On Christmas Day, “Helene Fischer Show” was broadcast on ZDF TV in Germany, the program recorded about a month ago and in which Il Volo also participated with the song “A CHI MI DICE”.
Beautiful and elegant as always and their voices, what can I say, fantastic and well blended with Helene’s voice.
The RAI 1 news talked about the new Il Volo EP, a really pleasant article, here it is.
Merry Christmas with the voices of Il Volo, the trio interprets 4 great traditional classics. (video starts)
A new album dedicated to the holidays is the gift that, 10 years after the release of BUON NATALE THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM, Il Volo puts under the tree.
From the most famous Italian trio of singers in the world and who is preparing to perform in Sanremo for the third time in a few weeks, 4XMAS, the most famous Christmas songs in the world in a dedicated album.
Warm voices that envelop and warm the atmosphere with four timeless hits including the cover of HAPPY CHRISTMAS – WAR IS OVER by John Lennon, inevitably revisited with the addition of bel canto.
Food, wine, gifts, decorations, but also notes, because music cannot be missing at Christmas, and who knows whether the trio’s new melodies will soon become part of those “Christmas jingles” that struggle to get out of our heads and remind us with festive sounds, the happiest moments.
On the same day, our three lovely young men posted photos of themselves in the sweetness of Christmas.
MariaGrazia Barone, published this beautiful photo with the two brothers Francesco and Piero.
Ercole Ginoble published this sweet photo that portrays Ercole himself and his sons Gianluca and Ernesto around their grandfather Ernesto.
….and also a nice gathering at the Ginoble house with the whole family.
And finally, Michelle Bertolini published this beautiful photo portraying Ignazio in love embracing the beautiful Michelle. What a splendor this couple of lovers. ❤️
and if you are wondering if there was a declaration of love with ring…..
YES IT HAPPENED❤️❤️
Ignazio officially declared himself to Michelle with the delivery of the ring!!!………
And this is the response Michelle posted:
SI Y MIL VECES SIIII AMORE MIO!!! Quiero pasar mi vida junto a ti.. TI AMO TANTO
YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES MY LOVE!!! I want to spend my life together with you.. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH❤️
The newspapers immediately seized on the news, which in a flash went around the world wide web via fan pages. 😍
Orange flowers at the Il Volo house, with the marriage proposal from Ignazio Boschetto to his partner Michelle Bertolini. The images posted by the two boys on Instagram really suggest the big step. The photos of the rings… They look really unmistakable!
Ignazio has been a regular couple for some time with the Italian-Venezuelan model who was elected Miss Venezuela in 2013 and spends her few free moments in South America.
In recent days on social media the two have posted some Instagram stories in which Michelle’s outfit stood out, truly breathtaking and amazing.
Michelle Marie Bertolini Araque, of clear Italian origins, was born in Caracas on 15 June 1994 and is 1.80 cm tall.
His family originates from Trieste, on his father Enrico Bertolini’s side. The mother Jackeline Araque is, however, Venezuelan. At the same time as her career as a model and entrepreneur, Michelle was also a professional tennis player, so much so that she entered the WTA circuit in 2010. A bad injury during a match on the circuit caused her to end her professional career prematurely.
There are no details on the probable wedding between Ignazio and Michelle, it seems certain that the musician is now completely focused on his next participation in the Sanremo Festival. Il Volo, in fact, will return to the Ariston 5 years after the third place in Musica which remains with the song entitled Capolavoro.
So, still lots of sweet news during these holidays and I could not update you right away, even if the news of the official engagement will certainly have already reached you!!
Surely after reading all this, your heart will be filled with so much happiness for our Ignazio who seems to have found his soul mate. 😍😍
There is still one event in which Il Volo will participate as a guest among the many singers, the end-of-year concert hosted by Amadeus which will be held outdoors, in the beautiful Piazza Pitagora in Crotone, Calabria and which will be broadcast live by RAI1 on December 31st from 9.00 pm (Italian time)
So a 2024 truly bursting with news and events awaits us, but for now let’s prepare to leave this 2023, so our best wishes reach you!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024!
with the hope that it will be a year of peace, and that your families will not lack health and happiness.
As usual, it’s December 26th and I’m sitting down to write my last story of the year! The problem is it’s Tuesday and my column should already be in!
To add to that, I’ve been distracted all day by some beautiful stories that were posted. It seems our Ignazio is engaged to the beautiful Michelle Bertolini! Now what does that have to do with me? I have been getting messages all day with questions about Ignazio and (mostly) Michelle! What I can tell you is she is a lovely lady who will make Ignazio’s life complete! I wish them a lifetime of Love, Happiness and Joy! I promise I will write about this at another time but for now, I have to wrap up the year!
So here it is December 26th and so much has happened this year I don’t even know where to begin. Actually, I do know where to begin. I’ll begin at the end! Last week we learned that the guys will go to Sanremo 2024 and they will sing Capolavoro! So, it’s no coincidence that the title of my story this week is Masterpiece! (Capolavoro). But in all sincerity, this whole year has been a Masterpiece for them.
2023 was about new beginnings! So now let’s go to where these new beginnings began. The best place to start is the televised concerts at Verona in May. The beautiful Frederica Panicucci who was the presenter of the IL Volo concert had this to say about what would happen that evening.
“During the evening Il Volo will show unpublished moments with solos and duets they never performed before. It will be their way of showing their different personalities.”
Yes, Federica was right, that night was different because we’ve heard these voices before but not in the way we heard them that night. The guys introduced us to their personal feelings about their music.
A great example of this is in Ignazio’s words before both concerts:
In the first concert Ignazio said, “I’ve always loved great female voices….”
And in the second concert he said, “I will try to take a trip to the most beautiful female songs in the world tonight.
When Ignazio said this, he brought me back to his childhood. If you recall in Ignazio’s story he talks about meeting Lilliana Adreanò, his singing teacher, for the first time. She asked Ignazio what kinds of songs he likes to sing and Ignazio replies, “You know, Liliana, I like to sing Giorgia’s songs.” Lilliana said: “Strange for a kid to sing this kind of song.”
So, it seems Ignazio still enjoys singing these (female) songs. And why wouldn’t he? He is the only one of the three that can sing that kind of song because they are songs that require a strong voice that is very clear, crisp and very lyrical and a lot of passion must be put into each song! I think I just described Ignazio’s voice! Let me add and, “very soulful!”
Next we met the real Gianluca in his rock mode and he introduced us to his feelings for Elvis, Sinatra, Dylan and the Beatles.
Piero brought us his perfect operatic voice. Whimsical and joyful. He has a great love and sincerity for this music. Opera is in his soul. He opens up that soul to us in these concerts with arias we have never heard before.
Amid a thousand points of light that sparkled like stars in the night sky, our guys were the brightest stars on the stage. They showed not just their love for one another’s music but their love and appreciation for the music of the other performers.
During their solos, the other two guys sat on the side stage and listened. In these moments, we see the admiration these men have for one another. Truly amazing!
This was a nice way of presenting each of them.
I remember Piero saying, in his story, that when he did a solo he couldn’t wait for it to end when Ignazio and Gianluca would return. He has to love this new arrangement.
These concerts were different. They showed a beautiful evolution from where the guys were to where they are now. Their new direction! Their future!
This new arrangement is thrilling because there is a lot of feeling in the music. The songs they have sung from the beginning have always had feeling but in a different way.
Here we feel each man’s thoughts, ideas and mindset. In the soul of each man there is a longing to bring you their music unlike you’ve ever heard it before. It is the movement within their souls when they sing. They were restless to release these feelings and make you feel what they feel. They bring a feeling of sheer bliss to each note in each song. Think about expressing your feelings for someone you love. Put that to music and you have each guy’s mindset.
So where did this go? Individuality!!!
Their new concerts are giving us the opportunity to look into the heart of our guys through their music. It allows us to see them in a deeper and more personal way.
Their idea of “individuality” was not to dissuade you from one or the other. No, in fact, they want you to take a closer look at the other guy. Not to compare but to understand their individuality!
You may have found that some of the music they are singing now you like more than what they were singing or vis versa! It’s called taking a closer look!
Il Volo is magic, and that magic is on the stage, in the concert halls, in Arenas and Amphitheaters, on TV, in videos and CD’s but the true magic of Il Volo is in our hearts!
Every concert I’ve seen is phenomenal. I feel that the guys are new at every concert. What does that mean. It means that even though they’ve sung those songs before and you’ve heard them a thousand times, when they come out on that stage, they make you feel like they are singing those songs for the first time. It’s called caring about your audience! Not just singing for the audience but wholeheartedly wanting to give the audience the most phenomenal experience of their lives. And that they do at every concert.
Just in time for Christmas, the guys released a new EP 4 Xmas ~ Amazing Grace, O Tannenbaum, Feliz Navidad and Happy Xmas (the War is Over)
And how did they end the year?
So everything they did this past year was new! It seems even newer and better things are coming. After the announcement of the Capolavoro the song they will sing at Sanremo, the guys did a very interesting video which tells us about what we will experience next. Sanremo 24, A New Album and A New World Tour! The theme, “All By Myself!!” It seems they are alone in their own universe! Does this say something about the new album? We already know the concerts are about individuality, perhaps the album will be too!
And of course, the new Armani look! Talk about Individual! All Black and all different!
What about the Best Photo of the Year 2023. Well, you’ve already seen it! It is my cover picture today!
This photo says so much about our guys. Look at their faces! This photo says we worked very hard and we’re happy to share all that we’ve done with you this evening. They are so proud to be standing on that stage! Their faces are full of emotion and joy! They can hardly contain themselves! They are very proud of the changes they made in their music! When you look at this picture what does it say it you? To me it says I think we got it right! Yes, guys, you did and that is why this is the Picture of the Year!
Actually, you got it right for 14 years! But this year you opened your hearts in song to us and each song you sang was a Masterpiece! We can’t wait to hear Capolavoro and all the new music you have for us!
In the end, this year was not about moments it was about changes! New beginnings, new songs, new feelings and each and every one was a Masterpiece!
One final note! I’m hoping that Ignazio or all of the guys together wrote Capolavoro!
And from myself, all the staff at Flight Crew and all the Fans we wish you guys a veryHappy New Yearfilled with many new Adventures!
We also wish all the Il Volo Family including Michele Torpedine, Barbara Vitali and all the crew that work so hard to bring us the best productions a very Happy New Year!
Join me next week as I go back Through the Field of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
And for your listening pleasure the full concert from Verona May 2023.
If you would like to share a story with me, please email: susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com
Lots of news these days, but let’s get straight to the most recent news.
During the television broadcast on Rai 1, all the singers admitted to Sanremo were invited to say the title of the song they will present at the festival.
The broadcast was live from the Sanremo Casino, where the Sanremo Festival was born.
The arrival of Il Volo at the Sanremo Casino.
Here is the title of the song that Il Volo will present in Sanremo and here is the moment in which they gave this news.
C A P O L A V O R O
AMADEUS= The next competing singers are other winners, they represent a 15-year history, a history of music, of friendship, of success all over the world.
After the victory in 2015 and third place in 2019, it is a great pleasure to announce Il Volo’s return to competition at the Sanremo Festival (applause)
G+P+I= Hello, hello everyone.
PIERO = (to Amadeus) You’re in great shape.
AMADEUS= Just don’t eat! You know, the energy!
IGNAZIO= Like dismantling the kitchen and assembling the gym!
AMADEUS= Good, more or less!
GIANLUCA= Fiore, (Fiorello, TV presenter), steals your job!
AMADEUS= I must say that the fact that someone says: “They won Sanremo….” but how many things have happened for you, we’re talking about a worldwide success, which continues to be worldwide, therefore also a notable commitment, because you really travel the world.
GIANLUCA= Yes, I truly believe that the secret, and it is a message that we also want to send to those who have followed us over all these years, is to always remain cohesive, cultivate friendships, even if we have not chosen each other, learn to know each other, not to clash the sensitivity of the other, I think this is really important, because being cohesive makes us stronger. Individuality is important, cultivating it, but I believe being a cohesive group is the key that has allowed us to reach 15 years of career.
AMADEUS= Absolutely. We talked about the victory at the Sanremo Festival, who doesn’t remember that 2015 with Grande Amore. (the video of the victory starts).
This is one of those songs that the public has taken over (it means that everyone knows it)
PIERO= But our expression makes you understand the emotion and adrenaline that the Ariston stage gives you, because many of you will know that we met on the Ariston stage, in the television program 15 years ago. It’s not the first time, in some way we were baptized on that stage, but every time it’s a new emotion, even though it’s the umpteenth time.
IGNAZIO= If I can spoil one thing, I’ll see you in 5 years because every 5 years we come to celebrate the anniversary, in 2019 10 years, this year 15 years, we’ll see each other again for the 20th.
AMADEUS= It’s true! I’m happy that it coincides with 2024 (it will be Amadeus’ last presence in Sanremo as host), which is why I extended it by one year.
And what do you bring to Sanremo?
GIANLUCA= Wait, let’s say it together?
AMADEUS= As you wish: one two three….
I+P+G= CAPOLAVORO (Masterpiece)
How exciting, and how beautiful they are, as you will have noticed they are also dressed in an elegant but informal way, in fact Amadeus’ wife, Giovanna, does not miss the opportunity to point this out in a nice way. 😁
GIANLUCA= How are you?
GIOVANNA= I’ve never seen you in a tank top…
PIERO= I’m not in a tank top.
GIOVANNA= Yes, you are in a tank top (and shows Piero’s tank top and then Ignazio’s), look, Il Volo in a tank top, a little transgressive! 😁
In fact, you will notice that the new image of Il Volo is certainly different from what we are used to seeing. They are followed by a designer (the most fashionable currently in Italy) Nick Cerioni, who is famous for giving a different imprint and has relaunched the image of several Italian singers.
Nick Cerioni himself published these words on his page:
“A project that I have always cared about, not only for the immense artistic luster that these three guys give to Italy but because they are three unique people.
I worked with Il Volo on the creative direction of the visual part of their new project and together we created a world (or rather a universe) that speaks of this new beginning.
The videos and photos are by the best of the good (yes, I’m biased) Leandro Emede (Nick’s husband)✨”
Here are some shots from Leandro Emede.
And I think this will be the cover of the new single:
For this evening, Il Volo wore Armani suits, as VANITY FAIR tells us.
Il Volo in Giorgio Armani
Black in three look variations, which demonstrate the desire to bring the three different personalities of the trio onto the stage. Ignazio Boschetto’s outfit is the most linear, Piero Barone wears a tuxedo with a t-shirt instead of a shirt while Gianluca Ginoble sports a softer outfit with an open shirt.
Other shots of the evening.
Greetings to Caterina Balivo (the one who presents another Rai program)
And in this video Piero, Gianluca and Ignazio tell us that this video is on Sanremo RAI’s Instagram and they ask us to let them know if we like the title of the new song and Gianluca specifies that it is not self-referential.
Many newspapers and broadcasts talked about the evening and this is just the evening in which the titles of the songs were discovered. As you can understand, there is a lot of visibility that revolves around the Festival and this is certainly what Il Volo was looking for when launching a new work.
It is absolutely forbidden to listen to the song before the Sanremo evening, under penalty of disqualification. Furthermore, as I have already told you, all the singers competing cannot appear on any television network other than RAI, the regulations are very restrictive on this.
And in this video, Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero jokingly communicate on the web the title of the song they will sing in Sanremo in 2024.
Instead, in this other video, Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero communicate that they have a Whatsapp channel and say to subscribe to their channel to be updated on the news. To sign up just open this link.
Robbie Williams, of whom Gianluca is a fan, was also invited to perform at the same private event and in fact there are several videos in which Gianluca and also Piero can be seen listening to Robbie sing, with Gianluca’s evident enthusiasm.
……and what you don’t expect is that Robbie, while he is singing Angels (the song that Gianluca sang with the soprano in the Arena), invites Gianluca to sing and gives him the microphone.
Gianluca was very excited and wrote on his page: “Last night was crazy with @robbiewilliams 🔥 and now who sleeps anymore.”
Shortly before the Monte Carlo event, the staff announced that Il Volo would return to concert at the Verona Arena in May, on 9-11-12.
There was an immediate rush for tickets, because advance sales began the same day as the announcement.
I already have my ticket and even if I didn’t manage to get the best seats, I will be in row no. 5 side, I can’t wait and I will definitely meet lots of friends.
Who of you will be there?
Meanwhile, my beautiful Christmas EP has also arrived. What a beautiful gift!!
On 15 December in Bologna the Donatello Restaurant (where Il Volo often goes) celebrated 120 years of activity and among the various guests at dinner there were also Piero Barone and Michele Torpedine.
At a certain point in the evening a beautiful duet was born between Piero and a soprano to the tune of the song “Non ti scordar di me.”
But let’s take a look at the new sweet engaged couple, here are some beautiful photos of them together in Milan, Ignazio and Michelle, but how beautiful they are!! ❤️❤️
For now there is nothing else, but soon it will be Christmas and therefore I take this opportunity to wish you my personal wishes for a beautiful Christmas, which will bring joy, health, happiness and above all in this moment, PEACE. ❤️
Best wishes to all of you!!
Daniela 😍❤️
Best wishes for a peaceful Christmas from all the Flight Crew staff:
Jana, Kelly, Daniela, Pat and Susan
🎄 MERRY CHRISTMAS! 🎄
And to celebrate Christmas we propose again the beautiful concert recorded in Jerusalem a year ago, when there was no war yet.
The years are truly flying by! This is my fourth Christmas writing for Flight Crew about Il Volo. I love writing the Christmas article every year because, besides talking about the guys, I get to talk about people I don’t talk about the rest of the year! The amazing people who contribute to these articles.
Much of what is written in this article will be from past articles because the facts are what they are, and they don’t change from year to year! And like the facts in this article, we can be certain of one other thing, the guys will be with their families for Christmas, and they will follow traditions that have been in their families for generations!
As you know I mostly look to the past for my stories. After all the stories are “Through the Fields of My Mind” but sometimes my stories are new and as we start to move forward over the next few years, I’m thinking there will be many new stories. New work, new ideas and new productions, and of course new love interests!
Moving forward the guys will be more serious and more involved. What is now their family will one day, in the not too far future, turn into a new family which will include their wives and children, their own families. The past joining the future! Old traditions passed on to the next generation!
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could say we will be around to see the end of their stories but no, most of us will be long gone before their stories end. We’ll have to watch the end unfold from above! But how fortunate we are that we have seen the beginning of their beautiful stories.
I love talking about their futures because I see bright, beautiful, futures for all of them. The Lord put them on this earth and gave them those beautiful voices to bring Joy to the World and what they’ve shared with us, their fans, is a joy beyond compare! And what they will share with their future families is a joy they can’t even begin to understand or imagine! Can you imagine how beautiful their families will be?
Among the stories Through the Fields of My Mind that I will recall today are their traditional Christmases. In some cases, I have their actual Christmas traditions but in most it’s more about the tradition in their region of Italy.
Before I begin, I would like to talk for a minute about La Vigilia. La Vigilia is the Italian traditional Christmas Eve dinner. This dinner consists of fish. Why? Because Italy is primarily a Catholic country and Christmas Eve, up until Vatican II, was always a day of fast to prepare for the coming of Christ. So, even after Vatican II, we continue to keep the tradition of only eating fish on Christmas Eve!
So, how did La Vigilia come to be an Italian tradition? This is a tradition that started in southern Italy in the regions of Sicily, Calabria and parts of Campania. In these regions, people who live beside the sea are primarily fishermen, and they live off the sea. So, on the eve they not only celebrate the coming of Christ, but they also thank the Lord for the abundance of fish they received from the sea which sustains their families year-round.
In the early 1900’s when Italian immigrants came to America, they brought this tradition with them, and the next generation added to this tradition by celebrating the Feast of the Seven Fish. The number seven is symbolic in the Roman Catholic Church. It represents the seven days of creation, the seven sacraments, the seven deadly sins, etc.
By continuing La Vigilia in America, it allowed the immigrants to rekindle the old country’s Christmas Eve tradition so they would feel close to their homes and the families they left behind. Today, it’s considered one of the oldest Italian traditions because most Italians still keep the tradition! I certainly do!
Now, let’s step back into the past to see how our guys celebrate Christmas.
No need to update this story, it doesn’t change. Tradition is tradition! Three years ago, two people helped me write this story so I decided that I would not change anything in it. It turned out because of them the Christmas message was amazing! The two wonderful friends who helped me were our special little nonna, Maura Pucci and Giovanni Granaro local historian and my go to man in Naro. Over ten thousand fans responded to the story! It gave us a look at the different Italian traditions and an insight into our guy’s Christmas. So, I am republishing the article with a few new and interesting facts added.
This story talks about the tradition that each guy has on Christmas. Each tradition is different depending on what region they come from but, they do have one tradition in common and they share that tradition with Italians all over the world. It is La Vigilia which I already have mentioned.
So, without further ado, let’s join Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca for Christmas with our Italian Family!
Yes, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca are our family! Why do I call them family? We’re their fans, yes but, we are more than fans. We certainly do all the things that fans do but it goes deeper than that because our guys are different than any other entertainers. The difference is the guys think of us as their extended family because they grew up with us. They spend more time with us than they do with their families. And they show us their love in everything they do. Think of how they treat us! When you meet them, they embrace you. Most entertainers just want your praise and accolades. Not our guys! They want to know about us! They ask about our lives and our families. They listen to us and do things to please us. And think about how much time you spend listening to their music!
So, what is family? Family are the people who are there when you need them. When you’re sad you can always feel their love and their encouragement! Family is not just blood it’s the people who are there for us!
So, let’s take a look at how our Italian family spends their Christmas.
The Christmas season starts in Italy on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (December 8th) which is also a holiday in Italy. This is the day that many Italians put up their Christmas trees and the cities light up their streets with colored lights. Why? Because Mary is the mother of the Light, Jesus! But there are other traditions that are celebrated on this day!
Let’s go to Naro, Piero’s city, to see how they open the Christmas season.
Every year, on the 7th, 8th and 9th of December, every inhabitant in Naro stocks up on muffuletti. Muffuletti is bread which is stuffed with meat and vegetables. Some people go to their local baker to buy them, and some people prepare them at home. The tradition is linked to religion. Naro’s sandwiches are blessed and distributed in Churches at the end of the Mass on the feast day of the Immaculate Conception. The bakers donate the muffuletti to the Churches as a gesture of generosity towards their fellow countrymen but, above all, of love towards “a bedda matri ‘Mmaculata”, the Most Holy Immaculate, Mary.
During the month of December, the Christmas markets are held in Naro. The Fair is set up inside the cloister of the Town Hall. Many people go to the Franciscan cloister where, every evening, to the delight of the children, there is a special snowfall that whitens the baroque courtyard. On the final evening there is a concert of Sicilian folk music, and an award is given for the best photo taken at the large Christmas tree in Piazza Garibaldi.
During this magical period the streets are colored by many Christmas lights, and everyone visits the living nativity scene of Borgo Castello. There is Mass on Christmas Eve and between hugs, kisses and best wishes there are a thousand good intentions. And then, on Christmas day, the family gathers together for a dinner laden with many local delicacies.
And what would Piero do on Christmas day? Most likely, he will walk around Naro and visit some older people and his friends. He certainly would have decorated his home so I’m sure he will make a video for all of us to see. He will most likely sing at Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Mass. In the past, Piero sang with his grandfather, Pietro. Piero will certainly remember his grandfather when he is singing because he was so important to him and to his career.
Christmas in Bologna! How does Ignazio celebrate Christmas?
Unlike Piero and Gianluca, Ignazio and his family live in a big city and like cities in America there are many events.
The Christmas tradition in Bologna has deep roots. The Bolognese Nativity Scene (Presepe) goes back to the Middle Ages. The tradition of the Presepe dates back to the 13th century and one of the oldest Presepe in the world is preserved in Bologna.
What makes the Bolognese Nativity different? It is life size and includes clothes that are different from the traditional Neapolitan style. They are dressed in a medieval style. In Porretta Terme in the Emilian Apennines another Presepe, which is one of the oldest Presepe in the world is kept in the church of Capugnano.
I’m sure Ignazio will visit the Christmas Tree in Piazza Nettuno. It is a Bolognese tradition. The beautiful tree is a welcoming and bright place to meet friends and feel the warmth of Christmas.
So, what will Ignazio’s family eat on Christmas? I’m sure on Christmas Eve there will be fish on the table. This is the tradition in every Italian house on “La Vigilia,” Christmas Eve.
On Christmas Day, there is another tradition. Lunch is the main meal and Pasta in brodo (pasta in broth) will certainly be served. In Bologna, it’s all about meat-filled tortellini in capon broth. These, small, Tortellini, are filled with a mixture of meat, mortadella and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese but you will find in Bologna every family has its secret ingredient for them. You’ll recall in an interview Ignazio mentioned his family buying Tortellini every Sunday.
The soup will most likely be followed by a roast and the meal will end with a traditional dessert like Certosino (or Pan speziale) which is made with almonds, pine nuts, dark chocolate and candied fruits. The recipe has its origin in the Middle Ages where Certosino was produced by pharmacists and later by Certosini Friars. Certosino is very popular in Bologna.
I know the part of the meal that Ignazio will like the best is the dessert! A dessert he will share with his family to celebrate Christmas Day!
There is one Sicilian tradition that I would like to talk about since we have two Sicilian men in the group, I think it is important to include it in the article.
For many in Sicily, the Christmas season starts on the Feast of Santa Lucia (St. Lucy). In some regions of Sicily, the feast day is celebrated with Cuccia. The word itself is Sicilian. Cuccìa is typically made with wheat berries, ricotta and sugar. How did this tradition come to be?
In the winter of 1646, Sicily was undergoing a terrible famine. People were dying of hunger after a massive crop failure. The people of Palermo did the only thing they could in the circumstances: they prayed. And then on the morning of December 13th a ship full of grain arrived in Palermo harbor with enough grain to feed the whole city. Rather than wait to have the grain milled into flour to make bread, the hungry people boiled and ate the grain to satisfy their hunger and save their lives. The people were convinced that Santa Lucia, Sicily’s most important saint had saved the city, since the grain arrived on her feast day.
I’m not sure if Piero and Ignazio’s family make Cuccia or eat it but I’m sure they know the tradition.
So, now let’s talk about Gianluca’s Christmas!
A Montepagano tradition is the Nativity scene. At the end of the last century a famous living Nativity play was started in Montepagano which is a real theatrical performance, with a director and a narrator.
In the Abruzzi region, there is a tradition that bagpipers, so called zampognari come into the towns and play their flutes and bagpipes for the people. They symbolize the shepherds who come in search of the newborn baby, Jesus. The bagpipers were once shepherds, today they are musicians who walk the streets of the cities, playing Christmas music. Often, they are in pairs, and one plays the zampognari (bagpipe) and the other the ciaramella (which is similar to a small piccolo).
For certain Gianluca will celebrate December 24th, Christmas Eve with a meal of fish including shellfish because he lives by the sea. As far as food traditions are concerned, on Christmas Day, the typical dish of the whole region of Abruzzo is spaghetti alla chitarra (which is prepared on a particular instrument called a guitar, because it is made of wood with metal strings) but most likely Gianluca will eat Lasagna. The second course will be arrosticini, which are pieces of meat, traditionally lamb, strung on long sticks, similar to a kebab. And for dessert, they will most likely have the traditional Christmas cake, Panettone.
Gianluca will surely spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with his family including his Grandpa Ernesto!
As you know my mother is Abruzzese and I must say, Gianluca’s Christmas is very similar my Christmas.
If you’re wondering where Santa Claus is, in Italy he is known as “Babbo Natale,” Father Christmas, who brings presents to children on Christmas Eve but, in true Italian tradition, gifts were exchanged on January 6th the day of Epiphany when La Befana comes to Italian homes in search of the Christ Child and leaves gifts for the children. This is a tradition that is celebrated in the central regions of Italy.
La Befana is an old woman, with a hooked nose, badly dressed, with a handkerchief on her head, grumpy but good, she is not a witch. On January 6th, riding through the sky, flying on a broom, La Befana lands on the roofs, enters the houses from the chimneys and descends from the fireplace, leaving gifts and sweets in the big socks that the children place in front of the fireplace. If they were good, they got sweets. If they were bad, she leaves coal in the form of a sweet black candy. I’m sure there will be many sweets for Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca! No coal for our guys!
I’m going to step away from the story for a minute because while I’m posting I’m watching Rai 1. All the contenders for Sanremo are on to tell us what the name of their song will be for Sanremo 2024.
The guys just announced the song they will sing is “Capolavoro.” English translation “Masterpiece,” and I have no doubt it will be a Masterpiece.
They posted this picture today which I felt needed to be included in this story. Now if that’s not Drop Dead Gorgeous, I don’t know what is!
I’m including the following picture as a good luck omen for Sanremo 2024. We’re all rooting for you to bring home the Lion!
Which brings me to another important member of Il Volo’s family. Michele Torpedine! His family is originally from the region of Puglia. He moved to Bologna when he was twelve years old. So, he will celebrate Christmas with his family and the celebration would be similar to Ignazio’s!
Again, I would like to thank the two people who contributed to this Christmas story. Maura Pucci and Giovanni Granaro. Their knowledge of the regions of Montepagano and Naro and the different Christmas traditions made this story come to life!
Our Team! The best ladies to work with!
Pat Susan Daniela
In closing, I would like to thank my team at Flight Crew! The two ladies who make all my stories come to life! Daniela Perani (a/k/a Sherlock Holmes) who is my second pair of eyes and my English translator for many of my stories and Patricia Farley Ward who edits all of my stories.
I want to wish all of my Christian friends a Merry Christmas and all my Jewish friends a Happy Chanukah! And all my other friends, All the Happiness and Joy of the Season!
And finally, I’m sure you would love to join me in wishing Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca and their families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year with many Concerts and special surprises for us! And I want to thank them for all they do for us! They are truly a Joy to the World!
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure! Next week we ring out the old!
Just in time for Christmas, the guys released a new EP 4Xmas Amazing Grace, O Tannenbaum, Feliz Navidad and Happy Xmas (the War is Over) order yours now on Spotify, Amazon, etc.
If you would like to share a story with me, please email: susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com
I took a break from our story last week to talk about Sanremo. I was very excited for the guys and I’m sure all of you were very happy about the news!
So, let’s get back to the story. We know Piero is on his way to audition for Ti Lascio Una Canzone. That’s one down and two to go. We know Piero almost missed his opportunity. Is it possible Ignazio almost missed his? Let’s go back to Marsala 2008 and see what’s going on with 14-year-old Ignazio.
When we last left Ignazio, he was telling us about a person who was very dear to his family who loaned his parents the money so that he could continue his singing lessons.
So, all was well again, but wait, what’s going on? Ignazio no longer wants to do the competitions! But if he doesn’t compete how will he ever be discovered?
I would think that being able to go forward, Ignazio would continue with the lessons and competitions but no, one day it all stopped. It didn’t go away, Ignazio pushed it away. He had all he could take of the competitions. What Ignazio wanted was to be out of the competitions! All the hard work seemed in vain. Facing one competition after another. After a while the stages change but not the faces.
Those who work so hard just to be on that stage and those who walk in and take what rightfully belongs to another.
No Ignazio had it. He was done with it. Not with the singing, no that was who he was that was never going away. Singing from morning till night no that wasn’t going to end. No, it was Time to Hang Up the Dreams and walk away from the competitions!
What happened to cause this sudden change in his life’s plan. I’ll let Ignazio explain it to you….
Instead, I felt like a crap. No, not when they called me to audition, before I felt like crap, so much so that I almost lost it that night when they talked to me for the first time about Ti Lascio Una Canzone. The fact is that competition after competition, year after year, perhaps because I grew up and became less naïve, now I was fourteen, at a certain point in 2008 I realized that, as wonderful as it was, the music world was starting to give me the first disappointments: people who paid to see their child win, recommendations and various scams.
My problem is that I have always been for healthy competition, getting to the first place because a person really deserves to be rewarded as such. But it was not like that anymore. I did not want to participate anymore in any competition. I began to give up many proposals. I was in this terrible mood when, in September of that year, I was offered a competition in Caltanissetta, which was presented by the great Nico dei Gabbiani and he had as president of the jury Franco Fasano, author and composer of songs like ‘Ti Lascero’ who won the Sanremo Festival, and also singer songwriter as ‘E Quel Giorno Non Mi Perderai Piu.’
It seems Ignazio began to realize that life isn’t always fair and there are people in life who cheat you out of the things that can give your life meaning! Can you imagine working so hard and knowing you did your best, but someone walks in and takes it away from you for selfish reasons? That’s a hard lesson to learn at such a young age. I think this experience was one of the things that made Ignazio as compassionate as he is. He didn’t care about winning for himself, he cared about the competition being fair.
Where did he get this sense of fair play? I’m going to venture a guess. I’m getting ahead of the story but, one thing that stands out in my mind is Gianluca’s description of when he met Caterina, Ignazio’s mother, for the first time. He was at the audition for Ti Lascio Una Canzone and he had just come out of the recording room and Caterina told him, “Bravo, that was very good!” Even though she was there for Ignazio’s audition she still took the time to compliment Gianluca. Now that’s a sense of fair play! True integrity! That’s where Ignazio gets it from!
Let’s get back to Ignazio….
Instinctively I said no. I did not want to take part in any competition that could turn out to be made up. But after so many evenings talking to my family and Liliana, who was always present and always ready to give me some advice, I convinced myself. I am happy to say that there are no recommendations in that competition: I reached third place. But the greatest satisfaction was not the result.
At the end of the final evening Franco Fasano took the stage, proposing that I do a test in Rome. He did not promise me anything for sure. The test was for a television program that, having seen the great success of the first edition, had reached its second edition.
That program was Ti Lascio Una Canzone.
This story begs us to look at what Ignazio did after he became a star. He didn’t forget about the competitions and the way people used them to advance their children over those who worked so hard and really deserved to win. No, instead from the very first moment when he was successful, he started to help others!
Let’s look at how Ignazio has helped some aspiring young artist.
In February 2014, Katya Pantaleo, a young singer from Marsala, won the Premio della Critica at Sanremo with the song “Come in paradiso” music, lyrics and arrangement by Ignazio. He sure can write those songs!!!
On August 30, 2014, Chiara Cusumano and Giorgia Vassalo, The Duo Sisters, reached the finals of the Festival di Castrocaro, performing a song composed by Ignazio: “Paura d’Amare”.
On February 2, 2014, Ignazio collaborated with singer Roberto Amadè in a project that resulted in a wonderful concert, the Amadè-Boschetto concert which was organized through the Cultural and Artistic Center “Ignazio Boschetto,” with the support of The Town Hall of Marsala. The Teatro Impero archipelago hall has long applauded this initiative which brought together several artists from Marsala.
For those of you who don’t know who Roberto Amadè is, let me tell you a little bit about him and the wonderful work he and Ignazio did together.
Roberto Amadè is an Italian singer and songwriter. He was born in Vercelli, Italy on April 3, 1982. He is the son of Claudio Chapel bassist in the Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala of Milan since 1979. Like Ignazio, Roberto plays multiple instruments. He graduated from the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts of Turin. One of his works entitled “Abbado” (dedicated to the conductor Claudio Abbado) is on exhibition at the Teatro alla Scala Foundation.
Roberto was very fascinated by music for cinema and in 2008 he composed the soundtrack for the film “La terra nelanque” (The Land in the Blood).
This certainly brings to mind the theme song that Ignazio wrote for the Italian series Màkari!
In December 2010, Roberto was the winner of Arena Sanremo with the song “Come Poggia,” (Like Rain) and thus was admitted to the 2011 Sanremo Festival where he won third place in the “Young” category. The song “Come Poggia” is arranged by Roberto Amadè together with Celso Valli. (We know the name Celso Valli, he was also one of the producers of Il Volo.)
With his participation in 2011 Sanremo Festival, his debut album “Tutti gli incanti della vita” (All the Charms of Life) was re-released on February 16, 2011, with the new title “Come Poggia,” by Universal Music Group and Roberto, at the time, came under contract with Michele Torpedine. And so, the friendship with Ignazio begins and remains till today.
The Amadè-Boschetto concert was a great collaboration between two amazing entertainers who recognize the value of bringing young aspiring artists front and center and giving them the opportunity they would probably never have without their help.
Let me add to this by recognizing Ignazio’s production company, Floki Productions. At 25 he started his own production company. Does this surprise you? It doesn’t surprise me. It makes a lot of sense to me.
Floki Productions I’m sure is Ignazio’s dream. So, where does the dream begin. It began with Nico Arezzo!
In many ways Nico reminds me of Ignazio. He knows what he wants, and he goes after it. Nico was the first artist to sign a contract with Ignazio under Floki Productions.
You will remember that Ignazio released Nico’s song Gorilla on June 30, 2020 (in the middle of the pandemic) in a “Live on Instagram.” Let’s listen to what Ignazio had to say about that:
On Thursday night we were the first to do a high-quality sound live on Instagram.
People wouldn’t dream of doing what Ignazio did. What a spectacular show!
While the music world was trying to restart, Ignazio, at age 25, made his debut as a producer. And what a phenomenal production it was!
Ignazio tells us…. Production has always been my dream. It started with an idea to give a chance to those who deserve a break. And Ignazio reminds us….as it happened 11 years ago to me, Gianluca and Piero.
That statement truly sums up who Ignazio is!
Following in Ignazio’s footsteps, Nico has gone into production but most recently, Ignazio invited Nico to perform with him in a concert at Milan. A phenomenal performance by two phenomenal men!
Of course, Ignazio did not stop at Nico. In October 2021, Ignazio signed Giada Luppi. You might say that name is familiar. Giada is a World Champion Figure Skater.
Giada is not only a Championship skater, but also a singer!
Giada has a very clear idea about her future. “I will compete a few more years because I think I have already dedicated so much of my life to skating and then I would like to devote myself completely to music.”
With her debut single, in collaboration with Ignazio and manager Michele Torpedine she entered what she hopes would become her career in the entertainment world.
We are now witnessing this dream to come to life for Giada.
Giada’s latest release is Principe is amazing. She has an amazing voice, and she is starting to share it with us now!
Does it seem to you that Ignazio knows how to pick them? Amazing just like him!
Our story today is not just about a teenager who has to face the realities of life but also what he learned from those realities and how he lives his life because of those realities.
Ignazio has always been very kind and compassionate. He’s always worried about the other guy, and he puts everyone else first leaving what remains for himself!
We’re all so very grateful that when Ignazio felt it was Time to Hang Up the Dreams, he didn’t actually do it. If he did, we would have lost a phenomenal voice not to mention the voices he brought front and center in his passion to help struggling artist!
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
Two down and one to go but we have to wait until January for Gianluca to meet his fate. First, we have to bring in Christmas Il Volo style and of course we need to ring out the old and bring in the new year with the guys. And I need to tell you which picture was the picture of the year for 2023!
*What I have written here are excerpts from the book the guys wrote about their lives. “Il Volo, Un’avventura Straordinario, La Nostra Storia.” (An Extraordinary Adventure, Our Story) This is just a small piece of each mans’ story. The book is written in Italian. If you can read Italian, I would highly recommend that you read it. It’s wonderful! If not, I can only hope that someday it will be translated into English. Or you can use Google Translate to translate it.
I also recommend you read their second book “IL Volo: Quello Che Porto Nel Cuore” (What I Carry in My Heart)
Just in time for Christmas, the guys released a new EP 4Xmas Amazing Grace, O Tannenbaum, Feliz Navidad and Happy Xmas (the War is Over) order yours now on Spotify, Amazon, etc.
If you would like to share a story with me, please email: susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com
