Piero’s story is a beautiful story of a little boy in a garden singing and the love of a grandfather which leads this boy to stardom!
A while back I wrote a story about Piero’s dream. Of course, we all know his dream is to sing in an opera one day.
Over the last two years, Piero has developed that voice, that true operatic voice which will be the means by which he will achieve his dream.
Seeing him at Radio City Music Hall recently, I couldn’t help but notice the strength in his voice. His voice has rounded and expanded and now he is so ready.
Let’s take a look at where Piero is in his career and where his dream is leading him….
Of the three, Piero is the only one who said, “…. if there is one thing I want to do in life, it is singing, living for and with music.” That pretty much sums up Piero. He sings with such feeling and devotion. He studies endlessly! Opera is his dream! He’s studied among other opera’s Cavalleria Rusticana. I await the day when he will sing in his first opera. No matter where it is in the world, I will be there to see him fulfill his dream!
Of the three, he is the opera singer in the group. To sing opera you not only need the voice, but you also need the presence of mind and the discipline to succeed. But above all you need the desire.
Ignazio and Gianluca can certainly sing opera, but the desire is not there. Gianluca never had a desire to sing opera. Ignazio can certainly sing it beautifully but no that is not his route! Piero stands alone in this endeavor and the guys support his dream. A dream that brings me to my Recent Revelation!
I always knew how fantastic Piero was but last June when he stepped on that stage in Verona, he blew me away! That amazing voice stepped up so many levels I couldn’t believe my ears.
After hearing Piero sing in Verona, I wrote….
“I want to give you some of my thoughts about our spinto tenor. Piero’s voice which always was amazing, always powerful, and his presentation which always produced phenomenal climaxes in the concerts, has now become such a vibrant sound in our ears! His voice has expanded so much in the last two years.
Over this period, Piero has had the opportunity to spend unlimited time on his opera lessons. This is something that is not possible in his normal schedule. The intense opera lessons of the last two years have paid off with Piero standing at the door of La Scala! The intensity of his voice sends shivers up and down my spine! A truly amazing voice that has become even more powerful than it was! Phenomenal! Bravo Piero!”
As you know, Piero has been intensely studying the opera, Cavalleria Rusticana, these last few years and he brought to the stage at Taormina, for the first time, the beautiful aria, “Mamma, quel vino.” Taormina was the perfect setting for this opera because the opera is set in Sicily.
Opera isn’t only about the song it is about presentation. In an opera you need to feel the person who is singing the aria because you must feel the character. The words tell a story, but the character gives it life.
Piero makes you feel Turiddu’s final farewell with his mother and makes you understand that he knows he will lose the duel. You grieve for his loss even before he’s gone. That’s what opera and arias are about. With Piero’s delivery, you feel him bring the opera to a climax even before it’s over. The intensity of Turridu’s final moments with his mother are highlighted in this aria. I hope someday to hear Piero sing this opera at La Scala.
It might seem strange to you that Piero dreams of being an opera singer. He is a superstar. He has achieved in 13 years what most men can only, hope, to achieve in a lifetime. But, when you have dream, you have a dream!
Let’s go back and see what I’ve said, in the past, about Piero’s Golden Voice….
Piero is a spinto (meaning pushed) tenor. A spinto tenor has the brightness and height of a lyric tenor, but with a heavier vocal weight enabling his voice to be “pushed” to dramatic climaxes with less strain than his lighter-voice counterparts. His voice is warm, graceful, bright, and can be heard over an orchestra.
Piero has a powerful voice that easily reaches the higher notes. Every note that comes out of his mouth reaches us with such intensity and remains with us for a long time. It’s the voice that reaches out to you and demands your attention. Think of him singing “E Lucevan le Stelle” from Tosca (his favorite opera).
Or singing the beautiful Spanish aria “No Puede Ser” from A Tabernera del Puerto.
Let’s look at a video which combines Piero’s voice from 2014 with his voice in 2022 singing “No Puede Ser.” In both presentations he is fantastic.
The long road and the final story can only begin when the tenor has arrived! You have arrived Mr. Barone!
From his first note Piero pierces our souls! His passion comes through in his music. Arias are very dramatic and, Piero brings all the drama of the aria into his performance. Always a showstopper!
Let’s listen to what Piero has to say about his music….
I have always pursued this dream of music, I grew up in the middle of music with my grandfather, Pietro, and thanks also to my father, because you know, sometimes there are moments, when you’re little, you play piano and you want to give up everything, but thanks to the constancy of my father, I always pursued this dream, first with the chorus of Santa Cecilia and then studying with private teachers.
I’m studying lyric now, because that’s my dream, that world, it’s my dream, the lyric is another dimension, but you have to study … too much … and now I’m studying, thanks to my possibilities, I am studying in Bologna, with my teacher Sergio Bertocchi, a great teacher, and he is a great person. I’m studying an opera setting, however, always with Il Volo. Il Volo is always …. the group Il Volo…. IS IL VOLO. And so, my dream is that one day maybe, to do the Premiere to La Scala or in some theater.
Piero was asked in an interview, “What advice to do you for young people who are pursing this dream?”
My advice is always to follow your dream, never give up, there will be people who will say, ‘But come on, change jobs, change profession.’ Never believe in them, believe in yourself, but when you arrive, stay where you are. This is something I learned from Barbra Streisand, and from many great artists.
And then the humility even if it is really difficult to stay where you are, if you do not have great people behind, like a big family, I am doubly lucky because I am a person that could follow his dream and get there. Yet we have not arrived, but we are working, we study a lot, and my second fortune is my family – a moral support, a daily support. When I travel, in the morning, I call home, they give me the charge to start the day.
Before I end my story, I would be negligent if I didn’t add this video with Placido Domingo!
The heart of Piero is filled with beautiful notes that echo in our ears and remain with us. His voice brings our hearts to a standstill! It grasps our inner being and leaves a beautiful melodious adventure to discover day after day! It breaths life into our souls!
So, here we are back at my Recent Revelation in the mist of this spectacular World Tour. We find our spinto tenor coming to new dimensions in his career. That striking voice that brings us the most amazing operatic climaxes will one day bring joy to Opera lovers in the great opera houses around the world.
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 and don’t forget to visit the Archives.
I saw the guys my first time in AC. Was phenomenal!!! Piero is so nice he came by me when they go in the audience for Here’s to you. I made a poster that said Three angelic voices One Soul. I gave it to him and he told me. I love it. It made my nite I was on cloud nine. You can tell he is really genuine and has much love and appreciation for us his fans. Wish I could see them every concert❤️❤️❤️🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🎶🎶🎶🎶🥇
Thank you so much for writing this, it’s so interesting!! I’m from Norway where opera is not a big music culture, but I love ii, and I’ve seen/ heard several opera in Verona😍!! First time I heard Piero sing was from a consert in Germany with a youth orchestra, singing Il Mondo. When Piero sung the end of his phrase( eeee e ee😲) I thougt:” this teen-ager can one day sing opera !!! It’s so nice to read and hear that his dream seems to be fulfilled !!!
I saw Il Volo last Friday in Clearwater, Florida. A beautiful site for an amazing concert! Not one empty seat! Everyone did well, Iggy was hysterical. But the one thing that stood out was the mesmerizing power of Piero’s voice! He astounded me at how mature his voice had become. I know he loves Gianluca and Ignazio and would never leave them, but he could blow the world away singing opera!
Susan, Thank you so much for showing us the video of the old and new versions of No Puede Ser. I’m going to try to do it with E Lucevan le Stelle which is my favorite one that Piero does.
There have been comments before on how each member of I’m Volo is improving but the difference in this video is really striking.
Oh Susan, you have given voice, and perspective over time, to the feelings I have when I hear Piero sing. Lyric was not on my radar, at all, until I heard, no felt, Piero sing E lucevan le Stelle on the Pompeii PBS special. I cried, and in turn had to know what he was singing about. I am now a Met Opera member, have seen 3 operas at the Met, including Tosca, and have four more for for the spring. His singing, his brilliance brought this exquisite world into my life. I cannot wait to sit next to you wherever he makes his debut! I am forever grateful. And his is the voice, for me, that grounds Il Volo. Ok, enough swooning :).
Thank you Piero, from deep in my heart thank you. And thank you Susan, as always Thank you!!♡♡♡
Thank you Susan, for another amazing article- and I won’t lie- Piero is my favorite because of that voice of his!🥰 just stands out and I too, can hear the difference from before pandemic and now. Was at the Radio City Music Hall ( as you were:) and was blown away by the whole show but especially Piero.. I am so blessed to be able to hear it once more this weekend!🙏🙏
Thank you, and can’t wait to see you Saturday!💖💖
Piero’s voice is mesmerizing, hypnotic and beautiful beyond words. He becomes the very story that he sings. I feel utterly blessed that I have had the sheer wonder of hearing the magic of his voice. It brings tears of joy to my eyes.
Beautifully written Susan!! – Piero certainly does have a very rich stunning tone to his voice – amazing for one so young – it is a privilege to listen to him & I realise how fortunate we are to have such a gifted dedicated young person to uplift our souls – the most important thing about Piero is his humility which is so attractive about one so gifted – he has a God-given talent – Iove him entirely.
Beautiful, Susan. Thank you so much. Your paragraph beginning “The heart of Piero is filled with beautiful notes…” says it all. From the first time I heard him sing No Puede Ser on PBS to this day, I develop a lump in my throat when he sings. Amazing to think that he has brought – and will bring – people to fall in love with opera. Such a giant talent.
Thank you, Susan, for writing such a beautiful focus on our dear Piero. He has always been my favorite since 2013 when I first discovered them on PBS. All 3 of them are absolutely the best! I am a opera lover so I love Piero’s voice. My husband and I have been Met Opera members since 2016. I like to say that opera is about human emotion intensified by beautiful music. Connecting with the emotion with the intensity and appreciation of the music, takes opera lovers to a beautiful place. Piero has such a beautiful God-given gift, as does Gianluca and Ignazio. They bring so much light and beauty to the world. I am looking forward to seeing Piero at the opera. 🎼❣️
Above all else I would love to hear him sing a genuine opera. I do enjoy listening to Il Volo, but Piero is something extraordinary. I knew that the first time I heard him sing. You are right, he sends shivers and tingles down my spine too.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
I always enjoy your posts, but this one really touched my heart. And bravo to whoever did the video editing! This reminds me of the video of our guys singing “Delila” with Tom Jones. 💕
Yes!! We were in Taormina when he sang the new aria and, he was stunning! My favorite is No Puedo Ser. Piero’s vocals were phenomenal at the Sunrise concert last Sunday.🎶🎶❤️🥰❤️🥰🎶🎶
Once again Susan, thank you for the enlightening piece about Piero’s amazing voice! He has to be close to getting to La Scala or the Met or Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center. Listening to before and after is stunning but more stunning is hearing he and Pavarotti sing at the same time and then Placido….it’s hard to tell the difference! When God passed out talent he gave an abundance to each of our guys but Piero it’s more stunning, this seems to be a once in a generation thing. Not only did He give the guys incredible voices and personalities but they have honored that gift with a lot of hard work to be where the are now. The richness and depth of each of their voices gets inside you and vibrates!
Thank you again I not only look forward the stories you ladies post but love them and all the comments from other fans.
IL VOLO long May they live and reign from on top!
Love, Carol 🥰😇❤️😘🤗🎤🎼👏👏👏💓💖
THANKYOU for that story. I have noticed how rich Piero’s voice has become. I am travelling from New Zealand to Australia to see il Volo in Sydney. Soooo excited.
I too noticed the changes in Piero’s voice during the Washington concert and I can’t wait for his opera debut – either in a full stage production or in concert. However, to do either and give the time for the necessary training, he’ll have to step away from Il Volo for a bit. It’s not clear that they have a real break any time soon. Thank you for this lovely reflection.
Beautiful
I saw the guys my first time in AC. Was phenomenal!!! Piero is so nice he came by me when they go in the audience for Here’s to you. I made a poster that said Three angelic voices One Soul. I gave it to him and he told me. I love it. It made my nite I was on cloud nine. You can tell he is really genuine and has much love and appreciation for us his fans. Wish I could see them every concert❤️❤️❤️🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🎶🎶🎶🎶🥇
Thank you so much for writing this, it’s so interesting!! I’m from Norway where opera is not a big music culture, but I love ii, and I’ve seen/ heard several opera in Verona😍!! First time I heard Piero sing was from a consert in Germany with a youth orchestra, singing Il Mondo. When Piero sung the end of his phrase( eeee e ee😲) I thougt:” this teen-ager can one day sing opera !!! It’s so nice to read and hear that his dream seems to be fulfilled !!!
I saw Il Volo last Friday in Clearwater, Florida. A beautiful site for an amazing concert! Not one empty seat! Everyone did well, Iggy was hysterical. But the one thing that stood out was the mesmerizing power of Piero’s voice! He astounded me at how mature his voice had become. I know he loves Gianluca and Ignazio and would never leave them, but he could blow the world away singing opera!
Susan, Thank you so much for showing us the video of the old and new versions of No Puede Ser. I’m going to try to do it with E Lucevan le Stelle which is my favorite one that Piero does.
There have been comments before on how each member of I’m Volo is improving but the difference in this video is really striking.
Oh Susan, you have given voice, and perspective over time, to the feelings I have when I hear Piero sing. Lyric was not on my radar, at all, until I heard, no felt, Piero sing E lucevan le Stelle on the Pompeii PBS special. I cried, and in turn had to know what he was singing about. I am now a Met Opera member, have seen 3 operas at the Met, including Tosca, and have four more for for the spring. His singing, his brilliance brought this exquisite world into my life. I cannot wait to sit next to you wherever he makes his debut! I am forever grateful. And his is the voice, for me, that grounds Il Volo. Ok, enough swooning :).
Thank you Piero, from deep in my heart thank you. And thank you Susan, as always Thank you!!♡♡♡
Thank you Susan, for another amazing article- and I won’t lie- Piero is my favorite because of that voice of his!🥰 just stands out and I too, can hear the difference from before pandemic and now. Was at the Radio City Music Hall ( as you were:) and was blown away by the whole show but especially Piero.. I am so blessed to be able to hear it once more this weekend!🙏🙏
Thank you, and can’t wait to see you Saturday!💖💖
Piero’s voice is mesmerizing, hypnotic and beautiful beyond words. He becomes the very story that he sings. I feel utterly blessed that I have had the sheer wonder of hearing the magic of his voice. It brings tears of joy to my eyes.
I told Piero that the Trio singing was good but it was HIS VOICE that made the difference in this Trio group ….
Beautifully written Susan!! – Piero certainly does have a very rich stunning tone to his voice – amazing for one so young – it is a privilege to listen to him & I realise how fortunate we are to have such a gifted dedicated young person to uplift our souls – the most important thing about Piero is his humility which is so attractive about one so gifted – he has a God-given talent – Iove him entirely.
Thank you for beatyful story.
Beautiful, Susan. Thank you so much. Your paragraph beginning “The heart of Piero is filled with beautiful notes…” says it all. From the first time I heard him sing No Puede Ser on PBS to this day, I develop a lump in my throat when he sings. Amazing to think that he has brought – and will bring – people to fall in love with opera. Such a giant talent.
Thank you, Susan, for writing such a beautiful focus on our dear Piero. He has always been my favorite since 2013 when I first discovered them on PBS. All 3 of them are absolutely the best! I am a opera lover so I love Piero’s voice. My husband and I have been Met Opera members since 2016. I like to say that opera is about human emotion intensified by beautiful music. Connecting with the emotion with the intensity and appreciation of the music, takes opera lovers to a beautiful place. Piero has such a beautiful God-given gift, as does Gianluca and Ignazio. They bring so much light and beauty to the world. I am looking forward to seeing Piero at the opera. 🎼❣️
Above all else I would love to hear him sing a genuine opera. I do enjoy listening to Il Volo, but Piero is something extraordinary. I knew that the first time I heard him sing. You are right, he sends shivers and tingles down my spine too.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
I always enjoy your posts, but this one really touched my heart. And bravo to whoever did the video editing! This reminds me of the video of our guys singing “Delila” with Tom Jones. 💕
Yes!! We were in Taormina when he sang the new aria and, he was stunning! My favorite is No Puedo Ser. Piero’s vocals were phenomenal at the Sunrise concert last Sunday.🎶🎶❤️🥰❤️🥰🎶🎶
Once again Susan, thank you for the enlightening piece about Piero’s amazing voice! He has to be close to getting to La Scala or the Met or Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center. Listening to before and after is stunning but more stunning is hearing he and Pavarotti sing at the same time and then Placido….it’s hard to tell the difference! When God passed out talent he gave an abundance to each of our guys but Piero it’s more stunning, this seems to be a once in a generation thing. Not only did He give the guys incredible voices and personalities but they have honored that gift with a lot of hard work to be where the are now. The richness and depth of each of their voices gets inside you and vibrates!
Thank you again I not only look forward the stories you ladies post but love them and all the comments from other fans.
IL VOLO long May they live and reign from on top!
Love, Carol 🥰😇❤️😘🤗🎤🎼👏👏👏💓💖
THANKYOU for that story. I have noticed how rich Piero’s voice has become. I am travelling from New Zealand to Australia to see il Volo in Sydney. Soooo excited.
I too noticed the changes in Piero’s voice during the Washington concert and I can’t wait for his opera debut – either in a full stage production or in concert. However, to do either and give the time for the necessary training, he’ll have to step away from Il Volo for a bit. It’s not clear that they have a real break any time soon. Thank you for this lovely reflection.
Ty for putting into words the feelings a lot of us have all we can do is wait and hope that some day his dream will come true !,!