on, yes!
IGNAZIO = I’ll go.
MARA = Look, by magic, there is also the marker, “Aunt Mara” and this too (she also gives the CD and asks that they be dedicated to aunt Mara, as Mara often calls herself by young people).
IGNAZIO = The dedications are made by Gianluca.
GIANLUCA = Since I have the most beautiful writing, I write.
PIERO = I write like doctors, doctors’ recipes (prescriptions) ….
MARA = … that it is not clear what you write.
IGNAZIO = While Gianluca is writing, let’s go back to the previous discussion ..
MARA = Among all these important characters, myths, true myths, is there anyone who has moved you more? Saw Barbra Streisand ….
PIERO = The editing you did is really beautiful, but each of us has his own indelible memory, personally, singing in front of Pope Francis in Panama, during the youth day, I think it was one of the most important and profound moments.
MARA = Of course, I believe it. Then he has a great charisma, I spent two afternoons with him, one afternoon for 4 hours always with him, and the incredible thing is that it’s like talking ….. (the photo of the boys with the Pope appears in the background) There they are !! …. because he is a simple man, it is like being really, with a grandfather.
IGNAZIO = I think that a figure like Pope Francis, we needed it, also to approach the youngest, I speak as a boy who does not practice, but, thanks to Pope Francis, I have re-evaluated the religious world.
MARA = Of course, when there are men like that, then he is a real revolutionary, guys.
GIAN = Maybe he’s looking at us, let’s say hello.
MARA = We greet Pope Francis: “Happy St. Stephen Holiness!” ….. but he only wants to be called Pope Francis.
So guys, I start where we started, because it’s beautiful, then do your whole wonderful journey.
(Begins a 2011 video of the LA VITA IN DIRETTA program , conducted by Mara Venier, with guests of the very young Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca. In the video Mara says that three of them are 48 years old and then asks who wanted the name Il Volo and Piero replies that it is a metaphorical name and that they decided it together.)
Have you understood? In the end I wished you to fly high, but you took me at my word !!!
GIAN = I still remember the first moments. It was one of our first interviews. I still remember the excitement of doing the interviews, we didn’t know what to say, sometimes we got tangled up, we didn’t really know how to behave with the cameras. It’s amazing how, over time, things can change, in 10 years our life has changed in an incredible way.
MARA = Incredible. Have you ever thought about all this guys? (she drops the felt-tip pen)
IGNAZIO = I’ll take care of it.
MARA = Come on, I can do it.
IGNAZIO = I wanted to be a gentleman.
MARA = What love !! I wanted to take this (the vinyl) and show it because it’s beautiful.
PIERO = Actually while we were singing she was afraid that it would be stolen.
MARA = In fact, look, I’m holding it tight. By the way, Monica Bellucci called me (Il Volo was a guest on the previous Sunday for a tribute to the actress Monica Bellucci in connection from Paris).
IGNAZIO = Did she like it?
MARA = She thanked me, it was a surprise, she wasn’t expecting it at all.
GIAN = It was good for us too.
MARA = Really?
GIAN = Sure
MARA = Did you have any feedback?
GIAN = Apart from that, during the interview, Monica Bellucci is Monica Bellucci(as if to say that Bellucci is famously beautiful) .… but Mara Venier ….
PIERO = But Mara Venier is Mara Venier (as if to say that Mara is beautiful too)
MARA = Oh yes, at my age …. guys but I invite you every Sunday ….
IGNAZIO = You have to thank that I am already busy, otherwise I would make you a ruthless court (what a seducer).
MARA = Where is your girlfriend?
IGNAZIO = She is far away.
MARA = Very far?
PIERO = No, she’s near here, around the corner.
GIAN = Exactly!
PIERO = In Brazil.
MARA = But you really had to find her in Brazil?
IGNAZIO = Love does not know distances, it does not know religions, races.
MARA = Is she Brazilian?
IGNAZIO = Yes. Traveling, you meet different cultures, and this has given us the opportunity to get to know the whole world and also arrive in Brazil, where I later met what my love is, however ….
MARA = But why Ignazio, didn’t you join her now for Christmas?
IGNAZIO = Work calls and we are very professional.
MARA = Like me.
IGNAZIO = Exactly. Unfortunately or fortunately, in life you have to work and there are priorities.
MARA = I am very happy.
IGNAZIO = And we are young ….
MARA = You have time, now, as soon as the broadcast is over, you can join it.
IGNAZIO = Yes, I’m going down (He means Brazil. Actually the program is recorded in this way Ignazio at Christmas reached his love in Brazil.)
MARA = So guys, let’s talk again ….. why are you looking at me like this Piero, you look at me and you make me laugh.
PIERO = I respect you, you are fantastic. See you go to the programs, that feeling with the presenter, it is fundamental, it is crucial to make sure that the best part of us comes out.
MARA = Sure.
PIERO = Because you know, behind the artist, behind the singer, many at home cannot perceive the personality, because there is always the fear of making a mistake, or how much to talk, with you it is unfiltered.
IGNAZIO = Also because you always talk, so we are fine.
MARA = That’s not true !! I always make you talk and above all I listen, what a bad Ignazio. (Ignazio laughs) I’m not sending you to your girlfriend, I make you stay here, even for New Year’s, I don’t let you leave. (applause and laughter)
Ennio Morricone, why? You are very young, boys and here are some pieces that will truly remain in history.
GIAN = Let’s say that we have had an artistic evolution over the years, it all started with O SOLE MIO, then slowly, even with Grande Amore, we tried to have our own repertoire, then in 2016 a Tribute to the Three Tenors with Plácido Domingo, and this time we decided to pay a tribute, however, on the soundtracks of the films, which are a little detached from what is the real tradition of Italian music, because in any case Morricone is a genre in itself, an international genre, which has made history …
MARA = Oscar winner!
GIAN = Exactly, and therefore he wrote a music that has made generations dream, and it is also a way to make him known to the youngest, who may not be able to connect the music with the composer at first glance. So for us it is really an honor, we also thank the family, the teacher Andrea Morricone ….
MARA = The son.
GIAN = …. who immediately supported the project, and also his wife Maria Travia, who also gave the possibility to have her son (Andrea) write a text on the first sung version of the Ecstasy of Gold by Il Buono, the bad, the ugly.
MARA = Beautiful !! Now I’ll show you June of this year, the Verona Arena, I remember that we made a connection, just to launch your concert, let’s see this clip together.
(A video starts with Your Love from the Verona concert. In the video, Andrea Morricone says: “It is really exciting to hear my father’s music playing in this splendid Arena, it is really fantastic.” Ignazio says:
“Maestro Morricone means a lot to us, he is a symbol of Italy in the world, on this stage with the great maestro Andrea Morricone, is an honor.”)
How wonderful! (applause)
PIERO = Mara, those images are really strong for us, because the first images we saw are taken from the concert on June 5th and it was the first concert, right after the lockdown ….
MARA = Sure.
PIERO = ….. with 50% of the capacity of the Verona Arena.
IGNAZIO = 6 thousand.
PIERO = Yes, 6 thousand people, so we got on stage after almost two years of pause and silence, so there we really understood that for an artist, for a singer, the audience is oxygen.
MARA = Sure, absolutely. How have you lived through these two years of pandemic and I keep saying that we must still be very careful. Yes, we must not give up.
IGNAZIO = Never.
MARA = You who are used to traveling the world, never stand still.
GIAN = We tried to live it definitely not in a passive way. It is not easy, because many families have certainly suffered, and there have been people who have not been able to manage, especially young people, adolescents, who perhaps miss the most delicate period of their life and therefore, in some way, be still, not having a place in society, being able to understand what to do in the future and instead stopping, was certainly difficult for young people. And we also try to be an example for the young people who follow us.
MARA = Absolutely.
GIAN = We certainly haven’t stopped, you need to have a spirit of adaptation, when life puts you to the test anyway.
MARA = Look Gianluca, when I invite my guests, especially artists, musicians, even important ones, I always asked them, during the pandemic, during the lockdown, what they did, and the majority always told me that they continued to write, and moreover, they have also had the concentration, in these months, even so difficult, also of pain, of insecurity, of fear, in the end, but many have told me that they have been creative.
GIAN = They gave vent to creativity.
MARA = Exactly, they gave vent to creativity, exactly.
PIERO = We, too, created this album during the pandemic.
MARA = The album was born right there.
PIERO = Yes, because for us, the worst enemy has always been time, we have never had the time to concentrate or dedicate ourselves to taking care of all aspects of a project.
For this album, we worked a year and a half, the initial part via ZOOM (internet) with video calls. Then we went to the recording studio, zoomed in with the linked producers from Stockholm. We wanted it at all costs.
GIAN = Then it is clear that we always try to see the positive side, because from 2009 to today, we have always been 7-8 months a year out (abroad), on tour or promotion of the record, in short, it is our life. But in these two years, the positive thing is that we have been more with our families, we have cultivated relationships, met love, maybe we have been more with our friends. So we rediscovered what was our “old life”.
MARA = Exactly.
GIAN = Because anyway it’s like jumping on two different tracks every now and then, Il Volo and then ….
MARA = And then I imagine that when you are away for months and months, abroad, traveling the world with the tour, in short, your family, but also your country, in the end you miss them.
IGNAZIO = We always say that these years have been the result of positive and negative things.
Personally I am a person who has a hard time falling asleep at night, because my head is constantly thinking, about everything there is to do, I store a lot of information. But I realized that sometimes stopping, even if difficult, stopping is good, also to understand what you want from life, what you are doing.
MARA = Reflect, a moment of calm.
PIERO = You live everything with frenzy.
MARA = Especially you.
PIERO = We never stop, only at Christmas. For us, Christmas, on the 24th evening, we have to go home, and it is as if time stopped.
MARA = And this is beautiful, can I tell you? Coming home on the 24th is beautiful.
IGNAZIO = then on the 26th we come to Rome! (Domenica In is recorded in Rome).
MARA = Let’s go on guys, now there is a beautiful piece always taken from Morricone, “Once Upon a Time in the West”.
PIERO = It is the song we sang in Sanremo, this year we were guests in Sanremo.
MARA = So now you will let the guests of “Zia Mara” hear it.
Happy New Year! I know things are not looking so great right now but let’s hope this whole thing will pass soon! And let’s not forget we are only two months away from the World Tour!
Each week I receive many emails from the fans. Some giving their opinions on the column or an opinion on something that happened during the week. Many ask questions and ask if I can forward their questions to the guys! So, in my column today I want to share some of these emails and see if we can get some answers to your questions. I must say some of you have interesting questions.
Let’s start with this letter from Barbara Gabriel that I received this week.
Barbara Gabriel – Sat, Jan 1
Dear Susan,
First thank you for your beautifully well written updates.
I’m just wondering if you can provide me the date of Il Volo’s concert held in San Diego at a small venue called Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn a few years ago.
My husband of 57 years and I attended one there. He recently passed the end of July and I’m just trying to remember. We loved the ragazzi then and I still do. I enjoy their music of all genres, especially the Bel Canto since my grandparents immigrated from Udine and my husband’s grandparents from Calabria. They all came to America seeking better lives for their families. Additionally, I speak a bit of Spanish and appreciate the Hispanic culture and music.
Their music is healing during these sad times. I hope they continue making beautiful music and never lose their path.
Wishing you and Il Volo all the best. Thank for reading my email and if you are able to provide the concert date it will fill in a memory gap. But no worries if not. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Barbara Gabriel
If anyone knows the date of the concert at Humphrey Half Moon Inn, could you, please let me know.
Gale asked a good question in her recent email.
GALE SIMONIS – Fri, Dec 31
Oh Susan. I really admire your talent and because of that and your devotion to our guys you continue to inform, amuse and delight us with your loving accounts of life in IL Volo sphere. Gosh it really comes to life for us.
The new music is almost indescribable; so many flourishing adjectives but for me one song hovers over the rest. Come Sail Away has my heart, my tears and my memories.
I want to know how the maestro came about writing this song.
What inspired him?
Susan, you have abilities beyond, and I know you are a fan of this song too. If anyone can check this out, I think you can. I would love to hear if there is a back story.
Happy New Year Susan and please know we await your
Next message, recollection and update.
Above all Thank you, Grazie mille.
Gale
I totally agree with Gale, this is a beautiful song, and I am very taken by it. I believe this is a song that was not written for a movie but that is all I really know about it. If anyone knows the answer, could you please let me know.
Beautiful, truthful, words from Sally Kevers
Sally Evers – Fri, Dec 17, 2021
Hello Susan,
Loved your latest story on Flight Crew. You marvel at how these three stars (our Il Volo) are so kind and accessible to their fans, unlike most performers. I have a short example that still amazes me every time I think of it, and I can’t think of Ignazio without remembering his amazing kindness. I wrote about this before in a Flight Crew posting, but you may have missed it.
At the 2020 Atlanta Ten Year Concert I had tickets along with a good friend. Regrettably, I did not get meet and greet because I knew she could not afford that too. I did help her sign up for the fan club so that we could both go to the soundcheck before the concert.
At the soundcheck we were all seated on the second row of the theater. I was seat number 3 and my friend, number 4 starting from the left side. There was an empty row of seats in front of us all except there were no seats where the first two seats on each end would have been (the row is off set). I suspect they seat us on the second row on purpose to keep their fans from mobbing them all at once. We were all polite and stayed seated and quiet while Gianluca and Piero both practiced their numbers with the orchestra. Ignazio was nowhere to be seen. Both Gianluca and Piero came over to greet us, each individually, when they were finished with their warmup.
After their greetings, the lady sitting in seat number 2 to my immediate left, accidentally dropped her iPhone on the floor and she frantically tried to find it under her seat without getting up. The theater was dark so she couldn’t see anything, and the seats are cramped so there was not any room to maneuver. She literally had her head between her legs groping on the floor (I’m sure she was mortified!). At that precise moment Ignazio comes down the aisle behind us (we are totally unaware of this), pivots in a grand gesture (so like him!) and presents his hand to the lady in seat number 1. She is momentarily shocked but recovers quickly and talks with Ignazio and gives him a present. Then he moves along to the lady in seat number 2. She is still in her unladylike-like posture groping for her phone on the floor! She has no idea that anyone is standing there in front of her, much less that it is Ignazio! I don’t know her at all, but I start tapping her on her back trying to tell her it’s Ignazio! She’s “not receiving” any input and keeps looking for her phone. Ignazio immediately understands the situation and stands perfectly still, hands patiently clasped and patiently WAITS until this lady finally sits up, phone in her hand, when she is shocked to find Ignazio facing her! Only then did he offer to shake her hand and graciously greet her. He acted as though he had all the time in the world! This was MINUTES before the performance! He moved on to greet each and every fan seated in that long row, not hurrying at all! What other performer do you know of who would even consider doing that? They all would have just quickly moved along to the next fan, leaving that poor woman missing out on the thrill of meeting Ignazio. Or, more likely, they would have skipped the whole meet the fans thing.
Small gesture I know, but this so impressed me! What a kind and generous heart he has!
Ciao,
Sally
Yes, Sally that is true Ignazio. Always polite and patient!
Love from Montreal Canada
Judith Phillips – Thu, Dec 16, 2021
Dear Susan,
Thank you for your wonderful post – the first I’ve received since discovering Flight Crew and signing up for e-mails.
I was not aware that so many others were as concerned as I about “the guys” when COVID hit. Having no family and only friends who call my passion for Il Volo “misguided” and “crazy”, I can discuss them with no one.
Though I have marveled at how the stars aligned just so that these three would meet, be so devoted to such a grand passion at such a young age and form the bond they have, until reading your post, I was not aware of their love for and gratitude towards their fans. They give so much and, as you said, “…family are the people who are there for you every day…”; perhaps I can begin to understand the connection I have always felt with Il Volo (maybe not crazy?).
The guys will perform in my city (Montreal) on March 6th; what I wouldn’t give to be in attendance (entry by “e-ticket only” and no smart phone…). I will, however, be there in spirit – though not the same – while three ethereal voices fill the concert hall with their magnificent sound. I hope fans appreciate the long, hard hours of work they put into preparing a concert, recording, rehearsing, signing, touring etc. etc. to bring us such immense joy.
These three beautiful souls deserve only love, happiness and peace in their lives. May they be together for many years to come.
Again, many thanks,
Judith, Montreal Canada
If anyone knows how Judith can get around this entry by “e-ticket only,” since she does not have a smart phone, please let me know and I will pass on the info. All you Canadians got any suggestions?
Even in pain the fans follow
Susan Torres – Wed, Dec 15, 2021
I would like to share my story which is similar to other fans. I have followed Il Volo since the first PBS concert. I’ve been to 6 concerts even traveled to Rome for one. I’ve bought every CD and DVD. In February 2020, I had a back and hip injury shortly before the concert in Tampa Florida. I was in the hospital but insisted on being discharged so I could go to the concert. I took pain pills and for a couple of hours I was in a magical world. Then I flew to Dallas for the concert there because I already had tickets. Again, with the help of pain medication I attended the concert, and it was even better. They left shortly thereafter but their music has stayed with us during this difficult time. I listen to them every day and every time I get in the car. Every time I have an MRI, I ask for Il Volo music. I wonder if they realize how much their music means to us and helps us to keep going. I love the new album and I look forward to the concert next year in Dallas for which I already have tickets. I will try to attend more if possible.
I forgot to mention that I visited your lovely country 2 times because of the bel canto introduced to me by Il Volo and I’m also taking Italian language lessons to try to learn your beautiful language.
WOW! Susan! That’s amazing and she’s learning Italian!
A message especially for Ignazio!
Donna Hackler – Thu, Dec 9, 2021
First of all, thank you Susan for your Xmas post!!! If there is any possible way for this to reach Ignazio, I think he’d be happy to know, and I’d be more than grateful. Ignazio was only 16 years old, and he saved my life. I am 72 years old and live with severe pain all the time and had become suicidal. Seeing the guys on pbs changed my life – just wanting to see and hear them. Ignazio was the chubby little Italian boy next door with a head of curls and the voice of an angel, for years I could visualize him between 3 &. 8. Finally got over that since he’s grown into such a loving caring man. I just wanted to thank him and Piero and Gian as well I’d have not been here and missed a lot of special people if not for Il Volo. Thank you to you, the guys, their team & Merry Christmas to all with love. DH
I’m sure Ignazio and the guys will love your message and will be very happy they were able to help you through your difficult days.
Planning a trip to Sicily.
Magdalena Shaw – Sun, Nov 28, 2021
Susan, I love the way you write about these three fantastic guys.
Keep on doing it, please.
It is very easy to love them! So special!
I am planning a trip to Sicily and hope to see them in concert in Taormina.
Nice to read your articles.
I am from Montevideo, Uruguay, but now a days I live in Punta del Este, a very special place, by the sea.
Chau!
Magdalena Shaw
I hope to see you in Taormina!
This is a message I get at least once a week.
Kate Spencer – Thu, Nov 11, 2021
Thank you for such a great article. It was lovely and informative.
I feel very pleased for everyone in America and North America that they will get the chance to see the guys perform again.
But I’m also sad that for some reason they don’t come and sing in England. We do have quite a few fans which I know, like me, would love to see them in concert.
As it is I’m enjoying the latest album very much!
Thank you again for the report 🙂
Kate
Hey guys! Go to England!
Loves it all Nico too!
Antonela Molalyiska – Fri, Oct 8, 2021
Dear Susan, thanks for the nice stuff. Ignazio always surprises me, not only with his singing and composing, but also with his tender soul. Nico is also a gentle, artistic soul. Mr. Torpedine is a talent scout! The videos gave me great pleasure. I miss the translation of the text …. 😰 But even without translation, it is a great experience to follow the development of both Inga and Niko. I’m waiting for new products.💚
Did you get that Ignazio?
Going back to Radio City Music Hall
Lill Pierce – Thu, Jul 1, 2021
Susan,
My name is Lillian Pierce, but most people call me Lill. I live in the California Bay Area in a town called Brentwood (not the Brentwood in Los Angeles). I am 66 years old.
My Grandfather Pellegrino Giannini was from Sesto Moriano in Lucca, Italy. My grandmother Ana Sanchez was from Uneda, Spain.
My mother grew up listening to opera music and bel canto, therefore, I also grew up listening to it at home.
One of my greatest memories is of my cousin and I taking my mom, his mom and their cousin to see The Three Tenors in Los Angeles in the late 90’s.
In 2019 I was to have each of my knees replaced, one after the other. Pre-surgery blood tests found a problem with my Blood counts, and, after many tests and scans, a tumor was found in my left kidney and another directly above it in my adrenal gland. The doctors were sure they were malignant. I decided the organs should be removed. The surgery was in the middle of March. I was extremely fortunate that only the kidney tumor was malignant. I did not need any further treatment.
Unfortunately, about three weeks later, my lungs were filled with fluid, and I was hospitalized for a week. It turned out to be a knick during surgery caused lymphatic fluid to fill my lungs. I was sent home with a drain from my back and a very special diet. If that did not work, I would have to have another surgery to insert a feeding tube for approximately two months to allow it to heal.
I was determined to not need the feeding tube and followed the directions from my doctor. After 8 weeks, the leak healed itself.
In June 2019 I had my left knee replaced. I recovered very quickly and had my right knee replaced less than three months later.
I call 2019 my Year From Hell.
I had first seen Il Volo while watching Entourage with my son. I later saw their PBS special from Palermo.
While I was stuck at home for most of the year, I rediscovered Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca on the internet.
I watched video after video and became a dedicated fan. They kept me entertained and helped me pass the time during recovery and physical therapy. I decided that when I had fully recovered, I would go to a concert, but not locally. I wanted a destination show. So, in January 2020, with a few friends, I saw them at Radio City Music Hall. It was wonderful!
I am waiting for tickets to go on sale for the next Radio City concert so I can see them again. I am sure I will also see them locally as well.
I so enjoy your Facebook posts and your stories posted on Il Volo Flight Crew. Thank you, also, for giving me something to help me pass the time a couple years ago.
Thanks for letting me share my story.
Lill
I’m happy the guys helped you recuperate. I’m happy you got to see the guys at Radio City Music Hall. I was also there that night, and it was truly amazing! Hope to see you at Radio City in March!
Many of you know Jacquie Milligan. This is a beautiful farewell letter and a wonderful tribute to her.
Judy Paullin Thurman – Mon, Sep 20, 2021
One day in 2014 I noticed a fun post by a lady named Jacquie Milligan while I was scrolling through some fan groups of an Italian singing trio. I left a comment and Jacquie commented back. A friendship that would last seven years was born! We had one thing in common… those 3 boys. I live near Nashville, TN and she lived on an island near Seattle, WA. The boys who were about 18, 19, and 20 years old by then were just about the only thing we had in common with each other… but they were enough. We had both fallen under the spell first of their surprisingly mature voices and then also of their adorable personalities. By the time we “met” online Jacquie and I had each followed the group called IL VOLO which means “The Flight” in Italian, for many years. So, from the beginning there was never a dull, quiet moment with nothing to say. We both had a favorite among the three! Because of his personality we were drawn to Ignazio. But the other two, Piero and Gianluca, were just as talented and equally loved. Jacquie called Ignazio her “Sunshine Boy” and he was exactly that in her life! At first, we chatted online. We talked about the latest photos and videos, we talked about their home life, their parents and siblings. The boys shared all that online. We had seen their birthday parties inside the home of each guy’s family. When on the sad occasion of a grandparent passing, we saw the heartbroken post that simply said, “Ciao Nonno” (Goodbye Grampa). These things drew us all closer to the families of the teenagers who started international touring when they were 15, 16, and 17. Time flew by and we were soon talking almost every night except when I traveled to Italy and the time zones between us were numerous. Eventually we started calling each other and I heard her sweet voice which seemed to be that of a much younger lady than her actual years!
Now these teenagers were grown up, performing all over the US and South America, also from Moscow to Tokyo, Argentina to Brazil, Mexico City to London at the most prestigious venues. They played for kings and queens, presidents and even the Pope. Each new success was dear to our hearts, so Jacquie and I filled her late-night hours with their amazing accomplishments. It was fun for me to bring the many concerts I attended over the years in the US, Italy and once in London to her world which had become limited to just her home on Whidbey Island.
Jacquie has friends all over the world who miss chatting with her online and when that was no longer possible, they still wrote to her Facebook page and left messages that I would share with her.
Goodbye dear Jacquie. Your departure was rather sudden, but you are not forgotten. The last time we spoke she was her same spunky self and that is how I will always remember her. We playfully talked about flying to Rome in our dreams that night and we would see “the boys,” our Il Volo! Sweet dreams!!!
Thank you, Judy, you’ve said it all!And Farewell Jacquie!
The day always comes when they see the light!
Barbara Lenox – Sun, Aug 29, 2021
My eldest son (59.9) has been quietly anguished for some time because his mother seems to be obsessed with Il Volo. Recently, at a gathering of in- laws, he overhears his bro-in-law (a VIP in NY who shall remain nameless) raving about this terrific Italian group that he and his wife have been following and taking in every show that they can drive to for a few years, hoping they get back to NY soon. He puts me on the phone with the man (not young) and of course I tell him March 18, RCMH. Oh boy, he’s all excited!
All of a sudden, the old lady becomes much smarter and a musical genius! Everything is relative – or relativeS!
Barbara Gorham Lenox. Boston girl
Great story Barbara! I’ve heard it before!
Brussels loves you too guys!
Louise van Hemert
(Translation follows)
ik heb ignazio mogen volgen via rai 1ik vergat geen zaterdag ti lascio canzone te bekijken geniet nog dagelijks van de c/d heb ook 3 keer een concert bezocht 2x in SICILA 1X BRUSSEL ik wens ze nog heel veel succes toe wens ook alle veel gezondheid toe
I have been allowed to follow Ignazio via rai 1. I did not forget to watch a Saturday of Ti Lascio una Canzone and I still enjoy daily the c/d. I have also gone to concerts 3 times 2x in SICILA 1X BRUSSELS. I wish them a lot of success also wish all a lot of health
Thank you, Brussels!
Admiration and love for these young men.
Gina Dillon – Wed, Aug 25, 2021
Oh Susan,
Your story about Ignazio is so beautiful and says a lot of what I have thought about him just by watching him. My thought is that he, unlike Gianluca & Piero, seems vulnerable. When a child deals with the issues he did with his mother, it changes them. His mother was sick and gone a good part of his younger childhood and that affects the child for the rest of their life. There is a compassion to him that is very visible. Watch him with kids – amazing! I do have to say all three of these young men are very good and kind with children which is something you rarely seen in performers (especially male) and at their ages.
I enjoy watching all of their videos, but it is very interesting to single Ignazio out and yes, watch what he does on stage. He is very much in step with the orchestra, and you can just see the wheels turning. I believe he is a little more grounded and serious than the other two and again, I attribute it to the way he was raised. It is also about personality and this young man has dreams and ambition.
I totally agree, Ignazio is still grieving the loss of his father and I am sure has had to step in and help his mother and sister through all of this. This is where the covid mess has helped him. He doesn’t have to worry about being gone as much and can be there for his family and for himself. Also, let’s not forget, there is a new lady in his life. Ignazio’s life if quite full.
There is absolutely no reason for anyone to have an unkind word about these three beautiful young men. These guys conduct themselves in a manner in which we would wish for all young people, especially in the entertainment business. I have nothing but admiration and love for these young men. I pray that they stay united in their love for one another and keep bringing us their beautiful music with those God given extraordinary voices.
Thank you,
Gina
That’s beautiful Gina!
They turned out to be geniuses!
Virginia Kohks – Thu, Aug 19, 2021
This was such a very delightful story because it shows just what a wonderful story it truly is.
Anyone who thought they could throw three teenage boys of such talent together without challenges is either a little crazy or extremely brave! But he turned out to be genius. He saw the potential and trusted his instincts as well as the boys and their families. The result of the boys growing into such wonderful young men speaks so well of their parents and their upbringing. And everyone around them during this maturing process can be very proud of the result.
Having had four teenagers to raise at a time in my life I know what a challenge teenagers can be under normal circumstances. And these were not normal circumstances.
These talented teenagers after all acted like every other teenager except, they were amazingly talented and had such wonderful aspirations.
Earlier you wrote about how they would argue about who got to sit in the front seat of the car. Such an argument is so typical of teenagers. That was a common issue with my teenagers who called that “riding shotgun.”
I have often wondered just how difficult it was to throw these three talented teenage strangers together and have such an incredible outcome. We, the fans, benefit from the results. So, this recent story that is often in their own words about their experiences and how sudden stardom was overwhelming is just wonderfully written and a joy to read.
Thank you so much for the stories. It makes us feel we are a bit more involved with knowing each one of them as we have a peek into their lives.
Very sincerely
Virginia Kohks
Yes, riding shotgun it is! Virginia responded to my response with the following
virginia kohks – Tue, Aug 24, 2021
I’m sorry to have to ask this but is there a way to receive an autographed photo of Il Volo without having to pay? I’m 81 years old and on a fixed income but would love to have a photo. I adore these young men.
Just curious.
Thanks so much.
Virginia Kohks
She adores you guys!
The Tribute that intrigued!
Emily Peretz – Thu, Aug 5, 2021
Hi Susan!
I read with real eagerness your article on the performance of Il Volo in honor of Ennio Morricone. My name is Emily Peretz and I live in Israel. My father was born in Florence, Italy and from there I had a great love for Italian music.
Every word you wrote was just right! I watched this show a few times because it was perfect!! I laughed and cried during the show. I’m used to seeing Piero, Ignacio and Gianluca laughing, fooling around, and having fun on stage. This time … I saw completely different guys (in the good sense of the word) … As they entered the stage it just hit me! Their beauty! (You can see how beautiful they are only when they are together), their seriousness, the excitement … It is obvious that they went through a shaky experience! They sang only a week after Vito’s death; this is the hardest thing there is!
But I have no doubt Ignazio would not have made this show without the support of Piero and Gianluca. I was so excited to read that Gianluca went to Sicily to be with Ignacio along with Piero during this hard period! There is no guy like him! And together they did everything to make the show so successful. And not only that … They supported him mentally.
At the show I noticed that Piero supported Ignazio all the time! He looked at him, reassured him when he was excited, and hugged him a lot. It thrilled me to see it! Their closeness and love for each other is what made the show special, this closeness made them sing so wonderfully, in a special harmony!
I personally will never forget this show!
I just wanted to share my feelings with you …
With great appreciation!
Emily Peretz – Israel
The guys certainly grew into handsome young men and the performance in Verona was absolutely Amazing!
Well, that about sums up what the fans had to say. I’m sorry I couldn’t include all the emails but, I promise I will do this again and “Letthe Fans Speak!”
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
