So I promised you to continue with the translation of the RTL 102.5 interview, but these three young men: Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, didn’t stop for a moment!!!
Let’s go in order:
Thursday 14 September
Private event in Rome, in the beautiful Villa Aurelia, organized by the VIP travel agency: I.D.I. TRAVER SRL.
There aren’t many videos or photos, but from that little we see a very beautiful location and a very elegant audience.
Friday 15 September
New program on RAI 1 hosted by Bruno Vespa, entitled “5 minutes”.
Short but really nice interview, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca happy and relaxed, important news from Piero!!!
We’ve been missing “Uncle Bruno” interviews for a long time!! 😉
PIERO= Hi Bruno, we wanted to greet you and congratulate you on the new program.
GIANLUCA= We just returned from the tour in South America.
IGNAZIO= Do you have 5 minutes? (paraphrasing the show title) Just to tell you what happened.
GIANLUCA= So we’ll tell you everything.
PIERO= See you soon.
GIANLUCA= Hi!
VESPA= And here they are: Piero Barone, tenor 30 years old Agrigento. Ignazio Boschetto, 29 years old, Marsala/Bologna Gianluca Ginoble 28 years old, Roseto Degli Abruzzi, only boyfriend.
GIANLUCA= Abruzzo like you.
VESPA= Like me. The other two womanizers. 😁😁
PIERO/IGNAZIO= No, no.
VESPA= I said it on purpose. What have you done?
PIERO= Many things, we promised you our presence, we came to wish you a good season.
VESPA = And happy tour to you, because you never stop, now a minimum of stasis and then you start again.
PIERO= We leave in two days for this 2-month European tour. We are happy because we will sing in cities we have never been to, in Greece, we will also sing in Prague. We are happy because next year we will celebrate 15 years of our career…….
VESPA= ……speaking of career, when Antonella Clerici took you on TI LASCIO UNA CANZONE you were fifteen years old, and immediately had an extraordinary success in America, but in Italy no one knew you, so much so that 10 years ago, on 17 December 2013, you made your television debut here. Let’s see it. (a short video of that evening in 2013 appears)
GIANLUCA= The incredible thing is that we were older then than we are today, we have gotten younger over time.
VESPA= So, you went to Sanremo essentially to make yourself known to the general public.
PIERO= We went to Sanremo thanks to you.
GIANLUCA= Let’s say that you were one of the first to believe in us, before the Italian success, let’s say, because it all started with talent…..
VESPA= There was a song called Grande…. how does he do it? 😁
PIERO= (he mentions a refrain from Grande Amore a cappella)
VESPA= But did you know that you don’t sing badly? 😁😁😁
IGNAZIO= Let’s try.
PIERO= The public should know that we were undecided whether to go to Sanremo or not for that song, (Grande Amore) you listened to that song and said: “You have nothing to lose, go!”
VESPA= In fact, all you had to do was win!
Then the great duets began in America, Domingo, Anastacia, Barbra Streisand, then Ramazzotti and then remember Woody Allen? When we met him in New York.
IGNAZIO= Absolutely. (a video starts that summarizes all those moments)
VESPA= How much fun we had in America. So you have returned to Italy for the first time from a theatre, the Arcimboldi, a glorious theatre, among other things the general public got to know it when during the restoration of the street, La Scala moved there. Sold out, there you are.
GIANLUCA= Yes.
IGNAZIO= It was a wonderful experience, arriving in Italian theaters for the first time. We knew Arcimboldi from other television programs, having close contact with the public in Italy, having them close in a more intimate environment, was very interesting and beautiful.
VESPA= Sold out.
IGNAZIO= For 6 concerts…..
VESPA= Listen, but you also wrote the soundtrack…
IGNAZIO= By Makari, it was beautiful, it was interesting, I like the composition and therefore it is small satisfactions that unite us.
VESPA= (he turns to Piero) And do you remember when we sat in the seats at the Metropolitan?
PIERO= Yes.
VESPA= Your dream was to go there. Right? Is he left? Are you growing it?
PIERO= It’s my goal. And the most important thing is to persevere.
VESPA= How old?
PIERO= I believe and hope by 30. I have just turned 30, by the end of the year (by June 2024) I hope it happens.
IGNAZIO= I hope you reserve a place for me….
PIERO= No, not at the Metropolitan, debut with opera….
VESPA= Where, where….
PIERO= Let’s hope, I can’t say because we are still in the preliminary phase…
VESPA= Role, role??
PIERO= I hope for TRAVIATA, Alfredo!! ☺
VESPA= Ah, let’s start high…..and you boy (to Gianluca)
GIANLUCA= For me the objective of Il Volo is always the main one, then, who knows, then we’ll see, we are united and we are strong together.
IGNAZIO= However, if I may, I don’t know how much time we have, we want to thank you, because in these years you have given us fundamental support, especially in 2015, where you encouraged us to participate in Sanremo, because you were the first to say that We had nothing to lose anyway….
PIERO= …. and in 2013 to believe in us…
IGNAZIO= And then we want to wish you a good season, great success and lots of fun…
VESPA= You guys too! Good luck.
PIERO= Thank you.
VESPA= Are you going to Sanremo this year??
PIERO= Amadeus!!
IGNAZIO = Ama, Ama…..
GIANLUCA= Hi Amadeus!
VESPA= Hi Ama, are you taking them to Sanremo??
(with these sentences, it seems that Piero Ignazio and Gianluca want to say that the decision is up to Amadeus who is the artistic director of Sanremo and who decides who the competitors will be, so the three of them could have even proposed themselves). 😉
Saturday 16 September
Il Volo will be one of the guests scheduled for the evening at the Arena organized by TIM MUSIC AWARDS.
The evening was supposed to be live on RAI 1 but, due to the final volleyball match between Poland and Italy for the European Championships, the evening takes place on Saturday evening in the Arena and is broadcast on Sunday 17th on Rai 1.
Even if a big secret surrounded the evening, during the afternoon rehearsals it transpired that Il Volo will open the evening with the beautiful Hallelujah.
(Il Volo opens the evening, without introduction and with a truly engaging Halleluja, then the presenters enter, Carlo Conti and Vanessa Incontrada)
CONTI= What a start!!!
VANESSA= Oh my goodness, we’re off to a great start here at the Tim Music Awards.
CONTI= Il Volo
VANESSA = With these three handsome boys.
CONTI= What a show (greetings)
VANESSA = What gentlemen
PIERO= Good evening Verona, good evening everyone.
IGNAZIO= It’s nothing new that I have a weakness for…. (Vanessa)
CONTI= What a start, what a powerful start. Lights, crazy atmosphere, thanks also to your voice, the orchestra and the audience of the Verona Arena, in this magnificent place that you know well.
VANESSA= Next year 15 years of career.
IGNAZIO= Yes, let’s say we are getting older too.
VANESSA= All of us, me too.
IGNAZIO= Time passes for us too, we had a lot of fun.
CONTI= You will celebrate in the best way, the Arena is your home, we will be waiting for you soon, because we will see you again.
IGNAZIO= See you later.
PIERO= See you later (Il Volo exits)
VANESSA= What a great start.
CONTI= We started off great.
VANESSA= Yes, great.
(At this point the evening continues with many other singers. The video resumes with the mid-evening performance of Il Volo. There are three solo moments, the first is Ignazio performing from the royal stage with AT LEAST YOU IN THE UNIVERSE.
The second is Gianluca with ANGELS sung among the audience.
The third is Piero with E LUCEAN LE STELLE from the stage. At the end all three reunite with a short chorus of Grande Amore.)
VANESSA= They opened the evening of this TIM MUSIC AWARDS and obviously now they return to this stage. I, Carlo, would define them as the 3 musketeers of Italian music.
CONTI= Three unique, extraordinary voices, who are loved and known throughout the world, and truly perform with the same success not only in Italy, but from Japan to the United States, on the 5 continents, everywhere.
VANESSA= They are: Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca.
CONTI= Il Volo.
IGNAZIO= Arena, let’s turn on all the flashes (start the 3 pieces of solos followed by Grande Amore – applause)
CONTI= Il Volo!
VANESSA= I love this song so much. (Vanessa sings the chorus of the song) Here we are again.
CONTI= It seems like yesterday, you know that they won Sanremo, my first Sanremo in 2015…..I said: “The Sanremo Festival wins with Grande Amore Il Volo”, it was 2015.
VANESSA= And look where they are now!
So, 2 million records, 1 billion views, millions of subscribers on the YouTube channel. What else do you want?
PIERO= But they are fake numbers come on…..
VANESSA+CONTI= But how are these fake numbers?
PIERO= But yes you said random numbers (piero is ironic, because these are the responses of certain young people or the press when they talk about Il Volo).
VANESSA= Yes, in fact they came to mind like this now. (Vanessa supports Piero’s game, because it is logical that she gives real news).
CONTI= Let’s do one thing, let’s move this way, so the masters (orchestra) whom I greet and thank, can leave.
PIERO= Ok.
IGNAZIO= The orchestra of Franciacorta ( a country very close to my home)
PIERO= Carlo, Vanessa, can we tell you something very important for us?
VANESSA= Tell me, tell me, sure.
PIERO= We can’t say the day yet, but next spring we will have 3 big events here at the Verona Arena, the ALL FOR ONE concept, three big events where every evening there will be 10 guests…
CONTI= With you?
PIERO= Yes, here at the Verona Arena. So we are really happy to announce this event.
VANESSA= But it’s a scoop.
GIANLUCA= But then next year will be a year of great celebrations because we are celebrating 15 years of career.
VANESSA= Exactly, as I said before.
GIANLUCA= Exactly.
IGNAZIO= We will also have Carlo Conti as a guest who will sing with us for the first time.
CONTI= Sure, I guarantee it. All for One is a bit like your life philosophy.
IGNAZIO= Absolutely, we grew up together, it’s been 15 years now, unfortunately we’ve been together…. no, I’m joking!! (laughs) We have been together for 15 years and we really know each other better than our brothers, and sharing our music together, but above all with you (the audience), which in the end is thanks to all of you if we are here, so we are very grateful to our public and to the people who have followed us since day one. And in April 2024 he will even tour Japan.
IGNAZIO= Yes.
CONTI= Here are the prizes for you, a prestigious prize, the ARENA DI VERONA prize with this motivation:
FOR THE GREAT SUCCESS OF THE EVENTS AT THE VERONA ARENA TO WHICH THEY BROUGHT ALL THE SOUNDS OF MUSIC, OPERA, POP, ROCK AND GREAT SONGWRITING,as you also demonstrated tonight, MAKING THE PUBLIC EXPERIENCE A REAL JOURNEY INTO MUSIC THAT ONLY THREE GREAT ARTISTS OF TALENT AND SENSITIVITY LIKE IL VOLO COULD INTERPRET. Good guys! (applause)
GIANLUCA= Thank you
IGNAZIO= Thanks everyone.
PIERO= Thanks Verona. (The DIVA award is given to them)
VANESSA= They are well deserved, good luck, see you next year.
PIERO= See you next spring, thanks everyone!
IGNAZIO= Thank you very much Verona!
VANESSA= Good evening.
PIERO= Thanks to all of you, have a good evening. (final greetings)
IGNAZIO= Hi guys, we are Il Volo.
PIERO= To all the friends of RAI Radio 2….
GIANLUCA = ???? ( He didn’t remember the phrase to say) 😁😁😁
IGNAZIO+PIERO and then GIANLUCA= We send a big hello!!
Rai Radio 2interview with Il Volo and LaMario
LAMARIO= I remember when I saw you for the first time, I was younger too, but you were obviously children and now I find them again: grown up, cool, successful…..oh how beautiful life is!
IGNAZIO= Cool… I would be slow to say it….but…
LAMARIO= But it’s like this….
PIERO= Established yourself, but I wouldn’t say it…
GIANLUCA= Sweaty tonight…
IGNAZIO= We were lucky enough to do in life what we like, our passion, and it’s nice to grow together, 15 years have passed…
PIERO= We can say that we are privileged.
LAMARIO= I really like this consideration, but sorry, can you tell me the story of the Korean band? Because I’ve read it, but I’d like to hear it from you
IGNAZIO= We too saw it on social media.
LAMARIO= But they didn’t warn you?
PIERO= No.
LAMARIO= They didn’t even have the good heart to send you their piece for you to listen to?
PIERO= But they are strong. They are very strong, right Ignazio?
GIANLUCA= Ignazio didn’t like it very much…
IGNAZIO= No, why?
PIERO= I have to tell you that I like the Korean version of Ignazio, I prefer it. (laughter, Ignazio tries to make some Korean sounds)
I’d say it was a very intense weekend and the award at the Tim Music Awards was truly deserved.
And what about the news that Piero will soon be making an entire opera, fantastic!
And now off to Zurich immediately, the concerts begin!!
Leafing through Facebook, I came across this beautiful article posted on this blog THE DIGITAL MOON.
As I read, I thought, finally, beautiful and appropriate words, exactly what all of us Il Volo fans think.
I later discovered that the article was written by the daughter of a Volo-friend, Cinzia, whom I met at an instore for the CD signing, and whom I always meet on these occasions or at concerts.
Congratulations, Laura Schena, you really did a great job (the article is signed Cinzia, because Laura used her mother’s name)
This article was then published by many Il Volo fanpages, and now I’m translating it for all of you!
THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF THE ITALIAN TRIO IL VOLO.
The world of international music has always offered a variety of unique talents and exceptional bands, but only a few of them manage to capture the attention and hearts of the public like the Italian trio “Il Volo”.
Composed by the two Sicilians Piero Barone and Ignazio Boschetto and the Abruzzese Gianluca Ginoble, Il Volo has earned a special place in the music industry thanks to their powerful voices, emotional performances and incredible artistic talent.
Il Volo was formed in 2009 during the participation of the three members in the Italian talent show “Ti lascio una canzone”. Their amazing onstage chemistry and impressive vocals captured the attention of the audience and the judges. This led to the creation of a group that would soon conquer the whole world.
From the earliest days, Il Volo has stood out for its ability to interpret musical pieces of various genres with a mastery that goes beyond the age of its members. Their lyrical voice and pop influences come together in a unique mix, bringing new life to Italian and international music classics. Songs such as “O Sole Mio”, “Granada” and “Nessun Dorma” have found a new generation of admirers through their touching and passionate interpretations.
One of the distinctive elements of the group is the exceptional combination of their voices. Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca each bring their own unique style, but when they come together in harmony, the result is a powerful and enveloping sound that manages to move the soul of the listeners. Their live performances are often characterized by pure and passionate emotions, creating an immediate bond with the audience.
Thanks to their monstrous talent, the guys from Il Volo have managed to extend far beyond the Italian borders. They represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015 with the song “Grande Amore”, taking third place and gaining a large international following. Their world tours have taken them to many parts of the globe, allowing them to touch the hearts of fans from different cultures. I had the opportunity to attend several of their concerts throughout Europe such as Warsaw, Kiev and Budapest.
Despite the extraordinary success, Il Volo remained anchored in their humility and passion for music. They continue to work hard to perfect their vocal skills and hone their repertoire. Their dedication to the musical craft is reflected in their flawless performances and continued artistic growth.
In conclusion, Il Volo is much more than just a musical group; they are ambassadors of Italian music in the world. They bring with them the essence of the Italian musical tradition combined with a fresh reinterpretation.
Their unique vocal harmony and passionate performances make them a remarkable group. They are able to connect emotionally with listeners. Il Volo remains a shining example of talent, passion and dedication to the musical craft, and their impact on music history will continue to be felt for a long time to come.
Really beautiful words, Laura / Cinzia, you have expressed in an excellent way, what each of us thinks, congratulations.
And now let’s take stock of the boys’ holidays, with some photos.
I start from Gianluca, still in Abruzzo:
Piero in excellent and festive company.
IGNAZIO while test driving a Ferrari in a simulator in Marsala.
Ignazio on his motorcycle with a friend of his.
In recent days, a great singer, Toto Cutugno, has passed away here in Italy.
He was a well-known songwriter and his beautiful songs were also very successful in Eastern Europe and Russia.
In 2014 during one of his concerts in Russia, he wanted Il Volo as guests, together they sang his beautiful song LOVE IS TO LOVE THE LOVE. (AMORE E’ AMARE L’AMORE).
Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca held Toto in high esteem and he had a lot of affection for them! ❤
TOTO= Gianluca, Piero … IGNAZIO= ….and Ignazio.
TOTO= So, (he points to Gianluca) 19 years old, (he points to Ignazio) 19 years old, (he points to Piero), he’s the oldest in the group, 20 years old.
They gave me this satisfaction of singing this song of mine, and then, after this song I leave them alone, because they will let you listen to their successes in America, South America, Italy, France and Germany.
This song I wrote is called: Love is to love the love (he turns to the Russian translator) translate it well, LOVE IS TO LOVE THE LOVE.
Toto and Il Volo!!
….. and this is the image posted in the Instagram stories by Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca. ❤
Really sad news about the passing of Toto Cutugno.
I really hope that his beautiful song will be performed during the Milan concerts as a tribute to a great singer!
And what about Laura/Cinzia’s article, really wonderful words, isn’t it?
The holidays for our favorites are coming to an end, soon, very soon we will see them again in concert.
Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca are on summer vacation, but in the monthly LA FRECCIA, printed by the Italian Railways, a nice interview has been published which I am now translating for you, and what about the wonderful cover?? ❤❤❤
Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero. Three different characters, three different depths of thought, three personal voices which, thanks to a truly special chemistry, made up of glances and nods of assent, complement each other perfectly merging into a single voice, that of the Il Volo group.
At less than 30 years old they have lived unique experiences, bringing their passion for music all over the world. Simplicity is true elegance and Gianluca Ginoble, Ignazio Boschetto and Piero Barone are full testimony to this.
For 6 days, on 2,3,4 and then on 6,8 and 9 September, they will be at the Arcimboldi Theater in Milan with Tutti Per Uno (All For One), a show where their voices will come together to tell their story and their values, directly contact with the public.
Those who come from far away and don’t want to miss the event can take the Frecciarossa, the official concert train.
What does ALL FOR ONE mean to you?
IGNAZIO= It is the desire to show our three personalities. We presented it at the Verona Arena with two episodes on Canale 5 and it was a great television success. In September we take it to the theatre, a more intimate place, which allows us to have the spectators close.
GIANLUCA= We love our audience, who have been following us for almost 15 years. The great fortune is to be able to go on stage and express who you really are. We were born as child prodigies, over time we have evolved, proving that we are not meteors. Now the time has come for artistic maturity, to show what we are individually. We are three leaders, each with its own identity. It is important for us that the public perceive it.
What is left of those three children?
PIERO= Fortunately, the child in each of us is still there, capable of being surprised by each concert, by each result obtained.
Without him, the passion for this profession would also end.
We have a great fortune in common, that of always trying to think big, all three of us committing ourselves in the same way. All for one was a great commitment, because we wanted to highlight our individual vocal characteristics without distorting the sense of the group.
There is no perceived “routine” in your shows. It’s different every time.
PIERO= It must be like this, the saddest thing is getting used to it. Every time you look your audience in the eye from the stage, you know they are there to share your art.
GIANLUCA= We are constantly evolving, every day we see things with different eyes and we try to convey new emotions.
What are your best qualities?
IGNAZIO= Surely the stubbornness, stubbornness and discipline in achieving a goal. This characterizes all of us. We are three independent artists who always want the good of the group. Sometimes it is normal that we go a little out of line, but the beauty is in transmitting authenticity with our music.
GIANLUCA= It was difficult to consolidate success. Our need, in this phase of our career, is to demonstrate that we are not just three tenors, also because my vocality is a baritone, but three singers. This is the goal for the next few years, especially in Italy. You started and continued with a popular repertoire, was it a choice?
PIERO= Honestly, at 14 it’s very difficult to choose what to sing. We met by chance on a TV show, nothing was planned and someone decided to put us together. We didn’t even know each other, let alone decide the repertoire. We achieved our first successes thanks to the popularity and strength of the songs we sang, transmitted by our grandparents and part of Italian culture.
Growing up we felt the need to have our singles and some unpublished works, such as Grande Amore, from 2015. Today the repertoire also depends on the country in which we perform: in Japan they love classical music more, while in South America they prefer our unpublished works.
GIANLUCA= The concert schedule in Warsaw is totally different from that of Mexico City. In Tokyo we sing with symphony orchestra, while in South America we are accompanied by band and orchestra.
In the United States we range from aire d’opera to Elvis Presley. And an incredible thing is that in 2011 we had a nomination for the Latin Grammy Awards with a Spanish repertoire. The public likes this dynamism.
IGNAZIO= Among other things we have a lot of fun, because that’s what we like to do. It is the fortune of those who have transformed their passion into a job.
How do you divide the tasks among you?
GIANLUCA= There are those who deal more with management, those who have a more creative and artistic vision, those who dedicate themselves to sound. There are roles, but everyone can intervene on everything. We have respect and esteem for each other: after all, only in this way can we move forward.
How do you always agree?
IGNAZIO= You have to be intelligent, have the ability to accept the ideas of others and look for a meeting point when you are in conflict. Wanting the good of the group has always been our strength.
The next goal?
PIERO= We would like to expand our repertoire of unpublished works. Grande Amore was a turning point that allowed us to do a lot, leading us to duet with great guests in Tutti Per Uno, to create something beautiful together, always with the aim of surprising our audience.
What is the beauty of life for you?
GIANLUCA= Having special people next to you, who allow you to grow, make you better every day and are able to listen to you.
IGNAZIO= Being able to feel alive every day, with enthusiasm and energy. At our age, everything should be fine. But we grew up fast. We are aware of the great opportunities we have had and, precisely for this reason, we try to aim higher and higher.
PIERO= The beautiful thing in life is to enjoy it. We rush too much, sometimes we need to have the strength to stop and reflect to identify the real priorities.
You don’t have star attitudes.
PIERO= They often define us as three humble boys, actually, I think the right term is educated. We are the reflection of how we grew up, of the values that our families have passed on to us. And we are very similar in this.
GIANLUCA= For people of our age it is important to understand that a secret to living more peacefully is to really put yourself in the other’s shoes: knowing how to respond to a message from a parent who asks you how it’s going or to that of a colleague who could be disappointed. Open up to sensitivity and empathy.
Did your families support you?
IGNAZIO= They have always been part of our growth and our career. And it is still like this today. They have helped us to be consistent, to make efforts and sacrifices without resting on our laurels.
Where did you grow up?
IGNAZIO= Traveling (laughs). I was born in Bologna, then I moved to Sicily to return to the Emilian city (Bologna) after the victory of Sanremo in 2015. Moving from here is more practical.
GIANLUCA= Me near the sea, in a small village of 600 souls called Montepagano, a fraction of Roseto degli Abruzzi, in the province of Teramo. Every morning I had coffee with my grandfather and his friends, who played cards. I have wonderful memories of summers cycling and walking on the beach. We had a normal childhood, then, upset by the sudden change in our lives, we matured quickly.
PIERO= I was born, raised and continue to live in Naro, a municipality that is part of the Agrigento consortium. Knowing that you have a place where you can regenerate after long tours is very important to me. Here people are sincere, they don’t know what ambiguity is and they see me as one of them.
What is the perfume of your childhood?
IGNAZIO= For me it is that of the land behind my house, in Sicily, where I used to play with my cousins building huts, soccer goals and motocross tracks to be covered strictly by bicycle.
GIANLUCA= I perfectly remember the smell of the donut that my grandmother used to prepare when I went to her house. Today my mom does it and the perfume always reminds me of the euphoria I felt going to my grandparents’ house, a bit like the madeleine for Proust. It is my personal search for lost time, for that infantile part that will never die.
PIERO= For me it’s the smells that the ground gives off after the storm, it’s the scent of being in the countryside with my grandparents. A mixture of earth and rain combined with the citrus aroma that came from the lemon and orange trees. Indescribable and never found elsewhere. Perhaps these are precisely the reasons why I can’t adapt to a big city.
IGNAZIO= I know that magic. When I was little and it rained, in the morning my friends and I went to collect snails.
GIANLUCA= And if he ate them raw (laughs).
With your concerts you have had enormous success in big cities of the world. What does it feel like?
GIANLUCA= Being able to express your passion exponentially and knowing that from New York to Tokyo there is someone waiting for you is the most beautiful thing that can happen to an artist. We hope, thanks to our audience, to be able to travel and open our minds to new horizons for a long time to come.
Speaking of travel, what emotion does taking the train arouse in you?
IGNAZIO= I’ve always been passionate about planes, but I must admit that today, the best way to travel in Italy is by train. It is also one of the reasons why I moved to Bologna, with the high-speed train you are in Florence in just over half an hour and in Milan in about an hour. In less than four you can reach Rome and Naples. Once, during a trip on the Frecciarossa, I was able to visit the cockpit, a sort of spaceship. Very cool. I also remember a train journey from New York to Washington as particularly exciting.
PIERO= In Japan we also got on the Shimkansen, the Japanese high-speed trains. But our Frecce are no different, a real Italian pride. We need to stop complaining about the things that don’t work and appreciate the things that work. The Italian railway service is of the highest level and if I can choose which means to travel with, for me it is always the train.
GIANLUCA= I would then add that there is no train without a book and there is no book without a train. Getting on board also means dedicating some time to yourself to think and reflect, read and get lost. You can fall in love on the train, it’s a true metaphor for life. (Piero and Ignazio smile)
What impression did it give you to know that Silvio Berlusconi was a big fan of yours?
PIERO= When in 2015 we participated in the Eurovision Song Contest, he supported and supported us. Many ideas and projects were then born from his ideas, so much so that our manager Michele Torpedine defined him as the fourth member of Il Volo, always present behind the scenes. We recently closed an agreement with Mediaset for next year. A perfect harmony has been created with the company and knowing that those who have always led it appreciated us, is a reason for great happiness. We are sympathetic to the family for the loss they have suffered. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t have someone who believes in you, it becomes very difficult.
Which foreign country stole your heart?
GIANLUCA= In my case Japan. Eastern culture allows you to experience something very different from what we are used to.
IGNAZIO= Every country leaves us something. In South America, for example, fans chased after our cars for a photo with us.
PIERO= In my opinion you can steal something from every culture. It has to do with that attitude that drives us to look for the best in each country and take it away with us. The entrepreneurial mentality of the United States, the great respect towards the neighbor who lives in Japan. South America’s ability to face life with a smile. Of Italy, a foreigner would undoubtedly appreciate the quality of life.
Can you always find time for selfies and autographs?
GIANLUCA= An artist has to worry when they no longer ask him for a photo together.
IGNAZIO= We are first of all people and then characters. Sometimes you have days in which you are dazed, as we say in Sicily, moments in which you have little energy and appear less available, but that is not the case. We are always happy to meet our audience.
What do you love in people and what do you hate?
GIANLUCA= I borrow the words of Erich Fromm, the great German psychoanalyst. He said he couldn’t bear people who were amorphous, soulless, incapable of having a constructive dialogue or sharing ideas. Here, also in my opinion, those are the negative people. Instead, I love to surround myself with those who allow me to grow artistically and personally.
IGNAZIO= There are many people like those described by Fromm. If Amedeo Modigliani were still alive, today he would have painted thousands of faces without eyes.
PIERO= Instead I appreciate more than anything else the education that rewards and will always reward.
We conclude by thinking about one of the joys of life: food. Are you more for the table or for the kitchen?
IGNAZIO= I prefer to stay in the kitchen all my life.
GIANLUCA= I, on the other hand, am more of a table type. I like starred restaurants, two or three hour tastings accompanied by a good glass of wine. We had lunch in Massimo Bottura’s restaurant, an unforgettable experience.
PIERO= I have a wonderful relationship with food. I need to eat, I play a lot of sport and I don’t give up anything at the table. I run often, I’m also preparing for the NYC marathon.
IGNAZIO= It’s true, we don’t know who he’s running from, but he always runs.
Gianluca, Andrea Radic (interviewed), Piero e Ignazio.
Here instead is the video made by Andrea Radic who interviewed Il Volo and in the end, after meeting them, wanted to say a few things.
RADIC= Dear friends, Il Volo in its splendor, Gianluca Ignazio and Piero, from September 2 at the Arcimboldi in Milan, the first time in a theater in Italy, with a wonderful show, you can’t miss it, and in August on the Freccia (the train), our chat.
I really discovered how much humanity, passion, professionalism there is in these gentlemen.
GIANLUCA= See you on all trains, then.
PIERO= You can read our interview on all Frecciarossa trains.
IGNAZIO= And if the newspaper is on the seat, first remove it, don’t sit on it!
RADIC= Exactly (laughter). Great.
GIANLUCA= See you at the theater!
To go from Bologna to Caserta, Ignazio also used the Frecciarossa train, and guess what he found on the seat? 😁
And in this video, Ignazio promotes Italian trains a bit.
IGNAZIO= Frecciarossa arrived. I’m in Florence, I’m going to Naples (Reggia di Caserta).
This is one of the reasons why I travel with Frecciarossa: comfortable, it avoids queues on the motorway, I hate traffic. Crazy, then it’s easy to reach Milan for our concert in September at the Arcimboldi, from any city, Turin, Bologna, Rome, from any city Frecciarossa, come to Milan, stroll around the Arcimboldi theater, perfect!
And then I must say that they have good tastes (he shows the newspaper with their interview) 😁
And here is the promo video published on the Facebook page of the Italian railways, which presents the newspaper that all the people who will travel on the Freccia train in the month of August will find this newspaper for free.
Truly a beautiful interview with excellent questions which our sweet young men answered as always with maturity and great knowledge of things.
A few days ago this new and beautiful event was announced, LA NOTTE DELLE STELLE (THE NIGHT OF THE STARS), a concert with Placido Domingo, the soprano Daria Rybak and Il Volo. This beautiful event is held in the beautiful REGGIA DI CASERTA.
I don’t know how many of you know this magnificent Palace, and so I want to give you an introduction and a little bit of history, but believe me, it’s worth it.
I present to you the Royal Palace of Caserta.
King Charles of Bourbon, entrusted the construction of this Royal Palace to the brilliant architect Luigi Vanvitelli. It began on January 20, 1752 and took 20 years to be finished.
The Royal Palace of Caserta is truly immense, covering more than 61,000 square meters (about 73,000 yards), with 4 internal courtyards.
It has the shape of a rectangle 250 meters long and 200 meters wide, and is a very high building, more than 40 meters and spread over 5 floors. It has more than 1000 rooms including rooms, halls, theaters and 1 private chapel.
There are 1742 windows, 1026 chimneys, 34 stairs and more than 1000 doors and 2 large basements, a titanic work, in fact it is the largest royal residence in the world.
After the entrance, you enter a majestic gallery that crosses the entire palace and allows, right from the entrance, to see the magnificent park that surrounds it. It is a studied perspective effect, because the pools of the park and the fountains are all aligned with the gallery, a telescope effect which was very fashionable in late 18th century architecture and which made nature the protagonist of the architecture.
I have visited this Royal Palace three times, the last one being 15 years ago, and it is truly magnificent.
And here, it’s my husband and I in the gardens of the Royal Palace of Caserta exactly 15 years ago.
The stage was set up in one of the square courtyards of the Reggia.
And here we are at the afternoon rehearsal.
Before the show, Placido Domingo and Piero are interviewed by Radio Montecarlo.
Here’s the interview.
PIERO= We are at the Royal Palace of Caserta because tonight we will share the stage with the greatest. can we say the greatest?
SPEAKER= “His Majesty” Placido Domingo, thank you master for being here with us live on Radio.
DOMINGO= We are so happy to be together, we have known each other for a few years. My nephew discovered them (Il Volo)….
SPEAKER= Great, great! We are framing it here in front of the workstation and as you can imagine there is a huge crowd of people, in short, a really great emotion.
DOMINGO= Piero always wore glasses (reds) and then my nephew wore them too.
SPEAKER= ….he too (laughs) How does Piero sing with “His Majesty” Placido Domingo tonight?
PIERO= With the master and with all his family, there is a great friendship, a great respect. A great like Placido Domingo, who gives the opportunity to realize such a great dream of sharing the stage with him, I believe that beyond the great artist there is a great person.
SPEAKER= (the speaker addresses the audience)
He (Domingo) exudes charisma guys, you have no idea. Maestro, you have trod the most important stages, you have had huge crowds in front of you, acclaimed in a thousand ways and rightly so. How exciting will it be tonight to be on the stage of UN’ESTATE DA RE right here at the Royal Palace of Caserta?
DOMINGO= First of all, this place is extraordinary, I’ve seen it, I’ve had time to visit room after room and be together, working together (at Il Volo) is really a great joy. We hope we will have a nice evening…
SPEAKER= It sure will be…
DOMINGO= We have to try again to fix everything.
SPEAKER= Can we ask one last thing? A memory of Luciano Pavarotti, from when you were three tenors, I know that the only clash, between so much fun, was about the football teams.
DOMINGO= Oh yes, that was the only thing we didn’t get along on, because he was for IUVE, Josè Carreras for Barcelona and I for Real Madrid.
PIERO= It’s clear!!
SPEAKER= So, we have to let them go, thanks for this gift Piero and obviously thanks to “His Majesty” Placido Domingo, this evening, right here at UN’ ESTATE DA RE at the Royal Palace of Caserta and thanks also to us at Radiomontecarlo who have the possibility to tell you everything that happens.
At the beginning of the video, you see a short fragment of a photo with Piero, Placido Domingo and I believe that among them is Placido’s nephew who made Il Volo known.
And here we are at the magical evening. It’s sold out.
Numerous videos received and shot by fans.
MATTINATA
TORNA A SURRIENTO
MY WAY – Il Volo with Placido Domingo
NON TI SCORDAR DI ME
AU FOND DU TEMPLE SAINT– the beautiful duet with Placido Domingo and Piero Barone
LIBIAM NE LIETI CALICI – Il Volo con Placido Domingo and Daria Rybak
And after the concert, a nice dinner with the whole Domingo family, including children and grandchildren.
We waited a few days to publish this event, but it was worth it, because now, whoever wants can watch the entire concert, here it is!
What a magnificent event in a truly unique location.
A night of stars, and the stars shone very much, as well as our Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, who can hold their own even in a classical music environment.
Their voices, incredible and unique. Three brilliant stars.
Daniela❤❤❤
I want to close this article, with a beautiful writing by my friend, Luce Blu. ☺
This morning while I was having breakfast, wandering my curious finger around the screen in search of a “Night of the Stars”, at a certain point I found myself sitting in a semi-illuminated corner with a stage in front of it and a Palace behind it, an imposing witness to the splendor of an era now distant… I physically abstracted there, but present with all my soul, I observed and listened to what belonged to yesterday but will remain in my memory, together with the history of that enchanting place.
Scrolling through each expression, the memory of a “Magical Night” in Piazza Santa Croce leapt to my mind, on stage three boys still and closed in their blue jackets in front of microphones that put tension and that cost a lot of sacrifice … and in the trembling heart so much hope for a homage that would have either made them fall or carried them up, up, to the steps of Olympus. Next to them one of those three the Sacred Monsters (the three tenors) to pay homage to, who confidently guided them. That Piazza, that evening, despite the fears, literally exploded.
What happened yesterday evening, like that evening, moved me and at the same time made me rejoice like never before because on that stage I found those guys with the same heart, but a totally different awareness, with that Sacred Monster still next to them, this time not there to guide them but to sing with them, together with a soprano who tinged those powerful notes with roses. They were there rulers, not of a summer, but of an era of bel canto that we long to return again and again and give rhythm to the soul of this world. Our extraordinary tenor, with a dream that came true even before he knew it. Our eclectic artist, who manages to play with those notes with unique ease and mastery. Our “no, this genre is not for me”… and imagine if it were for him… And this happened only yesterday… And yesterday, like this morning and like always and forever, proud and proud of our incomparable and unique trio!
And what about the duet between Piero and Maestro Placido Domingo?….. Domingo carries our Piero on the palm of one hand, sang happy and proud to have him by his side and turned to him with eyes of profound admiration every time Piero rose in one of those impeccable, powerful and decisive high notes. In the moments in which our extraordinary tenor sang, or rather enchanted, his expression was transformed, that incredulous and excited smile disappeared and that imposing and intense soul shined through, which only shows when the notes of that genre start… a genre that he has been wearing for always and that he managed to bring out with all his passion and his sacrifice. Keeping that promise to himself and to a loving grandfather who will always watch over him from above.
A duet that brought tears to our eyes and filled our hearts with joy and pride, aware of knowing that our Piero has his feet on the threshold of a dream that has now opened its “curtain” to reality.
There seemed to be a moment of calm until August 3rd, but a good interview with Il Volo was published in the weekly magazine OGGI.
A nice article written by Dea Verna, in which I appreciated some questions and beautiful photos, and the possibility for our boys to remove some “pebbles from their shoes”. I will translate for you.
They joke with each other, make fun of each other, tease each other.
“Gianluca and I always talk, Ignazio on the other hand is the one who disappears”, says Piero Barone. “I’m like this, I need to pull the plug, I’m hurt,” explains Boschetto.
The three guys from Il Volo will celebrate 15 years of their career in 2024. “We spent half a life together, think how lucky”.
It all started on 25 April 2009 when very young competitors of Ti Lascio una Canzone conducted by Antonella Clerici, were put together to sing O SOLE MIO.
Now, after conquering the world, having sold out several times at Radio City Music Hall in New York, winning the Sanremo festival in 2015, they are giving themselves a whim in Italy.
For the first time they bring their show, ALL FOR ONE, to a theater, at the Arcimboldi in Milan, on 2,3,4,6,8,9 September.
“We wanted an intimate atmosphere, to have the audience close,” they say.
“We used to sing together and it was almost impossible to tell one from the other. Now we’ve grown up, there are solo moments, we want to surprise the audience and expand it.”
What’s your life like when you’re not on tour?
PIERO= Simple, I live in Sicily, in the province of Agrigento. I wake up at 05:30AM, I go out on the boat with a friend, we go fishing. Then I run, I’m preparing for the New York Marathon, or I play tennis. After sport, a nice gin and tonic with friends.
GIANLUCA= I live in Roseto degli Abruzzi. I wake up early, work out at the gym, have lunch with my grandpa, hang out with family and friends. Of the three, I am the only boyfriend.
IGNAZIO= (He lives in Bologna) Before, I used to go to sleep very late, I did nothing except stay closed in a studio with video games. Now I wake up early and go play tennis.
Then there’s your Hollywood life. The best meeting?
PIERO= Placido Domingo, who came to do vocals in our dressing room before the New York concert, José Carreras. We met Woody Allen in a New York restaurant, and we started singing together. He told us his favorite wine is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.
GIANLUCA= As teenagers we sang with Barbra Streisand, a privilege. I was thrilled when I met John Meyers in Malibu, who is considered the new Eric Clapton.
And Pope Francis?
GIANLUCA= We met him three times. The first time in 2014, when I was just over 18, I greeted him by saying “Hello” to the Pope……but he remained calm and replied: “Hello”.
The madness of a fan?
PIERO= One day I was in Austin, Texas, running on a treadmill. I see the woman next to me has something on her left ankle that looks familiar. She had my autograph tattooed on her.”
Has this extraordinary career that began at the age of 14 taken anything away from you?
GIANLUCA= The possibility of going to school. Ten years ago my peers read the DIVINE COMEDY, perhaps reluctantly, I regret not having done so. I’m recovering.”
IGNAZIO= I’ve missed the bullshit you do as a kid, like riding a moped with friends until four in the morning. We grew up quickly, with many responsibilities.
You challenged prejudices about your musical genre, loved by the public, less by the critics.
GIANLUCA= Every artist should be the first critic of himself. What can you expect from three 15-year-old boys? We could not have the depth of De Andrè or Guccini, who we listen to and love.
Now we want to build a repertoire that is not only based on virtuosity.
PIERO= There is a difference between criticism and offense. Why rage against three guys who love what they do?
There is nothing built in us, otherwise we wouldn’t still be here after almost 15 years.
In 2019 in Sanremo, some journalists in the press room insulted you.
IGNAZIO= As long as they take it out on us, as long as they say we make music for old men, amen.
But Sanremo was an offense to music, to those who make it and those who love it, to the public.
Meanwhile, you and the Maneskin are our export groups.
IGNAZIO= Look, let’s make two genres that were considered extinct. Rock had been forgotten in the 2000s. And no one does bel canto anymore, only Bocelli and us.
We have a female prime minister. Does it make you proud?
PIERO= Sure. There are more and more women leaders, the patriarchy is weakening.
IGNAZIO= The bad thing is being surprised, it should be normal.
What do you think of Meloni (Giorgia Meloni as our Prime Minister)
PIERO= She is a woman who is working, bringing results. Let’s hope everything goes well. We hope that those who represent us, who have been elected by the pool, do a good job.
What should the government do?
PIERO= Investing in culture, education, school. Trust young people, encourage them.
GIANLUCA= It’s a society in which television and social media give importance to wealth, to perfection, but it’s crap. Only culture can save us.
As you may have noticed, one of the photos was taken in the Vatican, exactly in the Sistine Chapel, Gianluca Ignazio and Piero with the background of Michelangelo’s “Universal Flood”, wonderful photo!!
This second shot is also very nice, which shows us our loved ones in their current maturity.
But that’s not all, there is a beautiful video, a nice surprise made to a fan of Gianluca, here is the video, it will touch your heart! ❤
This fan comes from Calabria, her dream was to meet Gianluca, a dream fulfilled, the emotion of the girl who can’tsay anything at the beginning from the emotion is palpable. Great Gianluca who allowed this dream to come true.
At the beginning of the video, you can clearly see the alley of Montepagano where Gianluca lives, he comes out exactly from his house to greet Martina.
Thanks Gianluca, once again we could see your kind and good soul.
The friend Donatella Merlotti, florist in Roseto degli Abruzzi, acted as a bridge to be able to realize the meeting between Martina and Gianluca.
She posted the video with these words: “Martina’s dream was to meet Gianluca Ginoble. In her condition it wasn’t easy, but when love and goodwill come together, nothing is impossible. From Calabria, to Piedmont and then to Abruzzo. A heartfelt thanks to Gianluca for his availability and kindness. I am happy to have contributed to Martina’s happiness, together with her parents and my sister.”
I found the same video with the original audio and I translated the few words said:
(You must have an Instagram account to view these video stories.)
GIANLUCA= Hello, how are you, are you all right? (Gianluca embraces and squeezes Martina who is very excited and unable to speak)
DONATELLA= For her it is a historic moment.
GIANLUCA= Wait, you dropped your phone. You brought me flowers, thank you, thank you very much, are you happy?
DONATELLA= She can’t speak! (for the emotion)
GIANLUCA= Thank you, thank you!
DONATELLA= But thanks to you Gianluca for being so kind, a really great gift.
GIANLUCA= But this is the minimum, you think, for so little, thank you, thank you (Gianluca takes the flowers). Usually it’s the gentlemen who bring the flowers and you brought them to me.
DONATELLA= And you give them back to her.
GIANLUCA = Hello, how are you? (Gianluca greets Martina’s parents) ,
DONATELLA= (turning to Martina) Love, let’s put us in the shade that there is a strong sun.
MARTINA’S MOM = Good morning,….. sorry…..
GIANLUCA= Where are you from?
MARTINA’S FATHER = Calabrian.
GIANLUCA= Ah, from Calabria! Shall we go for a coffee?
MARTINA’S MOM = Thank you, we don’t want to disturb you.
GIANLUCA= It’s not a nuisance.
(now they are at the bar) …… no, here in Abruzzo.
MARTINA= Unfortunately we are leaving now.
MARTINA’ S MOM= We will arrive home tonight.
Well, I’d say there’s not much to add, words are useless, we all enjoyed this nice gesture, not just Martina. ❤
Just one last thing, I remind you that on August 3 Il Volo will sing with Placido Domingo at the REGGIA DI CASERTA.
See you soon: Daniela 🤗
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!
