A nice review of the Taormina concert by Janet. Thanks Janet for what you sent us. A hug Daniela: 🤗
First time I was in Taormina, maybe 20 years ago when my Mission Dolores choir did a singing/concert tour through Italy and Taormina. I do not remember which church we sang in, but many, many people came and we loved it.
Taormina is still beautiful and the theater is historic and perfect for a concert. My husband and I had 7th row seats one night and seats on the stone steps the second night.
The concert was magical from both places. Our guys were relaxed, funny, sweet and the singing was magnifico. The night was warm and a full moon rose over the theater.
Igna’s solo, “All By Myself”, was so emotional and well done it brought tears and a standing ovation.
Piero sang an aria I had not heard him sing before and it was beautiful. I hope he sings this on the US tour.
The audience seemed to feel connected to them and repeatedly called their individual names, called out greetings from places like Marsala and one woman sort of stopped the second night show calling for a selfie with Igna, and he posed as she came down from her seat for the photo.
This theater and stage are much smaller than the Arena in Verona and it felt more intimate. Near the end of the concert The audience was allowed to stand along the edge of the stage to hopefully touch the guy’s hands as they passed by, and they reached down to touch the hands of many fans. A love fest between these 3 wonderful artists and their fans.
Around town:
We saw GG up close in the restaurant. First he and Eleanora walked by the two tables of fans visiting from afar and he greeted us with “ciao” then he was eating with his parents, Barbara, Michele, Giampiero and their drummer. All sitting casually in a corner of a sidewalk cafe not being bothered by anyone.
Then a nice conversation with Barbara and Michele as they sat near the theater watching the audience go in. Barbara was so sweet and willing to converse for a minute.
Then I saw Piero having lunch with friends the day after both concerts. I wanted a picture but did not want to interrupt his privacy. So we just walked on. But he and the others and the crew mingle with the public and the public respects their privacy it seems.
Then I met and chatted with Dario twice at Bam Bar.
They are all such nice real people who just blend in with us common people. That is why we love them.
A trip I will always remember: Janet 😘🤗
Some of my photos!
Even Mary and Mark Minton were in Taormina.
Here is their review. Thank you for your words and photos. I am so glad you came to Taormina and also that you met our friends.
A hug: Daniela 🤗
My husband and I attended both concerts in Taormina. We looked forward to them with great anticipation since we purchased the tickets two and a half years ago!
An added bonus was that Gianluca and his girlfriend were on the same plane as us flying from Rome to Catania!
The first night we had tickets in the fourth row at the incredible Teatro Antico and met Jeanette and Deborah there.
It was amazing to be up close and the guys did not disappoint. They sang all the same songs as in Verona with the exception of a new one by Piero. There were standing ovations for almost every song. I particularly enjoyed the new songs from the tribute to Ennio Morricone. The guys came into the audience during “Here’s To You” which was a thrill for everyone.
The second night we got tickets for further back so that we could also enjoy the scenery as Mt. Etna was steaming and the lava was flowing in the background. It was also better to get a view of the whole stage and the incredible lighting. During the Hallelujah song everyone had their phones lit up and there was also a full moon to add to the beautiful atmosphere. Visiting Taormina to attend these concerts is something I will never forget, it was a wonderful experience!
Goodbye Italy, to our next Italian adventure: Mary and Mark 🤗🤗
Taormina is not only a beautiful place, but also a place in full swing when there is IL Volo, a magical place, where in addition to listening to good music you can meet Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca walking through the streets or eating a granita at Bambar.
And it is here that Barbara di Palma met Gianluca and Piero and gave them a short and nice interview for the WEEKLY, a new program broadcast on RAI1.
BARBARA = I moved, I’m in a symbolic place in Taormina. The greatest artists stop here to eat the famous granita, and so I thought, for our first episode, to try to organize a little surprise.
I wanted to do it triple, but in reality I managed to do it double: Gianluca Ginoble and Piero Barone … Il Volo !!
(from the studio a voice “The friends of Il Volo, how wonderful.”) and I do the third. 😁
GIANLUCA = Look at Ignazio how beautiful he is, how Ignazio has changed.😁
PIERO = Can I ask you a question Ignazio?
BARBARA = (she imitates Ignazio’s voice) Tell me Piero, tell me.😁
PIERO = For 10 years I have seen you with a goatee, you are more beautiful without a goatee. 😁
BARBARA = This morning I took off my goatee to be younger, because I’m growing up (laughter) 😁
GIANLUCA = Good morning from Taormina, from the wonderful Taormina.
WOMAN = (voice from the studio) Hi guys, what a nice surprise!
BARBARA = Tonight and tomorrow night they have to sing, cheer the whole audience of the Greek theater of Taormina, and you don’t know what’s behind the cameras, then I’ll show you (she refers that behind the cameras there are all the fans who are waiting).
PIERO = We weren’t ready for the unexpected, it was something suddenly …… (Piero jokes to make it clear that they knew the interview was there)😁
BARBARA = In fact we came to eat a granita ….
PIERO = ….. I go out in the morning wearing this (he shows the earphone to his ear, Gianluca has it too, precisely because there was the interview).
You got it, I feel comfortable wearing this !! 😁
GIANLUCA = You from the studio and you from home, for those who are watching us, what a surprise, look how wonderful ….. (Saretto del Bambar’s daughter arrives and brings them the slushes).
BARBARA = The famous granita. So, Federica (Saretto’s daughter), at this moment I am Ignazio.
What’s your favorite flavor?
FEDERICA = Ignazio prefers peach and raspberry.
BARBARA = And they (Gian and Piero)
FEDERICA = They prefer almond and strawberry.
BARBARA = By now they are like little brothers to you.
FEDERICA = Of home, we have known them for many years.
GIANLUCA = We also greet the father, Saretto, who is watching us.
PIERO = Do you know what her father Saretto did? One day for my birthday in Naro, two hours from here, he came as a surprise with the trolley of slushes, we were celebrating 4 or 5 years ago and he arrived with the trolley of slushes. Saretto, a huge kiss (he sends a kiss).
GIANLUCA = We love you!
BARBARA = Taormina, you really have it in your heart, because it was also the first great theater that welcomed you, before the great success of Sanremo.
GIANLUCA = Yes, we were here in July 2014 (they won Sanremo in 2015), it was the first Italian concert, while our career started in 2009. Then, after the victory of the festival they started to know us also here in Italy, but it was weird for us.
BARBARA= The Greek Theater of Taormina believed in you, before the others!
GIANLUCA = Then, our musical genre is suitable for these prestigious and beautiful places like the Theater of Taormina, like the Arena of Verona. It’s always a pleasure to be able to sing and maybe represent our music, in such places ….. beautiful, let’s say.
BARBARA = In fact it is a curiosity that I had, that is, when you sing at the Arena of Verona or at the Greek Theater of Taormina, which have a truly unique setting, when you interpret the songs, does it give you an extra boost compared to a normal stage?
PIERO = It is clear, having the awareness of singing in a prestigious place, makes us feel privileged, sharing our music in these beautiful places, especially in Italy, but also in other places, in America, in Japan, we try not to lose never that emotion, that desire to be amazed and perhaps this, after 13 years of career, is the reason why, when we go on stage, we always feel the same sensation.
BARBARA = Instead you see here, your audience on the street following you … tell me Carolina (the woman from the studio)
CAROLINA = I was actually listening to the stories about the various tours and I was wondering what was the stage that they didn’t do, but that they would like to do …. where?
PIERO = In Italia?
CAROLINA = Even abroad, all over the world.
GIANLUCA = Look, there is a place where we would love to sing and it is the Baths of Caracalla (in Rome, where the concert of the 3 tenors was performed), and therefore it is not very far and it is a magical place ….
MAN = (from the studio) and then you come here to Weekly ….
GIANLUCA = Absolutely, then we come to you, but we invite you to one of our concerts, let us know where you want to come, it would be nice …
CAROLINA = Where can we come ???
PIERO = Let’s start from Italy, we will sing in Taormina, Agrigento in the Valley of the Temples, Torre del Lago, and many other concerts. Then we move to America, Japan and after 10 years, we will finally return to Australia.
We had two and a half years off, finally it seems that everything is back to normal.
After two and a half years we have planned a tour of around 100 concerts and so we are loaded.
BARBARA = I don’t know if you have heard, but the people behind us speak the languages of half the world.
GIANLUCA = Yes.
BARBARA = Two women from Brazil came to Taormina for their concert.
MAN = (from the studio) I wanted to ask Piero and Gianluca something, a hot comment, Ignazio is good though, is he getting along as a correspondent? (He means Barbara in the part of Ignazio)
GIANLUCA = Ignazio gets away with it, yes.
PIERO = Can I tell the truth?
MAN = Sure!
PIERO = I called Ignazio and he answered the third call and I said: “Igna, where are you? Maybe we need to do an interview, there is a live broadcast on RAI1” And he: “You do it, I’m sleeping” This is reality! (laughs).
GIANLUCA = It’s not true, he’s kidding!
PIERO = He went to sleep late, tonight he has to sing, he also has to rest.
BARBARA = I haven’t tasted the granita yet. Good, peach and raspberry.
CAROLINA = Next stop?
BARBARA = This evening and tomorrow evening the Greek Theater of Taormina.
PIERO = Do you know what the next step is? In a week we will have the honor of singing for Pope Francis at the world meeting of families on June 22nd. So see you on June 22nd.
BARBARA = And a few days ago, you interpreted our hymn in a way that always excites us a lot, with the celebration of June 2nd, and we have a little piece, right Carolina and Fabio?
CAROLINA = Sure, let’s watch it, let’s watch this video of June 2nd with you protagonists. Thanks to the friends of Il Volo.
(the video begins where Il Volo sings the Italian National Anthem)
And here they are Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio, shaking hands with our President Mattarella.
Very proud of them !! ❤❤❤
And now I am translating a video that aired on RAI 1 on 07 June.
But first I have to give a long explanation, so that you can see and rate this nice video without misunderstandings.
First of all, I’ll explain who Drusilla Foer is.
At the registry office, Drusilla Foer responds to the name of Gianluca Gori: photographer, painter, singer and actor originally from Florence, one day, out of nothing, he created this character that soon became a web phenomenon.
Her character is liked, because she is elegant, refined, is not coarse and does not show parts of the body (as many showgirls do), in short, it represents a little elegance that often, in many programs, is left aside to make room for voices more and more screaming and using vulgar terms and elegance has given way to transparencies and many centimeters of exposed skin and flesh.
Drusilla this year was co-presenter for one evening in Sanremo and was very successful.
Now she has been entrusted with this small 5-minute column entitled “Almanac of the day after” in which Drusilla has given space to “The enthusiast of the day after”, that is a small space where already famous people are invited , but pretending to be unknown.
In the second episode it was the turn of Il Volo and Piero, Gianluca and Ignazio were very good at keeping up with the game.
Drusilla interviews the boys giving them little space to explain and she ridicules their answers, as often people unknown to the world of entertainment have to undergo in their first approaches with interviews.
With all this premise, I am now translating to you what has been said.
DRUSILLA = Here we are with our guests: PIERO …. and then … Piero, who is from Naro, right?
PIERO = Yes.
DRUSILLA = Where is Naro located?
PIERO = In Sicily, in the province of Agrigento.
DRUSILLA = Very good. Ignatius instead?
IGNAZIO = I was born in Bologna, even if it doesn’t seem like it ….
DRUSILLA = This story is long ….
IGNAZIO = No, it’s short, that’s enough!
DRUSILLA = Enough … good. Instead, you will be Gianluca.
GIANLUCA = I’m the Abruzzese of the group.
DRUSILLA = Ah, Abruzzo.
GIANLUCA = From Roseto Degli Abruzzi.
IGNAZIO = Enough!
DRUSILLA = Very good. So guys I am truly enchanted by this common passion of yours. Let’s summarize a little. Do you travel the world always together?
GIANLUCA = Yes, we take many flights !! 😁😁
DRUSILLA = Because you travel far away? 😁 Not only from Abruzzo to Molise 😁 (these are the two neighboring regions)
GIANLUCA = We get together every now and then, we have many dreams, we hope to ….
DRUSILLA = How nice, that is, you go to the places and sing in the places where you go to work.
IGNAZIO = We have brought some photos.
DRUSILLA = Do you have any photos? (On the screen there is the photo of the video “Ecstasy of Gold” that they shot in Sardinia)
IGNAZIO = Here we are in Texas 😁 (before Texas he says in a low voice Sardinia).
DRUSILLA = In Texas, and you go to Texas dressed in the blue suit?😁
GIANLUCA = With the blue suit, we sing in the middle of the sand. 😁
DRUSILLA = Ah, so really ??
PIERO = We are afraid to get a tan.
IGNAZIO = You know why, now all these social networks are in fashion …
DRUSILLA = Are you afraid that there is someone taking pictures of you? But who knows you !!!! 😁😁😁
GIANLUCA = Look at those beautiful smiles. (There is a photo with them at the Arena and it is wet on the ground because it rains)
DRUSILLA = How cute, where are you in the pool? 😁
PIERO = No, we had just left the dentist, we wanted to show our teeth! 😁
DRUSILLA = Then what’s up (the photo changes, is made in Japan). Ah, how beautiful, but look, where are you here? In Molise, in the Marche (other region)
IGNAZIO = I think we are in America.
GIANLUCA = No, here we are in Japan.
DRUSILLA = In Japan, of course I recognize Japanese architecture! 😁
I hope that this dream of music will come true, maybe you will become international stars.😁
GIANLUCA = We would like to win Sanremo!
DRUSILLA = Ah Ah, but what are you interested in Sanremo (as if to say that it is something unattainable). 😁 But have you ever sung with a real pianist? 😁
Or do you just use Karaoke backing tracks? 😁
IGNAZIO = Sometimes.
DRUSILLA = Little though, would you like to try? I have a pianist, he’s excellent, his name is Maestro Di Leo.
IGNAZIO = Let’s say that in Japanese karaoke, there is no piano available. 😁
PIERO = He is very elegant.
DRUSILLA = He is very elegant, I have forced him to dress well.
PIERO = And how are we dressed?
DRUSILLA = Very good, very happy.
GIANLUCA = Thanks for giving us this chance.
DRUSILLA = Come on guys, let’s go to the piano.
Don’t be intimidated, I know that the first time at the piano, it upsets you a little. 😁
IGNAZIO = We can sing you something …..
DRUSILLA = What would you like to sing?
IGNAZIO = …… that puts us at ease ?? 😁
DRUSILLA = Yes.
IGNAZIO = One of our favorite artists has always been Jimmy Fontana. (Il Mondo)
DRUSILLA = Ah!
PIERO = See, we have this in common, we like the same musical genre, we sing the same songs ….
DRUSILLA = Beautiful, beautiful …
PIERO = We like the same artists …
DRUSILLA = But this beautiful thing (and then pretends to get bored and fall asleep) 😁
GIANLUCA = We are guys from other times! 😘
DRUSILLA = Well, very cheerful!
IGNAZIO = Do you start singing?
DRUSILLA = What song would you like to sing? I really like Jimmy Fontana
IGNAZIO = Since we talked about travel, places ….
PIERO = You know IL MONDO?
DRUSILLA = IL MONDO, if I don’t remember the words can you suggest them to me ???
PIERO = I suggest them to you.
DRUSILLA = And the hue ?? Come on guys don’t worry, how it comes it comes … 😁
IGNAZIO = But we follow you …😁
DRUSILLA = Yes, come on, come on …
(The song begins, Drusilla pretends not to know the words and Piero suggests them to her, then at the refrain IL VOLO brings out all their voices and amazes Drusilla who is offended for having been deceived) 😁😁
GIANLUCA = Enough, (he turns to Ignazio) We understand that you are good.
DRUSILLA = Not good ….. the technique needs to be changed a little, the emission is a little scarce ….😁😁
PIERO = Two more days of karaoke …
IGNAZIO = I miss karaoke in Japan.
DRUSILLA = No, guys, study! 😁
GIANLUCA = You seem a little annoyed … are you annoyed by any chance?
DRUSILLA = No, imagine,…. one two and three, out of the studio ……. come here with coaxing …. but please go far …. go out ….
IGNAZIO = We salute the piano teacher.
PIERO = We hope to see you again soon.
DRUSILLA = (to Piero) What goodbye, stop it …. (to Gianluca) goodbye ….. (to Ignazio) go to karaoke ….
IGNAZIO = But we go often …
DRUSILLA = …. to karaoke in Japan, especially you, you are disgusting, go ….. (Ignazio approaches her) Security !!
IGNAZIO = Shall we do a duet? 😁
DRUSILLA = What a duet, but go do it with Barbra Streisand !! 😁
IGNAZIO= We did it …..😁
DRUSILLA = But go away …… arrogant …. gne gne gne ….they travel …. rude … but who sent them here? ….. I’d like to know where is the casting one …..😁
What can I say, they were all very good at making this pungent irony.
Even the articles in the newspapers wrote that Drusilla was very good and also Il Volo who lent himself to this game with great self-irony.
The day after the broadcast, Il Volo published the photo together with DRUSILLA with this comment: “It was a real pleasure to participate in the ‘Almanacco del giorno dopo!’ Thank you so much @drusillafoer for hosting us!”
And now the last video I translate for you, a very important video, the news that Il Volo will be at the World Meeting of Families 2022 in the Vatican on June 22nd.
GIANLUCA = Hello everyone, we are very happy and excited to come to Pope Francis’ home and celebrate the World Meeting of Families together with the families of Rome and our families.
PIERO = On that day we will witness the importance of the strength of the support of our families in our life.
IGNAZIO = I will personally take my mother and my sister.
PIERO = I will bring mom and dad, my sister Mariagrazia and my brother Francesco, and we can’t wait to be able to hug Pope Francis.
GIANLUCA = I will come with my family, we are numerous, but the best thing is that I will be able to bring my grandfather Ernesto who, at the age of 88, will be able to shake hands with Pope Francis. These are the most important things, the most beautiful emotions in life, like a mother who is a refuge, a father who is a guide, and this is really the importance of the family.
IGNAZIO = In all these years we have always reiterated how important our families are and are still important to us, they have been like a pillar for our careers, like a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean, here, a meeting point.
So, we are really happy to be able to share this moment with them.
PIERO = In addition to our families, we will also bring our music.
See you on June 22nd. Hugs to all!
GIANLUCA = See you very soon!
IGNAZIO = Ciao!
As always, I am very happy with what Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca have said in these videos.
I hope you liked the translations and shed a little light on what was said by them.
At the Verona concert, I met some friends of Flight Crew, not many this time, because most of them went to the concert in Taormina, how lucky !!
To friends who came to Verona, I asked them to tell me their impressions of the concert, as I did with Kirsten who did a long review that everyone liked.
The others weren’t that lengthy in their comments, so I’ve grouped them all here.
LAURA and UGO = They are Italians, from Trieste, but I met them through the Flight Crew blog that they always read.
I don’t have a photo with them, but here’s their comment:
“They were amazing, beautiful, elegant and talented. You know that we love classical pieces very much and it was very nice to hear LA DONNA È MOBILE and several pieces taken from operas. The voices were top!”
SUSAN and her brother = They had the tickets for June 4th and I for June 3. We couldn’t meet by a whisker, but it’s like I saw them and hugged them.
Here is Susan’s comment:
Hi dear! What a wonderful concert !! I LOVE the song “Hallelujah”.
The concert was truly fantastic. The orchestra was smaller and the guys seemed different…still as wonderful as ever but more mature….more settled in their skin. They seemed more comfortable with themselves.
The difference in them, after two years without live concerts, was unmistakable.
They are professional men at the top of their game! It was wonderful to hear new tweaks on familiar songs and I especially enjoyed the “montages” they did on several songs with a part of a song leading into another. The duet Gianluca did with Ignazio “Hallelujah” was really good. I never cared much for that song but the way the guys sang that song makes me hope they will include it on an album.
The audience was really involved in the concert..singing along to their favorite songs. There were also quite a few people who attended both nights, the guys asked.
A beautiful evening!
Here is a picture I took.
This year, together with my husband and me, my son’s mother-in-law Mariella also came to the concert.
It was the first time he had come to an Il Volo concert and that he entered the Arena. Here she is with me.
And here is her comment.
Hello dear Daniela. Thank you for inviting me to the wonder of the evening at the Verona Arena with the wonderful trio Il Volo, I have never experienced an evening like this !!! In addition to the skill, which I already knew, I discovered their sympathy, which I never would have thought !! I lived almost three hours, and if I remember correctly 27 thrilling songs. For me, it was the first time of their concert, but now I think it is the first of a long series …. Thanks to Il Volo and their organization ….❤❤❤
Here is my video of the concert finale!
Now I want to tell you some gossip about things that happened during the concert.
First of all Torpedine, it was just a few rows in front of me, I managed to take this photo of him.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t at the beginning of the line, so if I wanted to get up and say hello to someone, it meant getting several people up, and I did it once, but I knocked over the bottles of water of the people who were next to me, so, then I never got up to avoid making more disasters.
The concert was starting, the orchestra was already on stage, and 4 people were advancing in front of me and I recognized them immediately.
I took a picture, it’s not very clear so I’ll explain it to you.
Behind the man with the blue shirt, there is Ernesto, Gianluca’s brother, so Rachele, his girlfriend, can be clearly seen, behind her, you can only see the raised arm of Eleonora, Gianluca’s girlfriend, and after her, Eleonora, Gianluca’s mother.
Without being too conspicuous, they sat two rows in front of me, and never moved from their position.
While Gianluca was singing and descending into the audience, he passed behind them and bent down to give a light kiss to his brother, his girlfriend and his mother.
Everything was done very delicately and without giving too much emphasis. When the concert ended, immediately after the confetti was thrown into the air, I realized that the four of them had already gone out, without being noticed, they were gone, they took advantage of the final moment of distraction to go out.
The same scene was repeated the following evening, but perhaps Gianluca and Eleonora took more courage and Gianluca exposed his love for Eleonora more to the audience.❤❤
I find them adorable !! 😘❤😘
Another nice thing that made me laugh a lot was another thing that happened at the second concert.
During one of the dialogues between the boys, Ignazio teases Gianluca, imitating the expression on the face that Gianluca makes while singing. Laugh watching this video, while Gianluca sings Il Mondo and Ignazio moves his face and mouth.
Some of you have asked for Maestro Grani, he is a good pianist, but also a good conductor, usually abroad he directs the orchestras, but above all he is a great friend of Ignazio, Gianluca and Piero. He always helps them and keeps their voices trained throughout the tour.
I got to know him in Florence during Notte Magica. I was wearing the Il Volo shirt, which he immediately noticed, he said words of great esteem for the boys. We took a picture together.
These are the words and the photo he posted immediately after the concert in Verona, on his Facebook:
È iniziata alla grande !! It got off to a great start !!
Bruno Farinelli, the drummer, is also part of the band. I interviewed him (search for the post named INTERVIEW WITH THE DRUMMER OF IL VOLO) and he had very nice words of esteem for Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca.
Here is his comment and his photo posted on Facebook after the concert.
The two concerts at the Verona Arena with IL VOLO were, as always, a unique emotion !!
A special thanks goes to all the staff, the orchestra, the band and the artists who have been and are simply magnificent !! ❤️
However, I believe that the biggest thanks goes to the 20,000 wonderful fans of IL VOLO, who filled the Arena with love for two days !!! ❤️❤️
Now I want to tell you about a fortunate situation.
After the concert in Verona, on my way home, I read the various comments on the concert on Facebook and I saw the comment of a person who is my friend and who lives near my town, Donatella.
I immediately got in touch with her and asked her if she was at the concert and she replied that she was there with her husband, Maurizio whom I know very well.
She told me that their children had given them concert tickets for Christmas and it was the first time they had come to hear Il Volo in concert and they were thrilled.
What few people know is that after the second concert in Verona, therefore on Sunday 5th, Gianluca and Piero went to Gardaland.
Gardaland is Italian Disneyland, it is the most beautiful amusement park in Italy, and is located near Verona and also in Brescia.
Also Donatella and Maurizio, on Sunday decided to go to Gardaland and you guess with great surprise who they found ????
Gianluca, Piero and Barbara!
I saw the photos posted on Facebook and the comment below says so:
“When you decide to go to Gardaland, and meet Il Volo, a welcome meeting.”
I immediately called Donatella and asked her to tell me about her experience, here are her words:
It was a stroke of luck, because we usually enter Gardaland from the main entrance, but this time we parked where the buses are and entered from the side. We saw them right away and I said to my husband: “Look, Maurizio, are those the guys from Il Volo?”
The guys heard her question and answered, “Yes, it’s us!”
I asked them if we could take a picture and they immediately said yes.
Look Daniela, I didn’t think they were like that. I was really surprised, it seemed to be talking to our children, they were very kind.
Piero told Gianluca: “See he (Maurizio) will ride a roller coaster and she will follow him out of love, I’m sure it is.”
They told us that Gianluca had already been to Gardaland years ago, but he was very young, while Piero had never been there.
They asked Maurizio: “But if you go on a roller coaster, do you go in front or behind?” And he replied “I’m going in front.”
I was stunned, I didn’t think they were so humble, you know, the notoriety, I thought they pulled a little, instead nothing. We were really delighted to have met them.
Wow, what luck Donatella !!!
I’m so happy for you !!
I hope you liked these last things about the Verona concert, now the tour has continued and therefore we will soon talk about Taormina !!!
Plus, coming soon, there are two short translations in TV shows where IL VOLO has participated in !!
I met Kirsten in Verona on June 3, inside the Arena, ready to listen to the concert.
Kirsten is a member of Flight Crew, she comes from Denmark, first time hearing the Flight in concert.
Our meeting was short but really nice, she introduced me to her husband, with whom she will make a nice trip to different Italian places, and I introduced her to my husband.
Here we are at our meeting:
I asked Kirsten to write down her impressions of the concert.
She sings in a choir, so she is familiar with the use of voices. Here is what she wrote to me and also some of her photos. She was very lucky, at the beginning of the concert her place was on the road crossed by Ignazio, who greeted her and hugged her, what luck, I’m happy for her.
Congratulations Kirsten, you did a nice long review so a full post was born.
Next time there will be short reviews and gossip about what happened during the Verona concerts.
Kirsten, it was great meeting you and your husband.
A hug: Daniela 😘
I AM STILL FLYING HIGH after the concert in Verona Arena Friday
I’ll start with the conclusion: It was a fantastic and awesome evening in all aspects! A magic night I shall never forget! It fulfilled my wildest expectations and more. Their voices were exactly as I have heard them on videos/albums – stunningly beautiful. The chosen songs among my personal favorites and a mix of the songs on their 10 years jubilee album and the new Morricone one. Add to that the most awesome setting – a more than 2000 year old Roman Arena – seated under the stars in the warm Italian summer night. What could possibly be better? I was mesmerized – and on top of it all I got a personal handshake of Ignaziowhen he came singing down the aisle…
When finally I entered the Arena after 10 months waiting I was a bit overwhelmed and out of focus… was it really true? Was I actually going to see and hear our guys live? There had been quite some obstacles to overcome since I purchased the tickets last summer. At first I could only get one good ticket (all good seats sold out), so I planned to go on my own and fly down to Verona, but a couple of weeks later I found yet another good ticket just a few rows and blocks from mine, so now my husband could come along too, and we decided to take the car and drive all the way and combine it with our summer holiday.
We live in Copenhagen, Denmark, so it was quite a drive and actually we left home already on May 31, to have sufficient time and arrive a day before the concert. Never having been neither at the Verona Arena nor to any Il Volo concert I needed help in planning and hence I took contact to Flight Crew and Daniela was so kind to help me and we agreed to meet up at the concert. Yet another great thing to happen! But the Coronavirus returned to Denmark at the end of December and stayed active till spring and I feared that we could travel nowhere until June. But luckily Denmark was past the pandemic my by end March and hope was back.
Just a week before our departure some serious illness hit our family and we thought we should have to cancel the entire trip and we got very sad….but things turned around at the very last moment and we could start driving. For weeks I had kept an eye on the weather situation in Verona and it looked very good up to the night before the concert when suddenly it changed and rain was to come in the afternoon and stop around 20:00 hrs. Oh NO this could not be true.. but it could. So the last couple of hours up to the concert I was a nervous wreck with stomach pain. But then it dried up and hubby and I walked the few meters to the Arena and entered one hour before the start. Walking into the Arena and suddenly standing in the middle of this epic historian place made me almost loose my breath.. what a place!
A few minutes later we met Daniela and I started realize that this was no longer a dream but reality. I was indeed going to experience a concert with my beloved Il Volo guys in this stunning place!
Time flew away and suddenly the lights and the music started… it was so exciting – and in a few moments the guys would be on stage. Well that did actually not happen – but suddenly I heard noise and screaming behind me and there up by the entrance a spotlight beamed on a person – Ignazio!!!
The guys had decided to start in three different corners and sing their way down the aisles and enter the stage this way. While singing they were greeting people in the audience and shaking hands and suddenly I realized that Ignazio would pass straight in front of me!!! For seconds I was all bewildered but then here he was just next to me taking my hand and looking me right into the eyes… I could only barely say that I was happy to meet him and he was gone. It was a firm and real handshake – I was truly excited. What a great start of the concert! And then everything exploded on the stage – the light show blew the entire back of the stage up with blue “flames/spots”on black which immediately gave a fantastic ambiance. The boys started to sing for real and I felt drawn into each single song.
You feel captivated as their emotions reach you and embrace you… from that moment I forgot everything around me and simply enjoyed each single minute. People around me were likewise all engaged and sang along on several if their songs – and so did I, only la la as I know no Italian at all. The latter left me out of the jokes and what ever they told the audience, but it did not matter much. Practically all songs were known to me and I love the way the sing a classic song one moment followed by a pop song or a Bel canto – never experienced such a variety in the one and the same concert. All the guys sang fantastic – I am truly impressed by their strong voices that never fails them. They looked extremely happy to be on stage and they were smiling more than ever – so good to observe. There were a huge response from the audience – not the least in connection with their solos. I believe Piero did get the biggest standing ovations for his two classic songs – but he did most certainly also sing fantastically!
The song that touched me and the audience the most was the old “Hallelujah” that felt so proper in a Europe in war. That went straight into the hearts of us. I enjoyed Ignazio’s “All By Myself” tremendously – what a beautiful interpretation! Likewise did Gianluca sing his new solo very, very beautifully. But they were all great and I loved each moment of the concert! For two hours I was mesmerized!!
Hope this is in line with what you would like? Sorry for the length – I could not stop myself.
It was all wonderful, a magnificent evening, despite the afternoon all the sky had clouded over and it had started to rain, the evening reserved for us a time without rain, a beautiful temperature, and a fantastic show.
It started on time and it was 2 and a half hours of songs, 27 songs, without ever a break.
Every now and then some comic joke or some serious dedication, made by them, and the respect, always between the three of them, so evident, as well as the affection that surrounds them.
A small premise, the seats of the Arena are very narrow and in front of me there were two ladies who every now and then blocked the view to the camera with their heads.
I have not taken all the songs, and of some I have only taken a small piece, because I have noticed that Sony freezes the complete videos. That said, sorry if the videos aren’t great, but being there in front of them is hard to keep quiet and unmoved to get good videos !!
The glance of the Arena, full of people, is always absolutely priceless.
The start of the concert, was a surprise start, after the entrance of the orchestra, we all waited for their appearance on the stage, but no, they appeared in the audience, from behind, on the three ways between the seats and little by little they advanced, people got up, and shouted: ”they are there, they are there” and the three of them surrounded by people, slowly went up to the stage to sing ECSTASY OF GOLD.
People seemed crazy, all standing, nothing could be seen and even the camera’s focus was compromised,
Luckily my friend Francesca Brazzale was also in the audience, who makes beautiful videos and which many I will attach here, with her approval, thanks Francesca. 😘
Immediately after they sang the intro, then starts NESSUN DORMA. They prefer to put this song at the beginning, because you need all the power of their voices not yet tired from singing.
Note Ignazio who continues to wave his hand to the fans he recognizes, he reminded me of the kindergarten children who greet their parents from the stage, at their first performance, very sweet Ignazio.❤
Immediately after, IL MONDO followed, always beautiful and that makes everyone sing, and listen to it from the voices of Il Volo, wonderful!
Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca were almost never still on stage, they went from one side to the other to please the audience and it was difficult to follow one or the other.
The choreographies that alternated on the big screens behind them are very beautiful.
At this point, after three songs, Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca take a breath for one of their spoken skits that I will translate for you.
Always witty our three men !!
IGNAZIO: Let us take off the headphones to hear your voices and greet you.
PIERO = After two and a half years.
IGNAZIO = Welcome again, we met last night, right? (Because on the evening of June 2, Il Volo sang a tribute to Lucio Dalla in the Arena, together with many other artists).
GIANLUCA = We met yesterday, but it’s incredible, after two years, two and a half years …..
IGNAZIO = But they are not the same people as last night, they are different !!! ???? (Ignazio says so, because the press often wrote that Il Volo sang in pizzerias, or that they used the photos of other singers to show how many people there were, therefore, Ignazio says it ironically, to emphasize that these people are not the same as the previous day.)
GIANLUCA = No, they weren’t the same, and…. I sometimes forget that I am a singer ……
PIERO = But sorry, because let’s say 2 and a half years, if last year, June 5th, we did a concert ?….
GIANLUCA = Yes, first of all …. excuse me for a moment (he says to Ignazio, but Ignazio won’t let him speak)
IGNAZIO = But that was a taste, they were all left with the desire in their mouth … like a small taste of vodka, just one, that’s enough.
GIANLUCA = We are a little rusty, we haven’t played concerts for a long time, so forgive us for the gaffes, let’s start like this. (applause, my voice is heard saying “bravo”)
PIERO = We are very happy.
GIANLUCA = It’s nice to see you again after a long time …. (Ignazio raises his hand and asks to speak) … what is it?
IGNAZIO = You feel rusty, it’s you who are rusty, I went through the rust inhibitor this morning (laughter)
PIERO = Now, here, whatever you say … in three, in three (in the sense that Gianluca speaks in the name of all three), you, speak in the singular.
GIANLUCA = (to Ignazio) You never change !!
IGNAZIO = I know, but the thing we have in common is that we are always hungry … (laughter)
PIERO = Today in an interview, I said: “I’m very peaceful tonight, excited, I’m just afraid of one thing, of him (Ignazio – laughter). 😁 So, forgive me, but I’ll put my hands forward….
IGNAZIO = But you, you’ve been afraid every time for 10 years …
PIERO = Will there be a reason ???😁😁😁
IGNAZIO = I understand but, either you resign yourself to the idea of fear and let the fear pass by yourself …..
GIANLUCA = By now you know us well, we are like a big family, some of you know us really well, we finally feel at home.
PIERO = Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we will sing for you….
IGNAZIO = Excuse me ….
PIERO = Tonight we will sing for you the songs that have accompanied us in these thirteen years of career. This project will include some songs from the last project (Morricone) and also from the project from three years ago, it will be a summary and a journey, during these years.
These years of friendship ….❤
GIANLUCA = Of music 😘…. and of
IGNAZIO = And to … (he makes the gesture of hassle) 😁😁
PIERO = How is the translation of this gesture ….. ah beautiful !!! 😁
Master…
Starts SE TELEFONANDO, but the video ends before the song
They continue with a very sweet moment, approach the piano where Maestro Grani is and begin to sing the beautiful song SE, taken from Nuovo Cinema Paradiso.
After the song Piero says some beautiful words, that he gets very excited when he sings this song, because it is about a Sicilian who …..
PIERO = ….. to pursue his dream as a director, he leaves his homeland, he is forced to leave his homeland. Every time I leave for a tour, fortunately I am a privileged guy, when we leave our homes, our cities, we leave them for good things, for what we are doing tonight, but there is always that …..
IGNAZIO = Melancholy ….
GIANLUCA = That basic nostalgia ….
PIERO = …… that incurable nostalgia and therefore I cried a lot, (watching that movie) because I see myself in that child. When I sing this song, those who know me well, see me quite moved by it.
Now, with a beautiful accompanying choreography, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca sing the sweet YOUR LOVE.
In the end, Ignazio rolls his eyes upward, and sends a sweet message to those who are no longer there.
The solos begin, and the first to perform is Ignazio who explains that he wants to propose a new song….
IGNAZIO= (Between one song and another, the lights were sometimes turned off, to allow the change of place)
I need to speak to the light man, if he paid the bill, nothing, because the lights go out every time, (the lights come on) thanks Manu! (Ignazio blows a kiss)
So, we find ourselves here, after a year, having to do another solo, and I asked myself:
“What am I doing this year?”
Also because it is not so simple to choose a song, because it can be too obvious, or too ambitious, therefore, I follow in the wake of what I have tried to do in recent years, I sing what some men have never sung, so if I do a bad figure, I’m the only one, understand?
But also this year I decided to sing a very famous song, which we all know and after you will help me sing, by a great artist, which I hope sooner or later we will have the honor of singing with her.
Ladies and Gentlemen, taken from the Celine Dion album Falling into You:
ALL BY MYSELF
Really very good Ignazio, what a thrill, what a voice, what a passion …. a beautiful standing ovation for you. ❤
But here Gianluca is ready, sitting on the piano, it’s his turn: YOUR SONG by Elton John.
Gianluca is also very good, a beautiful interpretation and her warm velvety voice ….Another standing ovation. ❤
And now it’s up to Piero, for him E LUCEVAN LE STELLE from Tosca.
All up for Piero, we know this air well, but every time Piero is always better, Piero, very well !! People were enchanted. ❤
The next song is presented. (I only picked up one piece of the song)
But first, Ignazio makes a nice speech that I have only taken up at the bottom, but which I remember well. He says that they have to thank the fans, not only for the great affection, but also because coming to their concerts doesn’t just mean spending money on tickets, but for many people, also spending on travel and hotel expenses ….
IGNAZIO= ….. and therefore we thank you for always being with us and we dedicate to you:
UN AMORE COSÌ GRANDE
It’s time for duets and Gianluca and Piero begin with the always beautiful:
MY WAY
(It’s just a short piece of the song)
We have heard it many times, but every time, Gianluca and Piero amaze us, this song seems to be made for the two of them and people like it very much. ❤❤
Here too Ignazio explains that he and Gianluca often made duets …..
IGNAZIO = What have we done ??
GIANLUCA = We made Maria from West Side Story.
IGNAZIO = West side story, and then, what did we do?
GIANLUCA = We also did …..
IGNAZIO = He doesn’t even remember … (laughter)
But this year we decided to change again and sing a very significant song, especially for us, it was in the pandemic, and it is today too.
Let’s pretend it is a prayer, a prayer for everything that is happening and that has happened in the past months and that continues to happen, unfortunately.
So we want to address this prayer to those who are not making it, to those who are suffering, to those who are more unfortunate than us, unfortunately. (applause) ❤
HALLELUJA begins.
We are all speechless, what a wonderful duet, what a wonderful song and sung with so much love.
Amazing to see the looks of satisfaction that pass between Gianluca and Ignazio and in the end, that nice hug, I think they were both moved, the scenography behind them evoked the stained glass windows of the cathedrals and the whole Arena was full of beautiful lights, and the audience gave a nice standing ovation. ❤
The time has come for the duet between Piero and Ignazio and another surprise, Piero says that when Ignazio proposed to him to do this duet he replied that he was crazy, but then they tried to do it by themselves and they had fun, so they called the management and proposed singing the aria from Rigoletto:
LA DONNA È MOBILE
The people all stood for the standing ovation.
Incredibly, I never thought that opera arias were liked so much and Ignazio and Piero were fantastic !! What voices, what interpreters, wonderful. ❤❤
But how beautiful is the final embrace between Ignazio and Piero?
A song also to make people sing, and we all sing for:
IO CHE NON VIVO SENZA TE.
You know it too, it is also sung in an English version.
A nice medley of two beautiful songs from Il Volo follows.
I liked the idea of merging them, it starts with:
L’AMORE SI MUOVE combined with MUSICA CHE RESTA(in the video only Musica Che Resta, the video at the end is blurred)
It’s the turn of three other solos, and this time Gianluca begins.
GIANLUCA = It’s strange to be here without the other two. 😁😁
Tonight I will sing a song that was part of my adolescence, of my musical inspiration. I grew up listening to many singers, from Andrea Bocelli, of course, but I was also inspired by the great American voices like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, but above all the great Elvis Presley.
I have been singing this song for years and I have grown a little with her, because she has also formed me a little artistically.
Tonight I want to dedicate it to a person who is here ❤ (he points to Eleonora, his girlfriend), and I will sing:
CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE
How sweet Gianluca, you gave the best of yourself.
During the well-deserved applause he also sent a kiss to his beloved 😘
Piero follows with his workhorse, the magnificent:
NO PUEDE SER(which I have not registered)
Ignazio, instead, does not play a second solo.
The boys ask the audience to stand up, it’s time to dance and sing with:
VOLARE(which I have not registered)
Another nice medley:
SURRENDER and O SOLE MIO. (In the video there is only a piece of O Sole Mio)
Very nice the idea of the medley between two songs that have the same theme.
According to my sequence of songs, we got to the finale, but I already told you that I didn’t record all the songs, and not having recorded them, I don’t remember what order they were in, but they, definitely sang too:
GRANADA
DELILAH
LIBIAMO NE’ LIETI CALICI from TRAVIATA
and then three more that Francesca Brazzale recorded and therefore I propose to you:
CARUSO that Il Volo sings divinely!
HERE’S TO YOU, sung among the audience.
Kristen, who is a member of Flight Crew, I see very well how you hugged Ignazio, I hope you will send us the photo!!
We are at the final, the beautiful GRANDE AMORE could not be missing, in the new more rock version, with which Il Volo closes the magnificent evening.
A beautiful shower of golden confetti in the air and it’s all over.
Great applause and all the people were very happy with this beautiful concert.
What can I say, the Il Volo concerts are magnificent and the three of them are adorable, elegant and polite. ❤❤❤❤
The Filarmonia Veneta orchestra and its young conductor are very good, as are the members of the band: maestro Grani on the piano, Bruno Farinelli on drums and the two guitarists.
All summarized in this short video.
Please click on the photo below to view the video.
Concert Compilation
Tomorrow everything repeats itself and then Taormina and then slowly, the road to get to you becomes shorter and shorter!
I loved every minute of this concert. ❤
Daniela🤗
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!
