It’s that time of the year again and I am traveling! This year I will be at World Youth Day in Lisbon. If you recall, the guys performed at World Youth Day in Panama. Unfortunately, they will not be in Lisbon.

As you know, when I travel, I bring you some of the old stories and I always advise you to visit the Archives of http://www.ilvoloflightcrw.com for all of my stories and Daniela’s stories as well as other contributors over the years.

I wanted to start with a story that the new fans have not heard before. The guy’s celebrating Domenico Dolce’s 62^nd birthday in his native Polizzi Generosa. The guys were special guests of Domenico. Some of the videos from the original story are gone but the important ones have survived.

To make up for the lost videos, I will post some Morricone songs which fit into the time frame of this event!

So, without further ado let’s join the guys for An Extraordinary Event!

Let’s begin with the musical part of our story. The most popular song to come out of the Il Volo Sings Morricone CD, was The Ecstasy of Gold but the most requested song, the one everyone knows the words to, the one with the most meaning for Il Volo fans is Your Love. The song always brings back memories of our guys on the Sanremo stage singing through their tears and each and every one of us cried along with them! We’ll never forget the love and support the guys gave, and all the fans gave, to Ignazio. In memory of Vito Boschetto, let’s begin with Your Love.

In August 2020 many of us had the opportunity to witness a spectacular event on Instagram and Facebook. It was an event that will live long in my mind. This was the culmination of a five-city tour of the movie “Devotion” the story of Dolce & Gabbana. It was a love story for Sicily.

People waited in long lines in Piazza Trinità to grab tickets for the event of the year in Polizzi Generosa, namely the screening of the film “Devotion” by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. 

From the early hours of dawn, many people stormed the square for the opening of the Info Point. Seven hundred applicants arrived around noon. In addition to the issue of the single ticket, the delivery of the related Covid-19 self-declaration form to be completed and presented for entry.

Given the number of seats in the square and the number of people booked, the film was screened in three sessions with the first show starting at 9.15 pm.

Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca were special guests of Domenico and Stefano. They were there to celebrate Domenico’s birthday and to join the family and to participate in many events.

After the squares of Syracuse, Caltagirone, Castellammare del Golfo and Palermo, the Dolce & Gabbana tour ended in Polizzi Generosa, the birthplace of Domenico Dolce, in the fifth stage of the most beautiful places in Sicily. “Devotion” was a great success with the public. “Devotion” reflects the history, originality and love of Dolce for his country, together with his inseparable colleague Stefano Gabbana, “Sicilian by adoption”.

The event brought an influx of people, from the early hours of the day. The guys spent part of the day walking around the town and meeting the people. Stopping to take photos with anyone who asked them.

Piero had a great time traveling around town in a truck decorated with the colors of Sicily.

He was accompanied by some of the Dolce family. Gianluca walked around town and stopped to take some interesting pictures including one of him on a balcony posing as the Holy Father at a Sunday Angelus! And Ignazio walked around the town stopping to talk to people along the way.

There was a big treat for Piero when the local Pastry shop brought him some yummy treats.

From the balcony of Domenico’s house, the guys sang, “Grande Amore” and were accompanied by the whole town.

And the highlight of the afternoon was Ignazio singing with the Gabbana children. I don’t know who had more fun! Ignazio or the kids. I haven’t seen the boys have this much fun in a long time.

During the week Domenico Dolce shuttled between his town and the first four Sicilian stops and, inaugurated the Dolce Foundation, and in the context he celebrated his 62^nd birthday among his fellow citizens, with party, joy, and the music of Riccardo Termini another Polizzano artist now known to all who, with his friscaletto (wind instrument, typical Sicilian) played in a week of joy for everyone.

The parade commenced with Domenico walking through the town with Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca. Then the festivities began. Spectacular performances by Sicilian folklore groups. Men and women in traditional Sicilian costumes danced to traditional folklore music. Their costumes were all the splendid colors of Sicily. The horses were in grand regalia. Domenico’s family and the guys watched all the events below from the balcony.

After dinner everyone sang Happy Birthday to Domenico and the guys presented Domenico with a painting by Fabio Ingrassia.

The painting depicts Domenico at 6 years old making his first trousers helped by tailors from his fathers’ tailor shop. On Instagram, Gianluca points out one of the men in the painting who looks very much like Fabio Ingrassia. A statement in the painting! Why not, all great artists represent themselves in their work. After the presentation, Piero sang a beautiful, Sicilian, folk song for Domenico.

In the evening everyone went to the square to watch the movie which was followed by a grand fireworks display. As Ignazio was watching and recording he was singing along with the music some of the old Sicilian songs.

The event was a Testimonial of Sicily in Italy and in the world. A truly once in a lifetime event, An Extraordinary Event and we got to witness it along with our dear guys!! Thank you for bringing us along!

Just a few weeks before Domenico’s birthday, the guys were at the Taormina Film Festival where Devotion was released.

Photos from the Taormina Film Festival 2020

The guys only sang three songs. The one I chose for this story is E Vui Durmiti Ancora. It’s a song I love. The words of this Sicilian song are really beautiful. This song was often used by young Sicilian males to serenade their girlfriends who listened to them from the window or from the balcony. Very romantic!

My friend Katerina Tsaousi published the text and the video.  The original text and the translation was made by Rita Spera. Many thanks to my very special friends Katerina and Rita! See you in Athens!

E VUI DURMITI ANCORA

Gianluca: Lu suli è già spuntatu di lu mari
E vui, bidduzza mia, durmiti ancora,
L’aceddi sunnu stanchi di cantari
E affriddateddi aspettanu ccà fora;

Ignazio: Supra ‘ssu barcuneddu su pusati
E aspettanu quann’è ca v’affacciati.

Piero: Lassati stari, non durmiti cchiui,
Ca ‘nzemi a iddi, dintra sta vanedda,
Ci sugnu puru iù, c’aspettu a vui,
Ppi viriri ‘ssa facci accussì bedda;

G + I + P: Passu cca fora tutti li nuttati
E aspettu suru quannu v’affacciati.

English Translation:

AND YOU SLEEP, AGAIN

The sun has already risen above the sea
And you my beautiful,
You sleep, again
Birds are tired of singing
And full of cold, they wait out here
Above the small balcony, they are supported
And they wait when it is
That you, you lean out of the balcony.

You stop,
Don’t sleep anymore
because in their midst
Inside this little street
I’m here too,
I’m waiting for you
To see your face so beautiful.
I spend all the nights out here
To see when you look out on the balcony.

And now for your listening pleasure the full concert Tributo a Ennio Morricone.

This video is about Pollizi Generosa. The guys come in and out of this video.

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

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

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

Credit to owners of all photos and videos.