MY REVIEW OF ALL FOR ONE, MANTUA 2026 By Katharina
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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.
