IL VOLO TO STORIES and MORE by Daniela

Barbara Vitali’s funeral took place on 15 July and on the same evening an interview with Il Volo was scheduled to be broadcast on television on the SKYTG24 channel during the STORIES program.
This interview was recorded right after returning from the tour in Japan and has only just been aired.
It’s a really nice interview conducted by Omar Schillaci, with very particular questions to which Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio responded as always with the utmost serenity, without hiding anything. You must activate the subtitles and if you don’t understand something just ask me, enjoy your viewing.

CLICK HERE to view the video (you will need a VPN to view it)

Since the YouTube video with subtitles is not visible to everyone, and since it is a nice interview, I will translate it for those who cannot see it.
SCHILLACI= Welcome to Il Volo, welcome to SKYTG24, welcome to STORIES. Gianluca, Piero, Ignazio, thanks for being here.
G+P+I= Thanks to you, hello.
SCHILLACI= This is a MASTERPIECE that you also brought to Sanremo, it is a single that anticipates the album which is the first album of unreleased AD ASTRA songs.
Since we have to divide (the interview) everything by three, because usually here there is only one person in front of me….
GIANLUCA= Is this the first one-on-three interview you’ve done?
SCHILLACI= One against three is the very first, I tried one against two…
GIANLUCA= How did it go?
SCHILLACI= No, quite good, like with I SOLITI IDIOTI (it’s a comedian duo), ok, but the one against three is new, so let’s do this, let’s start with Gianluca.
GIANLUCA= Yes.
SCHILLACI= Album description.
GIANLUCA= We decided to build a repertoire of unreleased songs for the first time, because our repertoire is based 80% on the history of Italian tradition and beyond and is therefore based on covers, but we also have a lot to say, we have content, well, we are not just interpreters. So for the first time we wanted to show our great artistic and personal growth with this album and with CAPOLAVORO this new journey, this new musical adventure began.
SCHILLACI= Piero, how long, let’s say, have you been harboring this growth for a while?
PIERO= Over the years from 2015 onwards, it comes alone, it is a natural way of expressing one’s idea.
In this album we somehow expressed our three thoughts which are completely different, we always sing together but we are three different identities and this album is a bit of a summary of what we are today.
SCHILLACI= These three different identities, Ignazio, how do you make them go, so to speak, in unison, because then they are three identities which then have to give birth to one…..
IGNAZIO= After 15 years we are still working on it, but I think it is also normal.
SCHILLACI= But as in all couples…..
IGNAZIO= But then it is also a strong point, we must not see it as a negative point to have three different ideas and three different personalities, on the contrary, we have made it one of our strong points on stage, from the serious moment to the more playful one, jokingly, to that moment of total fooling around. So for us it is our strong point.
SCHILLACI= You are actually very young, but in this format (Stories) we start from the very beginning, that is, from the house.
Casa Ginoble, where are we, who is there? How is the house?
GIANLUCA= I was born in Atri, but I live in Montepagano Roseto degli Abruzzi in the province of Teramo.
SCHILLACI= OK
IGNAZIO= But is the name all that long?….
GIANLUCA= Yes, it’s all so long. And so let’s say that I have strong Abruzzo roots and I am very proud to be from Abruzzo, being between two Sicilians is not easy.
I have always lived in an environment, if I may say so, of purity, a very affectionate family, so I was loved a lot, there was a strong presence from my parents, my grandfather, my brother, so we are a very close family.
SCHILLACI= What kind of child were you?
GIANLUCA= So, I have always been a curious child and I have asked a thousand questions and I always continue to ask myself questions and create answers, a very restless child, I felt I had such a great mystery that to unhinge this thing I have inside I always need to cultivate doubt, knowledge and curiosity, which I believe is the main thing.
SCHILLACI= Instead, what was little Piero like at the Barone house? Where are we even?
PIERO= I was born in Naro, in a town in the province of Agrigento.
IGNAZIO= From one extreme to the other, with a book-length name in Naro…..
PIERO= My childhood could easily be described as a Tornatore film accompanied by Morricone’s melodies, in Sicily, these arid landscapes. I lived a wonderful childhood where I never lacked love from my family, an older brother, a younger sister. I have experienced my grandparents so much that they are the greatest privilege one can receive in life, it is a great luxury to experience grandparents and I believe that childhood taught me that problems are born to be solved and one must never be demoralized but be optimistic in this. I will always try, for the rest of my life, to bring this Sicilian character which I believe is a great strength.
SCHILLACI= Casa Boschetto, what kind of child were you at home?
IGNAZIO= Ok, so I grew up like the usual families who leave their land to seek their fortune. My parents are Sicilian, my sister was born in Sicily and then they moved to the north and then I was born in Bologna.  As a child I experienced my mother’s illness, cancer, she had a tumor, so I grew up a lot with my sister because my father went to work, my mother was facing the illness, so I spent a lot of time with my sister and we they both grew up quickly. She acted as a mother to me a bit and I couldn’t be a naughty little child, so from an early age I had to grow up quickly.
I was a mess because I did something every step of the way….
PIERO= Why do you only speak in the past tense?…..
IGNAZIO= As a child, I’m saying, then comes the aftermath….I wasn’t bad, I was a disaster because I was lively and got up to all sorts of things. As a child, I remember, we went down to Sicily and got together with the family, because you know it was an event that relatives from the north who come to Sicily in the summer and we organized a dinner at my grandparents’ house and I was there in front of 40 people listening me who entertained them by telling jokes and stories, but I was little.
PIERO= Do you know what you’re reminding me of? One evening it was Christmas time, at my grandmother and my grandmother’s house, the whole family gathered. I arrived last, I was so happy to knock hard on the door, there was that ancient door with glass and I was such an idiot that to knock I punched the glass and my arm remained inside the glass and it broke all.
IGNAZIO= But did they at least hear you knocking?
SCHILLACI = Let’s hope they’ve opened! Let’s see another clip. (begins O Sole Mio)
IGNAZIO= Years have passed.
SCHILLACI= Exactly because here you are three children.
IGNAZIO = 15 years old, 16 years old you. (to Piero)
PIERO= Do you know why we wore those headphones around our neck? We didn’t know what we were doing, we did everything they told us to do. Those are the “beats” created by Jimmy Iovine. Jimmy Iovine was the head of Interscope Records Universal Music, the record company. In 2010 we signed this contract with Universal and Dr. Dre with Jimmy Iovine produced these headphones and gave them to Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas and they also sent these headphones to us and we had to put them in the video.
SCHILLACI= Which isn’t bad at all!
IGNAZIO= No!
GIANLUCA= No, but in fact the creation of O Sole Mio, which then O Sole Mio was also sung by Elvis Presley in the English version in the 70s if I’m not mistaken: “It’s now or never”. So we were inspired by that arrangement, then we also made a version in English and Spanish and they went crazy, especially in the United States, because after Andrea Bocelli, there had never been any other artist who brought “bel canto” around the world. Let’s say that we try to follow in the footsteps of the great artists who brought our music to the world, especially from Japan to the United States and overcome the barriers of language.
SCHILLACI= I’ll keep you there at the beginning, you started with a talent show, in short with TI LASCIO UNA CANZONE, you had arrived as singles, I ask you exactly the moment in which they told you:  “But why……”
PIERO= On Monday afternoon the lyrics of the song arrived with the folder of songs that you had to sing live on Saturday evening.
I remember that on Sunday evening we returned home, because the program lasted 9 weeks, it was a sunny day and there were relatives at home because every Monday afternoon we returned and they came to the house to compliment the previous episode. That Monday afternoon, a sunny day, I received this folder with the division of O Sole Mio between Ignazio, Gianluca and Piero, I didn’t understand why, then on Wednesday they told us for the first time “sing together”, without telling us why.
GIANLUCA= At the fourth episode, because the program was initially five episodes and therefore we didn’t sing together straight away. We were lucky enough to find ourselves in the same edition of this television program….
PIERO= It was the second.
GIANLUCA= ….and it was the second edition and we found ourselves in that moment and we were the only children who sang the same musical genre unconsciously.
IGNAZIO= I remember that we did Sanremo numbers (audience).
GIANLUCA= It was 41% share that year.
PIERO=Roberto Cenci, the director, arrived at the last episode with a black shirt with the writing 41% here. (on the chest).
GIANLUCA= And then Omar, (Schillaci)’s life changed radically, from school to Los Angeles, because Tony Renis and Michele Torpedine, manager who discovered Andrea Bocelli, Zucchero and many others, decided to contact the program and our families and the first meeting was in Rome and so we were there with the man who was Andrea Bocelli’s manager, one of the greatest artistic producers in history.
IGNAZIO= But I wasn’t there, weren’t you there either? (to Piero)
PIERO= No, I wasn’t there.
IGNAZIO= Our parents had the first meeting.
GIANLUCA= And so for us it was a sudden but anomalous change of life, we lived a childhood, an adolescence that was totally out of the ordinary.
SCHILLACI= But before we get to this incredible Boom, I like this passage from the school desks suddenly….
GIANLUCA= But it really was like that.
PIERO= But it was also years…..
IGNAZIO= Sorry, I think it’s important to have a detail that we haven’t talked about much in recent years, a bit as an example for all the parents who are watching us at the moment and also for all the kids. For us it was very important that our parents have this meeting with the lawyers and everything. I remember that my mother returned to Sicily and told me: “Listen to me, here is a nice proposal that could change your life or not, but it will most likely change it for you, but know that you have to give up playing with friends, going around on a scooter, going to play football, because your life will be very busy, so forget about adolescence. And I remember that my mother made me make the decision by putting everything in front of me. It was a very important moment.
PIERO= And in a few weeks, from school, we found ourselves at WE ARE THE WORLD for Haiti and in Los Angeles with Quincy Jones, Lionel Ritchie, all these great artists.
SCHILLACI= Now we’re getting there. Which students were you though?
PIERO= Very bad, very bad. So I was a good classmate, always sitting in the first desk because I liked to distract the teacher, so I always skipped first period because you know what I did? I always watched the news before going to school, I kept informed, the teacher, we had three of them, she was very curious, I love her with all my heart, so what did I do: “Professor, did you see what happened in America? Did you see what happened there?”
Then she would start talking and the first hour would already be over and then the second would begin.
SCHILLACI= What students were you?
IGNAZIO= I was the classic student who listened to his classmates’ questions and then repeated. I didn’t study much, I listened more but I memorized immediately. The problem was when they called me first, being Boschetto I was one of the first.
PIERO= I was the second. (Barone)
GIANLUCA= I was very lazy, very lazy, and therefore I didn’t study much. But I remember one thing that stuck in my mind, I had studied the life and works of Foscolo (Italian writer) for 10 days, for once I study, I go there and get a nine, instead the teacher gave me a six (just enough), so I never studied again from there.
SCHILLACI= Okay, so then came the tours.
GIANLUCA= Exactly, but then we are catching up now, because we didn’t go to high school, we didn’t go to university and therefore we dedicated 15 years of our lives to music and to the band and therefore perhaps we left behind….
PIERO= But we also went to high school privately in the United States, in Los Angeles, because we were forced to learn English immediately, because we couldn’t do television in America with simultaneous translation.
GIANLUCA= Of course not, but we missed a part, we experienced something else. This is our life, there is no normality, everyone lives their own life and let’s say normality does not exist…..
PIERO= I graduated.
GIANLUCA= …..everyone follows their own life path, but we certainly missed that part of attending school, university, being together with other peers, growing from that point of view, but we did another school of life.
IGNAZIO= You know when someone asks how you went to school and as a joke you reply that the only subject I did very well in was physical education?
I couldn’t even say it, because I was 120 kg. (264 lb.) I wasn’t doing well there either. (laugh)
SCHILLACI = Let’s see another clip. (the duet with Barbra Streisand begins)
This is SMILE with a little-known artist in the world (ironic), Barbra Streisand who you actually met at We Are the World for Haiti in 2010, so how does it work? He calls you on the phone, speaks to you: “Hi guys, I’m Barbra…..”
IGNAZIO= We received the proposal, our manager Michele Torpedine received the proposal that they wanted us to go on tour with her, not to open, we were an integral part of the show, so we sang with her and then she left the stage for us to sing two or three songs and at the end we returned with all the guests of the evening.
GIANLUCA= All this three years after the start of our career, we were 16-17 years old.
PIERO= Imagine that when our American co-manager arrived to get us to sign for the tour with Barbra Streisand we were in Atlantic City, he came to the room, Giordan knocked and said: “Piero has to sign” and since I was in a hurry to go to the gym I signed without looking at what it was, without anything. This makes you understand the recklessness that was in us.
SCHILLACI= If you hadn’t had this career, how?…
PIERO= What a good question…
SCHILLACI= …that is, sometimes you may have said to yourself, I imagine myself or I would have imagined myself doing…
IGNAZIO= I don’t know, maybe I would have continued the family business we had down in Sicily, so most likely I would be a pizza chef and I would sing out of pure passion and fun.
SCHILLACI= (To Piero) What would you have done?
PIERO= It was in my plans to finish high school and enroll in the conservatory, then live off music, be a tenor or be part of a choir in some theater, try to do some opera, but I wouldn’t be able to imagine my life without music.
SCHILLACI= Gianluca…
GIANLUCA= Today, if I think about it, I can only express myself when we talk about art from all points of view, from writing something, to singing to painting anything, I probably don’t see an alternative, there was nothing else other than music really, so we were also lucky, all the people around us, who helped us express ourselves in the best way.
PIERO= Also encouraged.
SCHILLACI= What fear are you?
IGNAZIO= What fear are we?
SCHILLACI= A fear.
IGNAZIO= I often talk about it with my partner and I say that sometimes what we are experiencing (Il Volo) and what I experience with my partner is so beautiful, that I am almost afraid of waking up from this life that seems almost magical.
SCHILLACI= Greatest fear (To Piero)
PIERO= More than fear is fear. In the end it’s the stimulus that keeps you going, but if I had to describe a fear, maybe it’s losing curiosity or maybe getting used to the surprises that life holds for us.
GIANLUCA= There are many fears. As a child I was afraid of death, I constantly dreamed when the light went out that I would see everything black, I had a great fear, then philosophy, you know, helped me, even surrounding myself with the right people. I fought this fear, also because life is about learning to die from this point of view.
SCHILLACI= Let’s see another clip. (Grande Amore begins)
This is Grande Amore, come to Sanremo and win Sanremo, easy!
IGNAZIO= Easy… oh god, actually it was easy because we didn’t expect it so we didn’t make a huge effort. This song arrived, I didn’t like it, the only one who liked it was Piero who went crazy…” we have to do it, we have to do it”…
PIERO= Because I liked that refrain, it stuck in my head.
IGNAZIO= The audition arrived sung by a tenor and a soprano and I said: “What should we do with this song?”
Then in the end with Celso Valli who produced it, we worked in the studio together with Michele our manager and what became Grande Amore came out.
But we arrived there without any presumption and we didn’t expect it, that is, we hoped to win, also because then we knew that it could change our lives in Italy, that in any case we were almost unknown in Italy, and therefore we hoped but we didn’t think, and then it was what happened and completely changed our history here in Italy.
SCHILLACI= (To Piero) You were right!
PIERO= But somehow we are a team and especially in this period we know that if we work as a team we win. Over the years we have also learned to listen to each of us, to listen to our ideas and above all to respect our own ideas.
IGNAZIO= You know what, in meetings before, when we proposed something, we said an idea and it was immediately nooooo.
PIERO= An immediate no. “Let’s try to do this song: NO”.
We were like that, it’s part of growing up…
IGNAZIO= We were in the studio, we were listening to a song: “No, this is not good,” but 30 seconds had passed.
PIERO= But it was a stance, you couldn’t go on like this, then over the years you fortunately mature, you are no longer the same as before, then over the years you always think of the good of the group.
IGNAZIO= We need an earthquake, you know that then there are aftershocks, we have settled.
SCHILLACI= Was there an earthquake Gianluca at some point?
GIANLUCA= Think of three people, consider that we are three leaders, they put us together, we didn’t know each other, we didn’t choose each other.  From the beginning there has always been that healthy competition, then we understood over time that unity is strength from all points of view, also because 15 years is a long time.
SCHILLACI= Let’s try to play a little game and see how well all three of you know each other.
I ask you :
“Who is the most positive of the three of you?”
G+P= Ignazio,
GIANLUCA= NO, oh god…
IGNAZIO= Now much more…
GIANLUCA= Yes, much more now.
PIERO= Before he was pessimistic.
GIANLUCA= Cosmic pessimism.
IGNAZIO= Before he (Piero) was positive.
Now I’m just…
SCHILLACI=… you are positive and good. The most pessimistic instead? (Piero and Ignazio point to Gianluca)
GIANLUCA= No, no, I’m a realist.
SCHILLACI= Realist.
PIERO= No, you are pessimistic!
IGNAZIO= Let’s say that until a few months ago it was me, now it’s Gianluca.
GIANLUCA= No, it’s not true.
IGNAZIO= Rightly to counterbalance.
SCHILLACI= Who is the one who loses patience first?
IGNAZIO= (At first he raises his hand but then thinks better of it) No, oh God, we’ll play it (and Gianluca scores)

SCHILLACI= But you raised your hand!
IGNAZIO= I’m more touchy, he…..(he means that Gianluca loses his temper more than him)
PIERO= It’s the fourth question you’re asking, have you understood who is the perfect one in the group?
SCHILLACI= So, who’s the one to apologize first?
PIERO= Maybe…..(he looks at Ignazio and at that moment Ignazio marks himself)....you??? But whenever.
IGNAZIO= Ok you. But no, not you.
PIERO= I like to apologize if I admit that I’m wrong.
IGNAZIO= Me too.
PIERO= Wait, let’s do something, who never says sorry? (Piero and Ignazio look at Gianluca)
GIANLUCA= See how they paint me…
PIERO= He is like cats, he always has to land on his feet.
SCHILLACI= So, who is most moved?
IGNAZIO= Gianluca, but lately I’ve been getting very close.  Gianluca has always been the most sensitive one.
SCHILLACI= Who makes the most jokes of the three?
IGNAZIO= Do you even ask?
GIANLUCA= Oh God, Ignazio!
SCHILLACI= Let’s see another clip. (Nessun Dorma da Notte Magica begins)
This is Nessun Dorma, you are in Florence Piazza Santa Croce and there is a certain Placido Domingo conducting.
PIERO= Do you know what the best memory is, at least for me, the day before we sang at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid with Placido Domingo and immediately after the concert we got on a plane and on this flight Madrid-Florence Domingo told us all about period of the three tenors, how the idea of the three tenors was born, the most difficult moments, the most beautiful moments, strengths and weaknesses of each of the three. That journey was incredible and I will never forget those words again.
SCHILLACI= Gianluca, from Florence to Panama sing in front of Pope Francis during World Youth Day.
GIANLUCA= Yes, this is the great fortune we have, to sing this genre which allows us to travel the world, also because bel canto has become an intangible heritage of humanity since last November, and therefore, in short, it allows us to sing not only in Panama in front of the Pope, but also at the Kiyomizu-dera (Japanese temple) which is a UNESCO heritage site, this temple in the middle of Kioto, in the middle of a forest and this thing is incredible, it is a great fortune, we discovered the power of this music that overcomes the barriers of language.
SCHILLACI= Of the many meetings you have had, really many, I ask you to choose one, the one that perhaps in some way was not the most important, ok, but which touched you for some reason.
IGNAZIO= It’s difficult!! That is, I would tell you on my birthday with Barbra Streisand.
SCHILLACI= Oh well, that’s not too bad!! (Ironic)
IGNAZIO= No, but it’s really difficult, because then I really admired films and as a child I watched Cast Away which left a strong impression on me and seeing Tom Hanks, you understand, it was another beautiful moment to share with him, a moment very nice.
PIERO= I would definitely tell you Pope Francis, they are indescribable energies, believer or non-believer they are unique moments.  Then after a few months you find yourself in Kyoto where maybe they make you….
(he turns to Gianluca): “What did the monk do before the concert?”
He said a prayer just for us, where perhaps in the midst of those words you occasionally heard “IL Volo” and they are things you never forget, behold, they remain indelible.
GIANLUCA= I may have had an encounter, a recent one by the way.
I was little in the car with dad, dad was driving and he made me listen to the songs of De André di Battiato of the great Italian singer-songwriter and there was one in particular, I remember when I listened to the notes of LUCI A SAN SIRO I got excited and I cried, I had my father explain the meaning of the lyrics and I had the great honor of being able to share the stage with Vecchioni last May at the Verona Arena and I read him a letter where I wrote this thought in which I shared the importance that he had in my adolescence.
SCHILLACI= Let’s see another clip (Ecstasy Of Gold begins)  Sand, lots of sand.
IGNAZIO= We were in Sardinia there.
SCHILLACI= Ah, were you in Sardinia?
IGNAZIO= Yes we filmed in Sardinia.
GIANLUCA= Scenarios a bit like Sergio Leone (famous Italian western director).
SCHILLACI= Beautiful, splendid scenery: This is naturally a great tribute to the master Morricone to whom you dedicated an album.
IGNAZIO= We dedicated an album, yes yes we did a Tribute to Ennio Morricone, that’s the name of the album, but why did we allow ourselves to do it, because in any case we had an experience with master Morricone, we were still young and he called us guests in Piazza del Popolo and we have this beautiful anecdote of Gianluca who misses the entrance and tells him:
“Ah, will you give me the attack?”
And there were the bleached orchestral musicians…
PIERO= The first violin was pale.
GIANLUCA= We were 15 years old, the first times with 100 orchestra members, maestro Morricone, we were in the rehearsal room, not even on a stage, so I get closer, the piece starts and I don’t, so silence and I tell him:
“Ah but will you give me the attack?” and he: “Don’t worry kid, I’ll take care of it.”
SCHILLACI= You have mentioned Kyoto several times and this incredible concert in Japan, but there was another particularly significant place because you had a Christmas in the Holy Land in Jerusalem.
PIERO= But Jerusalem was one of the strongest trips in these 15 years, perhaps that is one of the most ambitious projects…..
IGNAZIO= …..and courageous…
PIERO= …and courageous…
IGNAZIO= …if you remember the week before there was a bombing….
PIERO= ….in the morning, in the bus station. That project was really ambitious and then we succeeded because in the end with our team, people really only see the three of us on stage with the orchestra, but behind it there is an incredible team of great professionals who dedicate their lives to this project, to us, and singing inside the Tower of David doesn’t happen every day, we did this Christmas concert, we went to Bethlehem, inside the Grotto of the Nativity, singing down there was magical.
SCHILLACI= You can go back in time and erase a mistake you made, which one do you erase?
IGNAZIO= I don’t know, the first thought that comes to mind, if you tell me so, is….I lost my father in 2021, so maybe one of the biggest mistakes is having taken for granted that I would have seen him one hour later and I never saw him again, so I didn’t say that word that maybe I could have said thinking that I had time but instead I didn’t.
PIERO= Dedicate more time to grandparents, because in the end, over time, I would challenge anyone, we realize perhaps too late the luxury and privilege.
GIANLUCA= I have to tell you that I wouldn’t change anything at all, because even mistakes made me become the person I am today.
SCHILLACI= But by the way, since you mentioned pain, it’s true that you were about to go to Rigopiano when there was the tragedy of the avalanche that caused death…
GIANLUCA= Yes, Roberto del Rosso was a dear friend of mine from Abruzzo, I had already known him for a couple of years and I took refuge there every now and then to get away from various trips. The tragedy was on Wednesday when it happened, shortly after 4:00 in the afternoon and on Monday I heard it and had to go there, then my father stopped me (Ercole didn’t let him go because it was snowing heavily). My father stopped me at the last moment, because he (Roberto) had also offered to pick me up, because no one expected something like this, no one.
Yes, in some way I escaped death from that point of view, but I put myself in the shoes of all the parents who lost their children, of the very young kids, of the families who were there in that truly enchanting place. (29 people died including Roberto del Rosso) And you realize how precious life is, how much in a moment everything can change, it’s really the transience of life, so we must enjoy every moment.
Let’s see another clip. (Who Wants To Live Forever begins).
This is Freddie Mercury’s testament, it is one of Queen’s most beautiful songs, you took great care to include it in this roundup of clips that we have seen. Why this song?
PIERO= We brought Who Wants To Live Forever this year to the covers evening at the Sanremo Festival, it is a song that we have always kept on our wish list and we took the opportunity of the Sanremo Festival to sing it, produce this song, then we needed a guitarist and we somehow asked Vasco’s permission because we stole his guitarist Stef Burns for those 4 minutes and we thank Stef for accepting our invitation, we thank Vasco for his trust and it was a magical experience to be able share and make people understand this marriage that took place on stage between classical music and rock music.
SCHILLACI= You have truly achieved so many dreams, more than any person can probably achieve in two or three lifetimes, but what if I asked you now what dream do you have? But it must be strange, I mean, I don’t know… I would have liked to play Gladiator… that is, a dream of this kind that you think about every now and then and tell me you’d like it.
IGNAZIO= I would like to have been able to study and perhaps have had the opportunity to make a film with Massimo Troisi (Italian actor who died young).
SCHILLACI= Nice, this is nice!
PIERO= I have a dream, but it will always remain a dream…
SCHILLACI= What do you know, let’s hear it!
PIERO=….is to stay for a few days on the aerospace station with Luca Parmitano (Italian astronaut), that’s a dream I would like.
SCHILLACI = Nice, nice!
GIANLUCA= Oh God, to be part of a film with Nolan, something like that.
SCHILLACI= Nice, nice too.
The disgusting thing you’ve eaten anywhere in the world.
PIERO= Spicy jellyfish, I find it hard to tell.
IGNAZIO= I’m disgusting to say it, but it was delicious, the alligator curry.
GIANLUCA= I have to say Igna’s pizza….no joke!!
IGNAZIO= But once in Japan they made me eat…
GIANLUCA= The head of a fish.
IGNAZIO=….but I didn’t eat it, basically it was typical in Japan at that time, it was a sardine that they served in broth and you had to eat it all, even the head.
PIERO= But will you come and visit us at some concert?
SCHILLACI= So, you’re on tour right now, okay, and you’ll be on tour for basically months.
IGNAZIO= We are on tour for the whole summer, then…
PIERO= The tour started on April 25th from Japan, we will spend the whole summer on tour in Italy, 30 dates more or less…
GIANLUCA= In October all over Europe…
PIERO= ….in October throughout Europe and then in January in the sports halls in Italy and then America, South America and Australia.
IGNAZIO= Yes because we make the distinction between Italy and Europe, understand? That is, for us, Italy is not Europe at the moment, when we do the tours, understand? (ironic).
GIANLUCA= But we will be free for two weeks in August, we have holidays…
SCHILLACI= You have holidays, you gave them to each other.
GIANLUCA= We gave them to each other, exactly. Then Ignazio gets married and so….
SCHILLACI= Ignazio, best wishes!!
IGNAZIO= Thank you (but he signals to speak softly)
SCHILLACI= We can say it, right? Does the bride know?
IGNAZIO= Yes, she know…..maybe!!
PIERO= Do you know where he gets married? At Campo Franco. (way of saying)
SCHILLACI= Guys, I thank you, thanks for being on SKYTG24, thanks for being on STORIES, we’ll see you at one of the next stops and then with all those who decide to see you.
IGNAZIO= However, we are SKY customers too (he means that they are SKY subscribers)
SCHILLACI= Let’s face it, it’s always nice.
IGNAZIO= Sky thank you for purchasing tennis, I love you! Thank you!
(Sky is a private pay television network. At the end Ignazio says that all three are Sky subscribers and thanks the network for having purchased the rights to show the tennis matches.)
Also, in these days, Giacomo Rossi, the young Italian vocal coach, gave a wonderful review of IGNAZIO who sings WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER in Arena.
Beautiful words for him from a connoisseur who analyzes technically but who also makes us understand the beauty of a voice that we admire “from the gut”.
He promised that he will also review Gianluca and Piero soon, we will look forward to them with joy!!
Turn on subtitles.

And then this good news arrived, in this period Mediaset, which also owns Canale 5, disclosed the program schedules from September to August 2025 and Il Volo was confirmed, but here is the ANSA article of which I translate the interested parties.

CLICK HERE to view the ANSA article

Pier Silvio Berlusconi (Mediaset manager) announced, during the presentation of the schedules, the renewal of the relationship with Il Volo for another two years.
“They will be part of the Canale 5 team – he said -, with three prime time shows in the spring of 2025, three in the spring of 2026 and another Christmas concert. I am really happy with this relationship, I believe that Il Volo has great artistic value but not only that, we have an excellent relationship.”
So there will soon be other concerts in the Arena filmed and broadcast by Canale 5, furthermore this year’s Christmas concert will be done by them and also the one in 2025.
What great news, it is clear from the words of Pier Silvio Berlusconi (Silvia Toffanin’s partner) there is a lot of respect for Il Volo.
Another piece of good news, the Il Volo concert in London is already sold out!! 👏👏👏

And finally, look at how beautiful this fan art is, congratulations to whoever made it.

Luckily some good news comes to lift the spirits of these sad days.
I am happy that Il Volo has had its contract renewed for another two years with Mediaset and I really liked Pier Silvio Berlusconi’s words of esteem.
I’m also happy with the sold-out in London and also with the nice review from vocal coach Giacomo Rossi, and what about the nice interview?
Come on guys, there are still many commitments for you.
See you very soon: Daniela 🤗

 

Credit to owners of all photos, videos and artwork.

57 thoughts on “IL VOLO TO STORIES and MORE by Daniela”

  1. Thank you Daniela for another nice article (in English) I’m looking forward to your next one.Have a lovely day.❤️🙂

  2. Thank you Daniela … your excellent translations are a wonderful insight into the lives of Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero for all of us English speaking fans. I am delighted that the London show at The Theatre Royal Drury Lane (guaranteed to be a few Royals in attendance I’m sure) is sold out and I think next time IL VOLO will need to play more dates in UK or a bigger London venue 😀 Buckingham Palace maybe??? … I can hardly wait to see and hear these young men sing at the London show.
    GRANDE AMORE ❤️❤️❤️

    1. Private message for those who remember.
      If the Royals attend IL Volo can ask them to rattle their jewelry. BTW I’m not an anti- monarchist.

    2. Carol, when I realized that not all of you could activate the subtitles for understanding, I thought I absolutely had to translate everything, the questions were too good, and our guys’ answers are always very intelligent and give us a glimpse into their private lives. I’m happy for London too.

      1. Dear Daniela, I was able to activate the font, but it was so quick and the font was so small. Thank you very much for the translations. Ina

  3. Thank you Daniela. That was an exceptional interview and the art was touching.
    Can you tell me if the three most recent concerts were on Canale 5?

    1. Yes Gail, it’s Canale 5 that broadcast all three Il Volo concerts and has already booked to have 3 more concerts for 2025 and also for 2026, isn’t that fantastic??

      1. Yes. And you helped me understand something. On stage when they were greeting the audience they sounded like they were saying casa and 5.
        I’m not really studying Italian but I’m working on learning some words. Thank you for helping all of us with the details.

  4. Thank you for taking the time to translate that very long interview. I appreciate all of the information you give us of IL Volo in English.

    1. Lynn, the interview was really long, but the things said were too good, I absolutely had to translate them for you.
      Thanks for the compliments.

  5. Vielen herzlichen Dank, Daniela. Ich habe das Interview schon stückchenweise im Internet gesehen, ein Teil war mit englischen Untertiteln versehen, andere mit spanischen, die mich sehr von der italienischen Sprache ablenkte. Nun habe ich durch dich das ganze Interview lesen können. Vielen Dank. Ich habe auch sehr viel erfahren, was ich noch nicht wusste. Obwohl ich glücklich bin, dass die Welt diese großartige Gruppe kennenlernen durfte und viele es sicher noch tun, aber mir tun die Drei trotzdem sehr leid, dass ihre Jugend anders verlief als bei anderen. Hoffentlich werden sie nicht später darunter leiden.
    Ich drücke ihnen die Daumen und bete weiterhin für sie, dass es ihnen gut geht.
    Bis zum nächsten Mal.

    1. Ursula, ich freue mich sehr, dass dir das Interview gefallen hat und dass du viele Dinge verstanden hast, die du nicht wusstest.
      Diese Jungs überraschen uns immer wieder mit ihrer Einfachheit und Spontaneität.
      Sie hatten sicherlich keine normale Jugend, aber sie hatten sicherlich auch viele Dinge, die viele Teenager nie haben werden, wie zum Beispiel alles, was positive und negative Seiten hat..
      .
      Ursula, I’m so happy that you enjoyed the interview and that you understood many things that you didn’t know.
      These guys always amaze us with their simplicity and spontaneity.
      They certainly didn’t have a normal adolescence, but they certainly also had many things that many teenagers will never have, like everything there are positive and negative sides.

  6. Thank you for that wonderful article. I have been a fan of IL Volo since the beginning. I have their first cd and their last, ASTRA. Thank you for translation, greatly appreciated.

    1. How nice Gail that you have followed Il Volo from the beginning, I met them during Sanremo 2015, but since then I have never lost sight of them!

  7. I was really hoping to see this interview as I had caught clips on Instagram. Thank you for translating it.

    I’ll be at the London concert and it will be the first time I have seen Il Volo live, so it’s very exciting.

    It does seem as though the rumours about a breakup were entirley false. I’m so glad!

    1. How nice Jill you will be in London and it will be your first concert. I’m glad you liked the interview.
      I never EVER had any doubt that the rumors of their breakup were completely nonsense.

  8. Oh Daniela and Pat – thanks SOOOO much for this lovely article. I had really looked forward to know the content of this paticvular interview that had them tell a bit more in details about various subjects that we do partly already know but then here are presented a bit differently and added a few extra bonus points by the boys. I really enjoyed reading the English translation (I could only get the text in Italian in the video). It had me smiling many times – I love when they tease each other – but especially when they spoke of their time in school. I so much recognize their little individual antics from my own school days. Piero being truly smart distracting the teacher to speak of something of her personal interest in order to get the time to pass fast and off track; Ignazio trying to avoid being one of the first to be heard in order for him to just repeat the answeres already given when it became his turn – and I did exactly the same as Gianluca when it came to having prepared myself really well and did fine in chemnistry and had expected a high score but then was given a truly low one – I didn’t open the book for the rest of the year…. ha ha. Telling such stories make them so human and “just” like the rest of us.

    And then I did just love the pro analyze of Ignazio singing the Queen song “The show must go on”. Giacomo Rossi is clealy impressed with Ignazi and cannot hide it. And I concur, Ignazio does this song – as well as “Who wants to live forever” so fantasticly and so just to Queen. He matches Freddie Mercury in all aspects. I would love to have Giacomo analyze more of Piero and Gianluca’s singing as well albeit I do know that he fancies Ignazio more having a special interest in rock/heavey metal – but still very interesting to learn his comments.

    Again, thanks a million for pampering us with these grand articles finding just the most interesting interviews and videos. Lots of love – Kirsten, Denmark

    1. Yes Kirsten, I laughed too when I read that in the end our three naughty boys (in a good way) admit that school wasn’t really up their alley. Their interviews are truly unique because they don’t hide anything, they reveal a lot about their personalities and even their simple essence, and we really like what we understand.

      I really like Giacomo Rossi’s analyzes of vocal technique too, it’s clear that he prefers Ignazio, but he said that he admires all three and will soon do analyzes of the other two, I can’t wait!!

      Thanks for the compliments Kirsten!

  9. Thank you Daniela and Pat! It was so refreshing to read all the good news! It’s a cloudy day here in New England and promising rain, so thanks for bringing out the sun! Oh how I’d love to sit in on one of their interviews ( with a translator in my ear)! I love their honesty, nothing seems off limits to them! Was that on honest date for Igna and Mich’s wedding in August….makes sense. I’m so happy for them and hope to see the other two have their happiness ever after….all three are great prospects for any girls, one down and two to go!!😃
    Love the art work, talented fan! I’m sure they’ll all have it framed and in their homes. So excited about Canale5 both for the 3 Spring concerts and their beautiful Christmas one.
    ILVOLO Gianluca,Piero, and Ignazio are the best and I pray for them to have Peace and consolation in their hearts and to begin to heal now. Barbara will always be looking over them. RIP Barbara.😇🕊️
    Wishing you two a wonderful week, be healthy and stay safe!
    With much affection and gratitude, Carol💖💖💖🎶🎼🎵🎤🩷🩷🙏🏻🕊️😇

    1. Carol, I’m happy to have brought you nice things to read on a day that doesn’t look good. It’s true, these guys don’t hide anything, they’re disarming, but we like them like that: sincere!!
      The fan art is really very beautiful, it captured the essence of that terrible moment.

  10. Thanks ,Daniela, for all you do to keep us informed about the three guys of IL VOLO. Their talents and songs lighten up life.

  11. Wow! un énorme merci à vous Daniela, j’ai adoré cette lecture et merci à Il Volo pour nous faire vivre tous ces beaux moments….

    1. Merci Ginette, lire ces belles interviews nous prépare aussi bien à nos journées !.
      .
      Thanks Ginette, reading these beautiful interviews also prepares us well for our days!

  12. Thank you Daniela for translating. We always learn something new in these interviews. I always enjoy listening to Giacomo Rossi’s reviews and watching his reactions. He is really good.

    1. Yes Cathy, we learn something new about them in interviews every time.
      Giacomo is a good vocal coach and even if Il Volo’s genre is not metal to which he is linked, he is honest in his reviews, as a good vocal coach should be. Comment on his videos, I told him the comments would go around the world!

  13. Amazing article again Daniel! I will never stop being grateful to you for your translations of interviews and interactions between the boys during their concerts. The automatic translator for YouTube videos is fine as a first aid, but it can never capture the atmosphere and accurate translation like you give us. This is one of the interviews that I really love. A lot of inconspicuous snippets from their lives, funny information and, above all, there are questions that are new to us (perhaps even to the boys). They must be tired of getting the same types of questions over and over 🙂
    I just wanted to ask: do you happen to know why the guys weren’t at Bocelli’s 30-year career celebration? He had 3 concerts planned for July 15-19, I expected him to be there at least July 19. I’ll see… And did I understand correctly that Ignazio is planning a wedding for August? Or was Piero joking? 🙂

    1. Iva, thank you so much for your beautiful compliments and, as far as Bocelli is concerned, I’ll give you my opinion, but it’s precisely my opinion. First of all, on those dates the boys could not attend, because Barbara’s funeral was on July 15th and they attended both masses, the morning one and the afternoon one. They also had a concert on July 17th. Maybe only on the 19th they could.
      There were many important guests and VIPs, both Italian and foreign, to celebrate Bocelli. To attend an event you have to be invited and honestly, I don’t think Bocelli would invite Il Volo. All the guests of Bocelli’s three concerts are not part of the pop-lyrical scene, in reality Il Volo is Bocelli’s direct “competitor”, therefore, my opinion is that he will never invite them. Have you ever heard Bocelli talk about Il Volo in interviews? Not me, in fact only once when Bocelli replied like this:
      “The three of them are lucky because they can divide the song into three”, no other compliments. Instead, I think I have heard Il Volo speak with admiration about Bocelli countless times.
      As I repeat, this is just my opinion.

      Don’t think that Ignazio will get married in August, Piero and also Gianluca said they will take a two week holiday and everyone thought that Ignazio will get married in that period. I can’t tell you when it will be and I may be wrong, but I think it will be a little later.

      1. Dear Daniela, you may be right about Bocelli. I just feel so sorry for the boys if they really feel that way about them. Given his position, I would rather expect support and recognition, like for example from Pavarotti (I even saw that on the recording of their concert in the first rows), but I would probably want a lot. I’m especially sorry that he admires Gian Bocelli so much. But I would be interested in what led Bocelli to sing Granada together with the boys… Well, what can be done. On the other hand, if they really think of them as competition, then I’ll take that as a big compliment 🙂
        And as for Ignazio, I estimated it to be at the end of November, which is why Piero surprised me a little in the interview. Not so much the date, but rather the fact that he would publicly inform about the upcoming wedding in this way. Here I think they deserve to live these moments in peace and privacy, with only family and closest friends (but I hope they show some photos afterwards!).

      2. On the subject of Andrea Bocelli maybe you can shed some light on this. I have been unable to read Michele Torpendine’s book I Start Again from Three because I don’t understand Italian.
        But I got the impression that he had given up on management possibly because of something that had happened between him and Bocelli. That he was disgusted with the whole management thing until these wonderful boys came along .
        Am I over analyzing ( as I always do)?

      3. Iva, the event that brought together Bocelli and Il Volo to sing Granada was a charity event done by Bocelli and Zanetti (a footballer), since then there has been no video together and I must say that the boys were still very young and it even seemed to me that Bocelli wanted to demonstrate his superiority, but I repeat, perhaps these are all my suppositions.

      4. Gail, Torpedine’s book had been withdrawn because it had “stepped on someone’s toes”, but not Bocelli, of whom Torpedine always speaks very highly, but probably of Zucchero, of whom Torpedine speaks highly as an artist but certainly not as a person !!

  14. Cara Daniela, your translating brain must be exhausted! Many thanks for this–it was a very interested interview. And such wonderful news about the television specials–wow! Looks like our Il Volo is going to be going strong for a long, long time.🎶👍😍

    1. Thank you Judi, it’s so nice to be able to inform you when the news is so good and after everything that has happened, it was nice to read nice and positive things.

  15. Thank you so much for translating this interview. It was very interesting And gave me great insight into the guys. They are such fine young men with magnificent voices. I Truly love their music.

  16. Dear Daniela & Pat – first of all I would like to let you know of my appreciation to you both for your outstanding editorials – pics & videos – some of which I have not read yet – but I have them on my PC for safekeeping – they are far too valuable to lose – there are many things I would love to comment on – but still do not feel well enough to sit at the PC for too long – between you stunning girls & Youtube I have managed to catch up on some things – there is a website on “FB’ titled ‘Reels’ & anyone can upload anything – opinions – pics & videos – I was astonished at how many people were wanting to know about Piero – Ignazio & Gianluca & what happened to Barbara – I also happened to view an IL Volo rehearsal for Tutti per uno Capolavoro on YouTube uploaded by Atiroim2001 – what a joy to watch – I am so happy the rehearsals are such fun & Ignazio – he is so funny – he certainly lightens the day with his little antics – Daniela & Pat – the interview between our boys & Omar Schillaci was OK – our boys are humble & have great integrity they stand high on a pedestal – no wonder they are loved around the world & so are you two Daniela & Pat once again I say thank you for your love – you have many people who feel as I do about you two beautiful souls – much love.

    1. Thank you very much for the tip on Atiroim2001! Soundcheck videos are few and hard to find (probably also because they are not allowed to be filmed properly) and this is great! Ignazio really enjoyed himself and even took the maestro’s baton again and conducted 🙂 I’m already looking forward to the sound check in Prague. I wish you a speedy recovery!

      1. Thank You Iva for your kind wishes – I hope I haven’t got anyone in trouble because the sound checks are such a delight to see – such a lift to the soul & great publicity for our boys.

    2. Thank you Jude for the compliments and I hope you continue well with your health.
      Airtom’s videos are always beautiful, it’s a source that I often use too.
      I hope you will be able to read all our back issues and soon there will also be an article that I think you will really like.

    3. You’re more than welcome, Jude! I hope I can continue to live up to your high praise! Daniela does a stunning job with these long translations! It takes a long time and several sessions to sit there and translate. It’s been three weeks since my hand surgery and I I am doing good but still sore and finding it hard to type very fast. When I can I use my phone and speak my messages to people which comes out good most of the time. I have to be very careful of some words though as you never know what Siri will substitute! 🤣😂 Thank you so much for your kind words. It is much appreciated. I hope you improve soon and will be able to sit at the computer longer. Hugs and kisses to you and all the members of the Flight Crew! ♥️😘

      1. Dear Pat – how we suffer in silence – I had no idea about your surgery I do not doubt in my mind the surgery on your hand would have been most painful – but worse is not being able to use your hand for some time – especially considering the work you do – but you work on – you are always respecting the translation work Daniela does – you are correct – Daniela has a rare gift – she would certainly be welcomed in diplomatic circles – you Pat could be the spy with a thousand eyes with all the photos & videos you glean from everywhere haha – you Daniela & Susan as well are the quintessential frontline for Il Volo Flight Crew – many fans from what I see reply & love you girls too – great for Piero – Ignazio & Gianluca to have such loyal fans & great publicity – much love.

      2. Jude, I really do not find the photos and videos for these posts as Daniela does it all! I do help sometimes when we collaborate on getting a better video that will show up or resizing a photo so it will fit above the title. It is very difficult these days to get videos that are available to the public in general or have not been hidden due to possible copyright infringements. That is why you see some “click here” links. They are very good videos that we want you all to see but they will not show a preview. My main job is to do the layout and make the post “look pretty”, as I always say. I used to do typesetting and layout for the printing business my late husband and I owned. It was fun and I loved working with computers. After I met Jana in Chicago in 2017 she asked me if I would be willing to help and I told her certainly! 😃

      3. Thanks for educating me Pat!! – goes to show I don’t know everything haha.

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