MY REVIEW OF ALL FOR ONE, MANTUA 2026 By Katharina

The long wait was finally over! At last, “Tutti per Uno” in Mantua! All those months of anticipation were worth it! Three wonderful concerts are now behind us. But perhaps I should first tell you briefly how I discovered Il Volo, because it really wasn’t that long ago.
In 2024, my parents asked for Il Volo’s Christmas CD. Until then, I didn’t know Il Volo at all. We listened to the CD together – and a new fan was born. Since then, I have devoured everything I can find about Il Volo.
And my first and best source: the FlightCrew pages.
I spent hours reading everything through the material organized so wonderfully put together. I was able to “get to know” the families, discover the guys when they were even younger (although, of course, they are still very young!), listen to countless interviews and see hundreds of photos. It was an excellent source of information – and one you could really trust.
My greatest compliments to you for that!
Since then, hardly a day has gone by without Il Volo’s music. I was able to see them live for the first time in Germany last November – first in Berlin and then immediately afterwards in Leipzig. And now, finally, in Mantua – at all three concerts.
My husband, who accompanied me to Mantua (he too, had already seen three Il Volo concerts), patiently puts up with his wife’s enthusiasm for Il Volo.
It was an extraordinary experience. Every concert was impressive. That enormous stage, so cleverly incorporating the ancient walls of Palazzo Te – I already knew it from photos from last year. But when you actually stand there yourself – wow!
To be honest, I had some concerns about the first concert.
Would Gianluca sing? So soon after the death of his beloved Nonno? How do you face such an emotionally challenging situation – in front of hundreds of spectators, television cameras and thousands of eyes watching you? Secretly, I almost hoped they would NOT sing “Hallelujah” – while making sure I had my tissues ready, just in case.
But then they stepped onto that enormous stage, and a wonderful concert began. The large orchestra – the strings on the left and everyone else on the right – Giampiero Grani, of course, Marcello Rota.
Fantastic lighting effects, a wonderful show. Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca were so warm and seemed so relaxed, easy-going and likeable. The way they interacted with one another, with their guests and with the audience was so charming that you simply couldn’t help being captivated.
I can’t possibly list all the guests. It was a fascinating and very entertaining evening, even though it lasted almost four hours. The time simply flew by. Of course, they sang “Hallelujah”. Gianluca was very professional, and I didn’t need my tissue after all.
Afterwards, however, he did briefly mention his Nonno and said a few words. He received a standing ovation – just as he had immediately after “Hallelujah”. When Piero briefly put his hands on Gianluca’s shoulders to comfort him, Gianluca gently pulled away. I think he didn’t want to lose his composure. I suspect they may not even show that moment in the television broadcasts.
Something else that impressed me was the way the three singers treat one another. They radiated such warmth and harmony, such a strong sense of connection. And such a genuine joy in singing. I loved that. What an achievement – especially under those very particular circumstances on the first evening.
The other concerts were wonderful too – and, for me, far too short (around three hours), because you simply can’t get enough of them. 😉 I don’t really want to say much more about the guest artists. What captivated me most was the atmosphere as a whole. And I was impressed by the extraordinary professionalism that makes everything look so effortless. It is probably impossible to imagine how much preparation must have gone on behind the scenes.
There were only a few songs they performed more than once – “Grande Amore”, of course, or “Capolavoro”. When did they find the time to prepare all of this? Beautiful new duets, wonderful solos, each of them shining with his own particular musical preferences.
And that is precisely the great treasure they possess and nurture so skillfully: three individual personalities who can each be presented in their own right and given room to shine – and, at the same time, their incredible power as a trio, enhanced even further by clever musical arrangements.
No one else can imitate that. Their professionalism is so impressive, as is the apparent ease with which they present everything. And vocally – what power! They are always right on point, vocally perfect. And they maintain that level for so many hours.
Ignazio, for example – he sings with so much energy, enthusiasm and sheer enjoyment. Piero, with his magnificent tenor voice, which I feel is becoming more and more mature.
And Gianluca – who, admittedly, received just a tiny bit more of my attention 😉 – with his sensitivity … I think words fail me there. All three of them truly live their music. What a gift that is!
What made Mantua particularly special was that I was lucky enough to spend all those days there. I had never experienced this kind of life as a fan among other fans before. What fun it was!
Everywhere you went, you met Il Volo fans from all over the world – Peru, the USA, Portugal, Croatia, Austria… You don’t really know one another at all, and suddenly you are connected in such a funny and delightful way. The first question was almost always:
“Who is your favourite – Piero, Gianluca or Ignazio?”
Very entertaining!
And because the centre of Mantua isn’t very spread out, you kept running into one another again and again over the course of the days. It was so refreshingly different.
The singers’ families were in Mantua too. You might see them sitting together around a table in a café, then strolling through the city, or Mr. and Mrs. Ginoble out for a walk with Luna. I imagine that having their own families there must also make at least some of the singers feel wonderfully supported.
I also loved the fact that, before the concerts at Palazzo Te, so many fans gathered in front of the stage, chatting and taking photos. It is simply so different from going to a concert and immediately taking your seat. I usually attend classical concerts.
So, this was all very new and exciting for me.
And it also meant that I finally got to meet Daniela in person, even if only briefly. I was genuinely delighted about that. And I saw Ina briefly every evening; we, too, only got to know each other there. I was very happy about that as well. You simply don’t experience things like this at other concerts.
And if someone now asks me which concert was the best? That’s a difficult decision.
Personally, I enjoyed the first and third concerts just a little more than the second. But everyone has different preferences. The second evening was a little more rock-oriented, which was fantastic too. I am very curious to see what the television recordings will be like.
Hopefully the broadcasts will also be available on YouTube, because unfortunately Italian television cannot be received everywhere.
So, these are my little – or perhaps not quite so little – impressions that I am taking home with me from the three concerts in Mantua. My head is still full of music. They were such wonderful days, filled with so many interesting encounters that I will never forget.
Warm greetings,
Katharina from Germany 🥰

22 thoughts on “MY REVIEW OF ALL FOR ONE, MANTUA 2026 By Katharina”

  1. Vielen Dank liebe Katharina. Endlich jemand aus Deutschland, der hier die Begeisterung teilt. Wie gerne wäre ich dabeigewesen…und Mantua ist eine reizende Stadt. Woher kommst Du?
    Ich war im letzten Jahr in Köln und Zürich im Konzert. Daher kann ich Deine Euphorie sehr gut verstehen.
    Jetzt freue ich mich auf das Weihnachtskonzert in Bologna.
    Liebe Grüße aus Köln

    1. Herzlichen Dank, liebe Hanne!
      Es freut mich sehr, dass es auch in Deutschland so viele Gleichgesinnte gibt, die Il Volo und ihre wunderbare Musik so mögen und schätzen. Die Konzerte sind schon wirklich etwas Besonderes – und die speziellen Ausgaben von “Tutti per uno” erst recht. Das vergisst man nie. Die ganze Atmosphäre um die Konzerte herum, die vielen Fans – einmalig.
      Du kannst Dich auf das Weihnachtskonzert in Bologna freuen – wie schön! Am liebsten käme ich gleich wieder mit.
      Übrigens – da Du fragtest – ich lebe im schönen Thüringen.
      Liebe Grüße – momentan noch aus dem Urlaub im wunderbaren Verona! Katharina

  2. Liebe Katharina, du schreibst, wie Gianluca singt: mit viel Begeisterung. Herzlichen Dank für deinen Beitrag und die schönen Fotos.
    Ich habe mich in Mantua mit 8 Fans aus mehreren Ländern getroffen. Das war sehr schön.
    Auch ich schätze IL Volo Flight Crew sehr. Ich habe auch alle, ich glaube hunderte, Beiträge mit viel Genuss gelesen.
    Schade, dass Susan keine Zeit mehr hat, zu schreiben. Ihr Beiträge “Durch die Felder meines Geistes” waren auch immer was Besonderes.

    1. Liebe Ina, Deine schönen Worte – was für ein Kompliment. Das freut mich sehr. Herzlichen Dank!
      Ja, das “Fan-Leben” hat das Abenteuer Mantua sehr unterhaltsam abgerundet und das gespannte Warten auf den jeweiligen Konzertbeginn sehr amüsant verkürzt. Auch wenn ich von vielen Fans hörte, sie wären lieber in Verona gewesen – dadurch, dass Mantua nicht so groß ist und das Zentrum überschaubar, traf man sich einfach unweigerlich immer wieder auf den Plätzen in der Stadt. Das gefiel mir. Gerade bin ich in Verona und stelle mir vor, wie es wohl hier wäre. Vielleicht sehen wir uns ja bald einmal bei einem weiteren Konzert hier in Verona. Daumendrücken!
      Herzliche Grüße – Katharina

      1. Für Verona drücke ich auch ganz fest die Daumen….geniesse die Zeit noch in dieser wunderschönen Stadt

  3. Dearest Katharina, you’ve done a truly wonderful job; you expressed everything so well, and your photos, well, what can I say? They are simply stunning!
    I imagine that when you go to see them near where you live, you’ll share more great accounts like this one.
    It was a real pleasure meeting and chatting with you.
    Hugs from Brescia. 🥰

    1. Dearest Daniela,

      thank you so much for your heartwarming words. I’m so happy that I had the chance to meet you and that we can share such wonderful conversations about our great passion – Il Volo.

      And I would also like to thank you and Pat – dear Pat, unfortunately we haven’t had the chance to meet in person yet – for helping me choose the photos. I simply couldn’t decide, and you had to work your way through that whole mountain of pictures! You made such a beautiful selection – my compliments!

      My next concert won’t be until next year, in Berlin in the summer. So once again, it means waiting impatiently – and in the meantime, happily enjoying all your wonderful posts about the other concerts.

      Warmest regards to you and Pat!
      Katharina

  4. Dear Katharina, thank you for your detailed description of the three evenings. I cannot wait to see the concerts on television. I too travel all over Europe to see them live in concert for years now. I am a fan since they were only very young. Unfortunately I could not go to Mantua this year but I will enjoy the three concerts on tv. Thank you again and greeting from the Netherlands.

    1. Dear Jacqueline,

      Thank you so much for your message! It will be really exciting to see how the concerts come across in the TV broadcasts and how they are edited together. I’m sure it will feel quite different from experiencing the concerts live.

      In any case, I imagine we’ll get a much better view of the back of the stage than I had from my seat in the 7th and 5th rows. The stage in Mantua was so huge! I couldn’t really see the choir or the musicians in the back rows very well. But Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio were very easy to see. 😊

      The first episode will be broadcast on October 14 – hopefully it will make its way onto YouTube afterwards as well!

      Warmest greetings to the Netherlands!
      Katharina

  5. Hi Katharina. So nice we’ve met in Mantova and you became a member of the Il Volo family.
    Thank you so much for this wonderful article.
    Hope we meet again.
    Greetings from Holland🧡🇳🇱🌷

    1. Dear Margo,

      I was also so happy to meet you in Mantua. It was such a fun encounter! It would be wonderful if we could meet again at another concert.

      Warmest greetings to Holland, and hopefully see you again soon!

      Katharina

  6. Katharine you did a wonderful job with your story and the pictures too. I was impressed by Gianluca too singing right after his nonno passed. Gianluca was wonderful and it seems his voice is getting stronger too. I love them so much. . Thank you for sharing.
    Linda from Pittsburgh USA ❤️🙏and happy birthday to Ignazio and Gabriele too.

    1. Dear Linda,
      Thank you so much for your kind and appreciative words, dear Linda. They mean a lot to me. The “boys” make it easy – one could talk about them for hours.
      And yes, Gianluca – I admired him very much. One could say: they are professionals, and productions like these involve so many people – the technical crew, the production team, a large orchestra, many guests, and, not least, the audience – and as a professional, you have to be able to handle all of that.
      But professional or not, it must take an enormous amount of strength to give a performance like that in a situation where your heart is so heavy – even if one would like to believe that his Nonno would have wanted him to do exactly that.
      Once again – my deepest admiration.
      Warmest greetings to Pittsburgh,
      Katharina

  7. Oh well done Katharina. Such a personally astute and appealing review. Thankyou. The photos are top notch!! And yes Daniela is a gem. I too came upon Il Volo relatively late in their journey. Scrolling through U Tube I was confronted and amazed by a 14 year old boy … so gently serious with a voice that had me holding my breath in amazement. I was hooked and have, like you, back tracked to learn the Il Volo story and now keep up with the help of Flight Crew, social media and U Tubr. Your observations about Piero maturing is spot on and when I had the pleasure of meeting the guys at Brescia’s Meet and Greet, a little surprisingly, I found him the warmest. Ignazio was at his naughtiest best in Brescia even though, being an Aussie, I could barely make out what was going on between them. He sparkles. And Katharina, I’ll admit that Gian Luca, by a bee’s whisker, is still my favourite and he too is maturing without loosing his charm.. That honey voice! And such a great repertoire. I often find his songs like Music of the Night, Wicked Game and She is Always a Woman on U Tube. But also appreciate when we hear his full baritone in the more classic pieces.
    Bless your dear husband! My daughter and granddaughter accompanied me on our overseas trip and to the Concert .. and I later chuckled when my daughter admitted she had enjoyed the Concert far more than expected and said it did help that they were such “good looking roosters!” My granddaughter sang along as best she could .. ofcourse 98% Italian content. Not a complaint as we expected that to be the case. I met the lovely Daniela too who helped to shepherd me to the Sound Check. At 84 I may not get to another Concert .. (I understand Australia is a long haul travel destination) but I would look to attend a Concert with a little more English content .. the boys command of language is impressive. I am doing my best to learn Italian, but needed to address them in English at the Meet and Greet. How pleased I was to read of the three days you spent mingling with other fans .. what a privilege and what fun to meet others with similar appreciation, enthusiasm and commitment to Il Volo. Thankyou for sharing your experiences!!!

    1. Dear Judy,

      Thank you so very much for your lovely words! They truly made me happy. And as I can see, we have quite a few things in common! 😊
      By the way, I’m trying to learn Italian too. I’m just like you – it’s still a little too soon for spontaneous conversation! 😉
      I also share your impression of Piero. Lately, he seems so relaxed, warm and open-hearted. Ignazio never fails to make you laugh with all his energy and enthusiasm. And Gianluca’s baritone – for me, it remains an eternal wonder how deeply that voice can touch you.
      I thoroughly enjoyed reading your humorous account of the concert in Brescia. It’s so lovely that the three of you were able to share such a wonderful trip together – with the Brescia concert as the icing on the cake.
      And who knows, perhaps they really will make it to Australia again before too long? There’s still nothing on the tour schedule for the spring, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you!

      Warmest greetings to you in Adelaide, dear Judy,
      Katharina

  8. Katharina, I really enjoyed your post–you write beautifully! And it was so nice to get an additional opinion, especially since you saw all three concerts. I loved reading about all the interaction among the fans, and your photos were terrific! Even though I’ll see the guys for the fourth time in November, I’ve never seen them in Europe, and would love to someday.
    Thanks so much for taking the time to do this, and also to Daniela and Pat for their extra help.

    1. Dear Judi,

      You’re going to a concert in November – how exciting! That’s really not far away now! I’m sure it will be a wonderful and very special experience.
      I’m so glad that the photos and my words were able to give you a little glimpse of what the Mantua concerts were like. Daniela had already described so beautifully how wonderful it is – both to experience a concert like this and to meet fellow fans from all over the world. Truly unforgettable!

      Warmest greetings to you, dear Judi,
      Katharina

  9. Es tan bonita la sensacion de verlos en el escenario, y tan maravillosa aún mas cuando s cada expresión y obvio sus magnificas voces y puesta en escena nos hacen vibrar de emoción. La armonía, lacoordinacion , hacen de cada momento un cóctel sabrosísimo donde mezclamos sensibilidad y nostalgia en la voz de Gianluca, y fuerza y contundencia en la voz de Piero. Con la picardia de la voz de Ignazío .
    Esa mezcla la saboreamos gota a gota, cada segundo con ellos en el escenario. Armonía entrega, profesionalismo factor común de estos dos seres encantadores que hace tiempo ya nos robaron el corazón.. Admiración Cariño Respeto desde Colombia.!!!

    1. Dear Luz, thank you so much for your beautiful and heartfelt words! I always enjoy the warmth and passion with which you describe Il Volo and their music. You have such a wonderful way of putting into words what so many of us feel when we see them on stage. Thank you for sharing these emotions — and warmest greetings to Colombia! Katharina

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