One of the most precious capabilities of being human is our capacity to interact with each other.  The opposite of interaction is to be solitary, alone without someone or something with whom/which to share a look, a feeling, an emotion, communicate, have companionship.  Our lives are filled with many varieties of interaction–with friends, family, pets, nature.  It  may be a brief interlude, or it may embrace a lifetime.  But it is an integral part of our psyche-–our wholeness.

We have seen the sweet interaction between Gianluca and Piero and their grandpas.  We know the stories of how the grandpas played an important part in the boys introduction to the music that they learned to love, and gave them the desire to study and develop their talent.  Seeing the grandpas and grandsons together it is evident that there is great communication of admiration and affection involved.  The grandpa’s pride in their boys is obvious, and the love the boys feel for their grandpas just emanates from them.

The same can be said for the boys’ relationship with their parents.  The loving interaction is so visible we can almost feel it ourselves.  We see it in the looks, the touches, the care that the mothers and fathers have given their sons when they traveled….often going along to see that their needs were provided for and that they were properly taken care of.  The pleasure the guys feel when they are able to spend time at home with their families shows how important the family interaction is to them.  All of the parents are to be commended for the wise guidance in the interaction there has been between themselves and their boys.  Their strong values can only have been instilled in their sons because of their wisdom in imparting life lessons.

Also tenderly touching is the interaction between the siblings.  The closeness between brothers and sisters is plain to see.  Ignazio’s big sister, as the older child in the family was his protector as he was growing up, and a strong supporter in his career.

Franz and Piero, so close in age, have stayed close in brotherly affection through the years as is seen in photos of the two in different times and different places.  And the love they feel for little sister Mariagracia comes right off the page and touches us with it’s tenderness.  Ernie has grown up in the shadow of big brother, Gianluca’s rise to fame in his career, but it has not overshadowed the affection that the boys have shown in pictures of them together at various times in their lives….the interaction between them so touchingly sweet.

The ability to interact with others in a positive and productive manner also shines through when we see the boys interacting with their fans.  Much has been written about this….their kindness, patience, and sincerity.  Those of us who are fortunate enough to have had a chance to have some interaction with them have seen first hand just how amazing it is.  While they are equally as considerate of all fans, regardless of age, they seem to especially enjoy their interaction with children.

Not to be overlooked is the endearing interaction we see between Ignazio and his horses and dogs.  One look at him staring into Walter’s face or nuzzling Buddy’s nose tells us that they are very special relationships.

We sometimes see one of them sitting alone with their thoughts interacting with the quietness of nature.  They often find the sea to be the place of choice for this time of solitude and renewal.

It seems that Ignazio an Gianluca have developed some sweet  interactions in the romance department.  After all they are of the age when a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of a serious relationship.  We are confident that they will make admirable husbands and fathers.  Piero with his foundation of what a happy strong family consists of, will no doubt find that component in his life when the time is right for him.

Not to forget the interaction between the boys themselves.  It is a thing of beauty and a joy to watch.  It’s so incredible that these three young men have seemed destined to be together.  Put together as a trio when they barely knew each other, t hey were soon calling each other “brother,” and that bond has continued to be strong ever since.  Their motto, “three voices, one soul” truly says it all.  They tease,trick,  pummel and embrace as true brothers would.  In spite of the hectic schedules they maintain–the endless travel, the tedious rehearsals, the hundreds of Meet and Greets, and the clamoring adoring fans, their closeness has survived and even grown.

Watching their interactions on the stage is always a treat, and they never fail to entertain.  They are “our boys,” and we love them as our own.

How we enjoy being privileged to  view some of the interactions of our Il Volo men.  They are very generous in sharing with the fans some of the more private things in their lives.  And since they are so important in our lives, we dearly love being a part of theirs.   

~~Mary Bohling~~

Photo credits to: Il Volo Family Photos

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Il Volo Sicilia (via Tatiana Lombardelli)

COLORFUL IL VOLO

To say that the Il Volo men are colorful has meaning on different levels.  They have colorful personalities just by virtue of being Italian, yes? Always beautiful and captivating, they instill in their fans a desire to follow their moves around the world, whether in concert or just enjoying casual time.  They have made us care about them on a very personal level, because they are not only colorful in their endeavors, but always maintain their intrinsic solid base.

Piero has certainly been colorful this summer, sporting his YELLOW attire.  He looks like a ray of sunshine in the yellow shirt, and YELLOW shorts have never looked so good before.  It’s a dramatic color that really suits his outgoing personality–remind-ful of Lemoncello, the intense Italian aperitif.

While Gianluca usually favors the conservative look in dress, we can’t forget the shiny BLUE suit from the Jose Jose tribute.   Only GG could have pulled off that look, but on him it was perfection.  And not to forget the RED speedos –we could never forget them.

Yes, RED was a good color for the speedos and remember how dashing Piero looked in his RED sport coat on the Buon Natale DVD?  We could stand seeing more of that.  And it goes without saying that the RED glasses have always been his trademark.

When performing at special occasions the guys are usually dressed in formal BLACK  suits.  They fit the role of dignified, professional men to a T.  With the white shirts and BLACK ties, they are the quintessential examples of professionalism.

And speaking of WHITE shirts, what is it about a WHITE shirt on a handsome man that makes women of all ages sigh with delight?  WHITE shirts are worn everywhere and on all occasions.  Fathers and Grandpas wear them (though perhaps somewhat begrudgingly) and they look very nice, but put one on a handsome young man, roll up the sleeves a bit and leave the top four or five buttons undone, and women over the age of 16 are likely to breathe more heavily at the sight.  We have numerous examples of how our handsome young men use this tempting show of masculinity.  And when they choose to drape a sweater over their shoulders, they are the epitome of casual sophistication.  Long live the WHITE shirt.

BLUE seems to be the alternate color choice for Ignazio, albeit a subtle shade, when he prefers something other than the usual grayish color that the guys tend to wear when performing.  It may be a suit, or something more casual like a T shirt. No matter, he looks great in anything.

Yes, our guys are colorful, and we like them that way.  We can’t get enough of their colorful characteristics no matter what colors they are wearing.

~~Mary Bohling~~

Photo credits

Detroit PBS, Getty Images, All Things Il Volo, Piero Barone Facebook

THE IL VOLO MYSTIQUE

What is it about Il Volo that has taken them to such heights of success….has endeared them to thousands of people world-wide…has impressed musically savvy people with the quality of their voices?  Is it the

“Il Volo Mystique?”

When looking at the meaning of the word “mystique” we find that several of its synonyms apply to these young men.

Example #1—CHARISMA  There is no doubt that they exude oodles of charisma.

Watching them in concert we  can feel its esoteric power coming across the stage and hitting us full on.  It’s what some have referred to as “love at first sight.”

Example #2–-CHARM  Are we charmed by them?  We are absolutely drawn in by their beauty, smiles, sweet expressions, warmth, and of course the magnificent voices.

Examples #3 and 4—APPEAL AND ALLURE  These two synonyms both include “the power to attract” and “to captivate.”  How appropriate is that?   Think of the thousands of fans that have been attracted to the various venues like Verona for concerts.  And haven’t we all been captivated by them and happily so?

Example #5  AN AURA surrounding something or someone that makes the person or thing seem very intriguing.  While we love our guys for their honest, down-to-earth ways, we also feel the presence of that special aura that is part of who they are.

We know that they give credit to God for the talent that has taken them on this journey, and there is a spiritual quality to the mission they have set for themselves–a spiritual aspect that has enabled them to make a difference in so many peoples lives.  The combination of the components of humility, naturalness, gratitude and magical allure all together make up 

“The Il Volo Mystique.”

~Mary Bohling~

Photo credits:

Getty Images

Wikipedia