They may not have won Sanremo but they are still riding high. After winning Sanremo 2015, the guys were also riding high, and they presented Palasport 2016. In January 2016 and now in January 2025 nine years later, they will again perform concerts at Palasport 2025. The Italian word Palasport is an arena or stadium where sports events take place but more recently, it is also a place where great concerts take place.
At PALASPORT 2016 the guys performed in the following arenas:
ROSETO DEGLI ABRUZZI, PALA MAGGETTI
ANCONA, PALA ROSSIN
PADOVA, ARENA SPETTACOLO PADOVA FIERE
LIVORNO, MODIGLIANI FORUM
FLORENCE, NELSON MANDELA FORUM
ROME, PALALOTTOMATICA
CASERTA, PALA MAGGIÒ
BARI, PALA FLORIO
ACIREALE (CT), PALASPORT
BOLOGNA, UNIPOL ARENA
TURIN, PALA ALPITOUR
MILAN, MEDIOLANUM FORUM
For those of you who are new to Il Volo or have come into the picture after 2016 or after they won Sanremo, I would like to fill you in a little on the event which took place after they won Sanremo.
Palasport 2016 was an exciting event for the guys because now Italy knew them and what they could do, and Italy filled every arena at every performance.
Nine years have passed, and we’ve watched the guys very closely especially these last few months. We’ve noticed how they’ve grown not just in their voices but in their lives. They have new goals, new realities, new dreams! They’ve come into their own and they are experiencing new things in their lives.
Piero aspires to opera and works towards that dream every day. I’m sure he will sing in an opera very soon.
Ignazio dreams of a life with a wife and children, “at least three!” We all know this will come true now that the beautiful Michelle Bertolini has come into his life. And of course, his soulful voice is becoming more and more evident in his performances. His lyrical voice can take him anywhere especially all the way to high C! Is there any song you can’t sing, Ignazio?
And Gianluca has found himself in the voices of Elton John, the Beatles, even Louis Armstrong.
They’ve found their way! Not away from each other! No, Il Volo is Il Volo. But they found a middle road that works for all of them.
After Sanremo 2015 and Eurovision, the guys were riding high! Italy opened its eyes, and their fate was sealed! The Grande Amore Tour had them spinning but perhaps their proudest moments were PALASPORT 2016 at home with the Italian people. I like to go back and watch these videos because I can see how much the guys enjoyed these concerts. I thought about how the guys are preparing for the upcoming World Tour. So, I went back Through the Fields of My Mind, and I pulled some of these videos. Then I remembered an article by Daniela where she wrote about an interview with some of the people behind the scenes and it was very interesting so, I decided to put it all together and relive PALASPORT 2016
These last months have brought the guy’s center stage doing one interview after another. Endless interviews! It was the same after Sanremo 2015. In that period the guys had so many interviews and they had to repeat the same answers over and over again.
I decided to give the guys a break and let someone else do the talking. So, instead of all those questions and answers let’s look at an interview by the technical team from 2016 while we listen to the wonderful voices of Il Volo!
The date is 2016 and the Grande Amore Tour is under way between Italy, Europe and America.
The guys are already into the tour but there is always the fine-tuning for each concert. The crew is together, and they will lead us through the technicalities but without all the long technical parts.
This interview was written for the Sound & Lite newspaper.
IL VOLO – Live Palasport 2016 by Douglas Cole
They call this “Pòpera” a resurgence of opera in the field of popular music and a phenomenon that, in our humble opinion, returns a little faith in the ability of the general public to discern a true capacity for musical performance … because taste apart, the talent and work necessary to develop virtuosity with the lyric voice as an instrument are undeniable. So far, in this latest return of classical singing, the foreign public has been more receptive than the Italians.
Il Volo became the first Italian group in history to directly sign a record deal in America, before they left Italy.
Since the release of the first album, this trio has been almost constantly on tour in North America, South America, Europe and Italy.
In 2012, in addition to a tour in Latin America and the Il Volo Takes Flight tour in the United States, the group also did a very rare (and very successful) tour with Barbra Streisand, which cemented their fame in American pop. Since then, every year they do at least two Il Volo tours on at least two continents.
Having been taken away to America at the very beginning of their career and despite a large number of concerts in Italy, since the beginning of last year with the almost fortuitous victory of “Grande Amore” at the Sanremo Festival and with the consequent representation of Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest (third place, but with the prize of the press), Il Volo was still rather unknown in our country (Italy).
2015, on the other hand, marked the true return to the homeland, with their new album Sanremo Grande Amore which earned a triple platinum record, and a very successful summer tour, culminating in a big event at the Arena di Verona in September, re-transmitted in prime time on RAI 1. Well … better late than never: welcome home, guys!
We crossed this tour more or less halfway, on a date at the Unipol Arena in Bologna, where we found the production manager, Eliana Dalila Biondi.
Elinana: I have been working for Michele Torpedine since 2011. In 2013, during a tour in South America, Michele asked me to follow the production. I am Argentine and, as a matter of language, I was the right person for the role. In that case we did a tour with local productions, 28 dates in 50 days …
This year, instead, it was decided to take the step organizing the tour in the arenas. We have prepared this project together with Francesco de Cave (lights and show-design) for a world tour, which starts from Italy and then goes to the United States and then back to Europe.
Douglas: With the whole production?
Eliana: In Italy and the United States with the entire production, while in Europe we use local production materials, and we bring the direction, with us.
Douglas: Is this production a big leap forward compared to last summer?
Eliana: Yes, because this summer fundamentally focused on natural scenery: Taormina and other picturesque places where there was no need for much. The guys really don’t need much … they do the show. (Truer words were never spoken)
Douglas: The boys already seem very good at working the stage with professionalism!
Eliana: They are very confident of their abilities, in a positive sense, so they are never arrogant. They’ve been doing this job since they were 14, so they grew up on music and the stage. They have security dictated by experience. On stage they create a very nice atmosphere, thanks to their jokes and complicity with the public they have created over time and in many live performances.
Douglas: How many are you on tour?
Eliana: About sixty, and if we add the orchestra of as many as 34 elements in each city … we arrive at a beautiful number.
Douglas: Are the orchestras different at each stage?
Eliana: Unlike last summer, where there was always the same orchestra, this year due to a calendar issue we chose to take local orchestras.
Douglas: Logistically, for orchestral music rehearsals, how do you do it?
Eliana: There is a lot of work that is done upstream. All the material of the repertoire is collected, and our musical director sends it in advance to the orchestras who do the tests independently. Then there were also rehearsals with the Maestro who, whenever possible, anticipated the production to be able to listen and guide the orchestras before the concert … maybe even the morning of the show or, even, in the case of back-to-back long, a few hours before the concert!
Douglas: I ask Alessio Guerrieri, stage director, if it is difficult to manage, such as artists, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca.
Alessio: Absolutely not! Indeed: they are very good. They are not used to doing great tests … in fact when Francesco De Cave arrived, who was new to the production and was planning the show, he asked me: ‘But how will we explain a show to them in two days?’ I reassured him by telling him that he had to do only the lineup and explain the dynamics of the show: the artists would do exactly what was required of them, every time. In fact, they come from a lyrical musical setting and training, so they have a completely different kind of discipline. Since they have to do a precise warm-up routine, they have to eat and do everything according to a fixed schedule. If the show is at 9pm, for example, you know they have to eat at 6pm, and they do the same things every day. They are very square, and this is our luck. It is also important as a form of respect. If they give me the time of the show, I send the orchestra at 8:55 pm and the artists are on stage at 9:00 pm. To date we have never started a minute late. They are very professional and attentive to these things. And I assure you that it is not at all obvious.
Douglas: (Asked the sound engineer, Enrico Belli.) How much does the show depend on the orchestra?
Enrico: Very much of course for classic songs. They are songs that the singers sing singularly (in fact they don’t always sing in three, but they also make duets and solo pieces) mostly on classical works that almost completely depend on the orchestra and the piano.
Douglas: We also ask the lighting operator, Emanuele Vangelatos, for an opinion.
Emanuele: In the show there is a good balance between the most static scenes, used on classic, beautiful, colored pieces, developed in depth along with the video, and the more dynamic ones of the pop songs, in which we also push a lot, because we have projectors able to move the scene a lot.
The pieces of the solos, which are almost all purely lyrical, are in fact illuminated with very static and intimate, almost theatrical scenes. When there are the pieces in trio, plus pop, there is a director behind them, and the director has also coordinated and agreed about the movements of the artists on stage.
Paradoxically, says the engineer, despite their young age, they have several years of experience on stage. The presence is there, and the public greatly appreciates it. Everywhere we did the full: it is a confirmation of the fact that they are also strong in Italy.”
Despite my personal tastes, I respect the musical talent of any kind without reservation, and I appreciate a majestic performance of any kind. I didn’t know Il Volo before and when I was told what kind of concert it would be, I was very afraid of having to suffer the evening.
Instead, it is a really pleasant concert. It was taken for granted that the boys were good at singing, but the lineup includes so many songs with an almost universal familiarity that the interest never drops – even during the moments of speech, in which the artists show total control of the stage and the audience. I am amazed by the audience, made up equally of teenage girls and elderly men out for an annual evening, often with the two categories combined in groups of grandparents with their grandchildren: universal appeal!
The mix is very well done, with an orchestra that even seems to come from recorded tracks (called as a compliment!) and a very sensitive hand in following the dynamics of that type of voice taken with handheld microphones. The sound in the room is very beautiful, especially in the platea (the central and lower part of the theater). We believe that a couple of delays would not have done any harm to offer a greater direct reflection relationship at the back of the room.
The visual spectacle is truly remarkable. The effect of the video that comes out and incorporates the orchestra is really effective. The inevitable central staircase to the Broadway skyline in LED, immediately imposes the tone of the show, but it is anything but a static set design. Even the light design is very flexible: sometimes it offers bandstand show lighting, with colorful or white scenes combined with graphics and lights, in others it looks like a pop or rock music show with backlight.
That was a very interesting description of how it is all put together. I must say the visuals today are so much more sensational. Technology! These guys just keep getting better each day!
I think Daniela said it best when she said, in the original article, “I was pleased to read the admiration towards our guys, from the technical team that supports them on their travels.
It is a very important thing and makes us understand the harmony in the team, also due to the seriousness of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, guys sometimes jokers, but also real professionals.”
Exactly right Daniela!
I want to sum this article up by saying our guys have total control of the stage and the audience. The music in each concert is framed and the setlist is run according to their audience. In some cases, the music in Italy will be different from that of North America or South America but the classics always remain along with all the new music. But above all Italy may have been the last to get on the bandwagon but I’m sure you noticed when they did, they went all out! The trio becomes an auditorium of singers!
I must say I enjoyed reliving PALASPORT 2016 and I hope you enjoyed it too! Now we wait as the guys prepare for Palasport 2025.
This is an interview the guys did while they were touring with Barbara Streisand.
For your listening pleasure Part One and Two of the Palasport 2016 Milan Concert
Join me next week as I go Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
To read the original interview by Daniela, go to http://www.ilvoloflightcrw.com and search BIRTH OF A CONCERT AND A TOUR. As always, thank you Daniela for your wonderful translations.
If you would like to share a story with me, please email: susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com
As I told you, I was in the Arena in Verona for the Il Volo concert “Tutti per uno” on the evening of May 11th.
To say that it was a MAGNIFICENT concert is truly an understatement, because everything was beautiful and well prepared.
What can we say about the stage and sets?
Stunning, an alternation of lights, colors, images appropriate to the songs!!!
What can we say about the excellent orchestra of 54 elements, the excellent members of the choir positioned on two sides and the fantastic conducting of the friendly Maestro Rota?
What can we say about the numerous but spectacular guests who took turns with our guys?
What about the choice of songs, all beautiful and representative?
What about the fantastic Arena, an enchanting place, packed with a participating, cheering and collaborative audience, who illuminated the Arena with thousands of lights and sang at the top of their lungs?
And finally what to say about our three musketeers, our fantastic ones PIERO IGNAZIO GIANLUCA from their wonderful voices, their mastery on stage, their sympathy, kindness, humility and strength, they force themselves to perform in concert on TV recording without “downtime”, with numerous guests, different songs, different rhythms…… ….Priceless. Attending one of their concerts is a wonderful event, and……….a small but important note, this year it didn’t rain!!!
I realize that the first three concerts in the Arena, which have also been recorded and will be broadcast as early as May 14th by Canale 5, are designed for Italian TV, and therefore the dialogues are in Italian and the guests are known here in Italy, but the foreign audience present still appreciated it a lot and the Italian audience sang and rejoiced listening to beautiful Italian songs that are sometimes forgotten and which have triggered beautiful memories in each of us.
I didn’t make videos, because the three evenings will certainly be broadcast in excellent quality by Canale 5 and I will show them to you and translate the speeches so you too will be able to understand better, I only took some photos with my cell phone but the resolution is certainly not good, but we will have time to put better videos and photos and we will talk a lot about these concerts. This time I am attaching some videos made by my friend Francesca Brazzale who I thank very much.
Know that the emotion of our three boys was palpable.
The start of the evening was amazing, they started by singing the beautiful song from the film GLADIATOR, how exciting: “NELLE TUE MANI”.
I don’t know exactly how the three concerts will be edited by Canale 5, but I can tell you that during the one I attended, it was nice to see Piero and Gianluca join their mothers in the Arena and give them a kiss and it was sweet to listen to the beautiful words dedicated by Ignazio to his deceased father.
In the next video I propose the duet with Irama also contained in the new CD Ad Astra: SATURNO E VENERE.
My husband and I had seats in the fifth row on the far left looking at the stage and I must say that they were not bad seats at all. Near us on the first steps were Torpedine, Barbara, Michelle, Ernesto and his father Ercole who I was able to meet personally that evening.
At a certain point in Capolavoro, Gianluca came to sing right on the stage in front of where we were and we could all see that he was very emotional, to the point of tears.
The last video I propose for this little roundup is LA VITA (LIFE), a beautiful song with very important words.
And here is the roundup of my photos which, as I told you, are not very beautiful, but they are mine and we will certainly have time to see some beautiful ones.
It goes without saying that the Arena is also the ideal place for meetings between fans.
Even though my husband and I arrived at the last moment because we couldn’t find free parking for the car, I was able to say hello to Kirsten and her husband from Denmark, Laura and Ugo from Trieste, Judith from Canada, Susan and her brother from Chicago, too bad I didn’t see Jolanta from Poland then I have know Martina Gerlach-Bunz from Germany, and even if these brief hugs and greetings fill our hearts, this is yet another power of Il Volo, that of bringing together people of different cultures in the name of music.
In this photo: me, my husband Beppe, Kirsten Langer and her husband Steen.
And what about our amazing loving boys??
May 12th was the birthday of Michele Torpedine who was turning 72 years old and during the rehearsals, Ignazio conducted all the orchestral members and choristers and everyone wished Michele a happy birthday, these three were truly UNIQUE!!!
Surely Michele Torpedine will have been happy!
AUGURI TORPEDINE!! 🎂🍾🍾🥰
I don’t want to say anything else so as not to spoil the various surprises that you will be able to see during the three evenings of television.
Meanwhile, Canale 5 has broadcast this nice promo which anticipates the broadcast of the concerts.
I conclude with this beautiful comment published by my journalist friend Antonella Esposito who was present at the concert, never more beautiful words to express what an Il Volo concert is!!
Il Volo: “Tutti per uno” is not a simple concert, it is a multiplayer show in which all the pieces intersect creating the intermittent vision of a body in a periodic way. From the lighting system, to the stage scaffolding, through the graphic mood, up to the perfection of the fluidly diffused and never aggressive sound, everything is there and in the right place.
There is the setting of the Arena, there are guests, many of them.
There is charisma, the different color of voices and character, there is lightness, solemnity, memory.
There is the history of music of which it is a full part.
ARE YOU READY TO SEE THE FIRST ENTIRE CONCERT?
SEE YOU SOON!!
Credit to Daniela Perani and others for their photos and to Francesca Brazzale and others for their videos.
Hi everyone! Sorry I’m on the road again! This time I’m in Las Vegas for a wedding! Not mine! At least not this year!
Between the wedding, my business, my new book, and all the other things and people in my life, I have very little time to spare so I decided since the guys are in Verona, I will repost a story I call Revisiting Verona!
Verona May 2023 the Live Concerts
We all watched intently as each concert was performed live on May 1st and 3rd. So many people were Live Streaming. It didn’t take long before the entire concert was on YouTube.
Then we waited for the concerts on Mediasetinfinity. Of course, there were many people streaming which was good because most people don’t have Italian cable.
Many of you immediately noticed a difference from the live concert to the televised program. People were saying but it was raining and now it’s not. That’s because when it was edited, the two concerts came together and then were split into two programs. They did a great job of editing. They gave us two absolutely amazing programs. Two nights of sheer pleasure! Double the Pleasure!
Let’s move on to the venue ~ the Arena di Verona.
The introduction of the first concert makes us aware of where we are in this vast world. We are small among the treasures of the world that span time and eternity! It’s always amazing to see the Arena di Verona from above. It gives you a sense of time immortal.
The Verona Arena is a Roman amphitheater built in 30 AD. It is one of the best-preserved ancient structures of its kind. In ancient times, the arena’s capacity was nearly 30,000 people. Concerts and operas demand a lot of stage space so for performances today the space has decreased. The maximum capacity today is approximately 22,000.
The voices that rise from this amazing Arena resound throughout the city and pass well into our lives by the videos and programs produced within its walls.
There has never been a moment that the guys were on this stage that we didn’t feel the enormity of their voices. This Arena was meant to be a place where performers like Il Volo could show us their amazing worth, their amazing voices.
There is a gradual crescendo as their voices rise from the stage to the walls of antiquity and encircle the Arena spinning high into the night sky; forever captured in time and space!
Il Volo forever!
On to the Stage
The stage is totally awesome. It’s like watching two concerts. There is so much going on behind the guys that I think they even stop to look once in a while. Lights have become a big part of their production.
The motions in the background produces unbelievably beautiful scenery. It is constantly changing. Using backgrounds that are in motion elevates the experience by creating movement towards and away from the entertainer. It is the means by which the audience is drawn into the production. It adds dimension and life to the presentation.
Of course, the audience also participates in this background production when they join in with the lights of their cell phones. Think of how impressive it is to see a sea of lights before you while singing. A treat for the guys!
The Orchestra
When Marcello Rota walks on the stage the production is ready.
Marcello Rota is an Italian conductor. Some of the famous Orchestras he has conducted are the Asti Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana, the orchestra of the Munich Staatsoper, the Berlin Philharmonic, the National Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Moscow Philharmonic, the Buenos Aires Philharmonic, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Besides Il Volo, he has collaborated with Andrea Bocelli on his numerous world tours.
On September 27, 1997, on the occasion of the 23rd National Eucharistic Congress, Rota participated in the mega-concert at the Caab in Bologna, with Bocelli and several other artists including Bob Dylan. They performed in the presence of Pope John Paul II.
His lyric repertoire includes over 40 titles, notably by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini.
Now that’s a repertoire that our guys know well!
The TV Concerts
In both concerts, the guys opened with Granada. The perfect song to open with. Granada adds to the majesty of this amazing arena because it is a song that spans time. It always pleases and the way our guys sing it is amazing. Above all, it was the perfect place to present their new version of this amazing song. They reintroduced us to their three amazing and, so we found out, very different voices. Classical, Soul and Pop!
After singing Grande Amore, the guys introduced their first guests.
The Pooh is an Italian band that came together in 1966 in Bologna. When Il Volo started out, they were the first group to invite them to sing in concert. They are very close friends, and our guys love them and appreciate all of their encouragement over the years. The guys sang a medley of Pooh songs. Tanta Voglia di Lei, Pensiero, Chi Fermerà La Musica, and Uomini Soli.
After the performance, Pooh gave this advice to the guys:
We have never followed trends, don’t do this either and you will always be personal.
My advice instead is this, there are three of you, alone you represent 30%, instead together you represent 3000%, this is the strength of the group, remember this.
I believe that the Pooh’s real success was a little talent and a lot of passion, the same talent and the same passion that I see in your eyes and in your career, and this is a good sign for you.
Beautiful advice from beautiful people. They certainly know Il Volo!
Next we meet the beautiful Frederica Panicucci who will be the presenter of the concert.
Federica explains that during the evening Il Volo will show unpublished moments with solos and duets they never performed before. It will be their way of showing their different personalities.
Yes Federica is right, that night was different because we’ve heard these voices before but not in the way we heard them that night. The guys introduced us to their personal feelings about their music.
A great example of this is in Ignazio’s words before both concerts:
In the first concert Ignazio said, “I’ve always loved great female voices….”
And in the second concert he said, “I will try to take a trip to the most beautiful female songs in the world tonight.
When Ignazio said this, he brought me back to his childhood. If you recall in Ignazio’s story he talks about meeting Lilliana Adreanò, his singing teacher, for the first time. She asked Ignazio what kinds of songs he likes to sing and Ignazio replies, “You know, Liliana, I like to sing Giorgia’s songs.” Lilliana said: “Strange for a kid to sing this kind of song.”
So, it seems Ignazio still enjoys singing these (female) songs. And why wouldn’t he? He is the only one of the three that can sing that kind of song because they are songs that require a strong voice that is very clear, crisp and very lyrical and a lot of passion must be put into each song! I think I just described Ignazio’s voice! Let me add and, “very soulful!”
We meet the real Gianluca in his rock mode and he introduces us to his feelings for Elvis, Sinatra, Dylan and the Beatles.
Piero brings us his perfect operatic voice. Whimsical and joyful. He has a great love and sincerity for this music. Opera is in his soul. He opens up that soul to us in these concerts with arias we have never heard before.
Amid a thousand points of light that sparkled like stars in the night sky, our guys were the brightest stars on the stage. They showed not just their love for one another’s music but their love and appreciation for the music of the other performers.
During their solos, the other two guys sit on the side stage and listen. In these moments, we see the admiration these men have for one another. Truly amazing!
This was a nice way of presenting each of them.
I remember Piero saying, in his story, that when he did a solo he couldn’t wait for it to end when Ignazio and Gianluca would return. He has to love this new arrangement.
These concerts were different. They show a beautiful evolution from where the guys were to where they are now. Their new direction! Their future!
This new arrangement is thrilling because there is a lot of feeling in the music. The songs they have sung from the beginning have always had feeling but in a different way.
Here we feel each man’s thoughts, ideas and mindset. In the soul of each man there is a longing to bring you their music unlike you’ve ever heard it before. It is the movement within their souls when they sing. They were restless to release these feelings and make you feel what they feel. They bring a feeling of sheer bliss to each note in each song. Think about expressing your feelings for someone you love. Put that to music and you have each guy’s mindset.
Of course, they have not departed from their Bel Canto.
What is a concert without Nessun Dorma.
Or, Surrender and O Sole Mio
Now let’s listen to some of the beautiful solos that we have never heard before.
Let’s start with Piero singing Viva il Vino Spumeggiante (Long Live the Sparkling Wine) the beautiful aria from Cavalleria Rusticana. This is one of my favorite operas and every time Piero sings one of the arias, he brings joy to my heart. His voice is so ready for La Scala.
Gianluca choses Bob Dylans song Knockin’ on Heavens Door to express a feeling of loss and grief. It is a very poignant song, and we can feel Gianluca’s heart in it. A very beautiful delivery!
Ignazio sings a Loredana Bertè medley. From the pop of Sei Bellissimo (You are Beautiful) to the very reggae of È Luna Bussò (The Moon Knocked) Ignazio is singing out his soul.
Reggae is a music style that was strongly influenced by American jazz and rhythm and blues. Like Loredana, Ignazio was inspired by jazz and rhythm and blues. Both Loredana and Ignazio were fans of Pino Daniele. In fact, Loredana sang with Pino Daniele. No wonder this was a choice for Ignazio. Loredana is the sister of Mia Martina who Ignazio dedicates Almeno tu Nell’universo to. This is truly the soul of Ignazio!
Ignazio with Fiorella Mannoia accompanied by Danilo Rea on piano sing the very sophiscated pop song Una Ragione di Più (One more reason)
Gianluca and Irama sing the very beautiful La Cura (the Cure) which was written by Italian songwriter Battiato. He wrote the song for his lady when he discovered she had a serious illness. Gianluca and Irama sing this song from depths of their hearts.
Piero and Aida Garifullina sing Libiamo ne, i lieti calici from La Traviata. This is an absolutely delightful and whimsical delivery. Notice how comfortable Piero is on stage with this amazing soprano! The voices blend beautifully!
It’s time for a great comedian, Giorgio Panariello.
Giorgio tells us the plot of the film Nuovo Cinema Paradiso by Giuseppe Tornatore.
This is followed by the guys singing Se Telefonando.
After they sing, Panariello returns to have some fun with the guys!
Panariello tries to convince the boys that being three is not good and proposes himself as the fourth element for Il Volo.
He challenges the guys to sing Nessun Dorma with him to see if he wins the role of the fourth Il Volo. He repeats VINCERÒ and in the highest moment, he doesn’t sing he says, “I will win….a draw is enough for me”.
Of course, Ignazio get hysterical!
The guys and Panariello sing an Italian song Il Pullover and now we can truly witness four amazing entertainers who can sing and joke together.
I am a longtime fan of Panariello and I am happy he was included in this concert!
When Panariello leaves, he says “But we are friends……(it’s true they are)….don’t call me anymore in your concerts!”
Panariello is a very funny man with a very dry sense of humor that makes you laugh out loud!
Over the last few years, the guys have been singing Hallelujah. Before they begin the song, Ignazio explains how the guys feel about this song.
Ignazio:Now is a very emotional moment for us, we have decided to sing this next song to reach all the people who have suffered in these years, to all the people who continue to suffer, and to all those people who unfortunately today, we, they watch from up there. Let’s hope that our song, our thoughts, can reach them up there.
There are no words! One magical moment and people respond by lighting up their hearts through the lights on their cell phones.
This song goes deep and touches everyone’s heart. No need to change voices here, you can feel the guy’s voices in this song.
Let’s go back to some duets!
The guys mix it up with Antonello Venditti. They sing Che Fantastica Storia è La Vita (What a Fantastic Story Life is). They can sing anything with anybody!
Back to two amazing songs L’Amore si move and Musica Che Resta. These are two songs that I love and they never sing in New York. Are you listening guys?
Federica returns to the stage for her next round of questions. She immediately asks Gianluca what gift Piero would like to receive on his birthday. Gianluca replies, “a nice tennis racket,” of course, Ignazio jokingly says that he would have given him “a watering can for the flower on his jacket!”
Next, Federica asks Ignazio what superpower Gianluca would like to have and Ignazio replies “the power to lengthen his legs.”
She then asks Piero to tell some funny story of Ignazio and Piero replies, “In Vienna Ignazio greeted the public saying….‘Good evening Berlin.’ ”
Federica compliments the boys on the tour they just finished and a video of beautiful images starts. Federica asks what is the best memory.
Gianluca:Seeing people’s faces is oxygen for us and a privilege. We are young and we are living the life we have always wanted to live, and it is amazing how this music overcomes the barrier of language, and reaches all ages, and we are proud to be able to give these emotions to all of you.
At this point they do a tribute to Italian singer-songwriter: Sergio Endrigo.
This is just a part of the tribute.
A few solos before I close.
Piero singing Voglio Vivere Così reminds me of Sunday mornings at my grandparents’ house. After church my grandparent would put on all their favorite operas and we would listen to them while we had breakfast. My grandparents loved opera and Neapolitan Songs! They would have loved Il Volo!
Magnificent! I feel Pavaroti in Piero’s voice!
I talked about Ignazio’s tribute to Mia Martina. Now I present it because we all need that moment when Ignazio brings down the house. Oh, excuse me he does that in every solo! God bless his amazing voice!
Gianluca presents a Beatles medley. Gianluca is becoming very comfortable in this new direction! His fondness for 50’s, 60’s and 70’s music seems to be his niche as he is moving forward!
Orietta Berti is a pop and folk singer whose popularity began is the 1960’s. She is revered in the entertainment industry as is evident when she steps on the stage and Ignazio bows and praises her. In 2021 Fedez, Achille Lauro and Orietta Berti published a hit song Mille. In a duet with Ignazio Orietta sings Quando L’amore Diventa Poesia.
I can think of no better way to end these concerts than with an icon in the music industry. The guys were honored to sing with Orietta.
So how do I end this story? I’m finished but it is not over. Two new collaborations came out of these concerts. The guys will sing in concert with Pooh and it seems they are anxious to have Aida Garifullina back in concert. Aida wrote in her story today, “Thank you! There is more to come.” I’m sure with the success of these two concerts there will be more concerts like these in the future!
And where did we leave the guys? With their new Classical, Soul and Pop sounds we will follow them to the ends of the earth in any direction they choose. We always knew that they were phenomenal individuals. We knew they had heart, and we always knew they gave their all but now we know by Revisiting Verona, we can double the pleasure of their performances with their individually and personal feelings in every concert!
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
The start of the Il Volo tour in 2024 starts from the east:JAPAN.
Here are Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero at the airport together with maestro Rota, leaving for the Land of the Rising Sun.
The first concert is in Nagoya, on April 25th, but there is time for some promotion, so here they are on the TOKAI RADIO for an interview.
And here they are during concert rehearsals.
On the evening of the concert, unfortunately there are very few images and videos, and as you can see, the evening’s program includes very classic songs.
A comment from Japan at the end of the concert: “The Nagoya show of Il Volo Japan Tour has ended. The overwhelming singing voices of Il Volo echoed along with the orchestra’s performance….it was a truly wonderful performance.”
The next concert is scheduled for April 28th, so there is time to visit this beautiful country a little.
One evening for dinner.
A visit to Nara and the Buddha temple.
In the following video some moments of the trip to Nara.
In the taxi, Piero shows off 5 yen which is considered a lucky charm in Japan.
At the end of the video Piero has the train ticket to Nara in his glasses and he says:“I am going to Nara, sister of Naro (his town), cousin of the Nari and niece of the Naresi (inhabitants of Naro).” 😂😂😂
Only Ignazio can do certain things, to the embarrassment of Piero and Gianluca. 😂😂
APRIL 28 OSAKA
The rehearsals.
The concert.
The Osaka Symphony Orchestra, where the concert was held, posted this:
“Young Italian vocal unit Il Volo with a sparkling and powerful voice, and the warm gaze of the fans, the performance was full of enthusiasm. The conductor was the very cheerful Mr. Marcello Rota. 👍🏻 Thank you so much for coming. ♪”
A collage of songs from the concert. I think you can’t make videos in Japan, so they were taken without permission.
Il Volo conquers Japan:
“Music overcomes the barriers of language.”
Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero flew to the Land of the Rising Sun with their ‘World Tour’ which, which started on April 25th, made stops in Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo and Sapporo.
The Japanese leg of the Il Volo World Tour has ended which saw Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto and Gianluca Ginoble return to perform in the Land of the Rising Sun. In fact, since last April 25th, the Italian trio has enchanted the Nagoya audience accompanied by a 54-piece orchestra conducted by Marcello Rota, before making a stop at the prestigious Symphony Hall in Osaka. And again, at the International Forum in Tokyo with the grand finale in Sapporo.
“We came here [to Japan] for the first time in 2017,” recalls Ginoble who, together with his colleagues, took the opportunity to visit the country. “And every time it’s as if it were the first. We always remain ourselves, singing our repertoire. And this shows that it still overcomes the barriers of language. [Japanese] is a culture that has always fascinated us.”
Barone then adds regarding its popularity in the Far East: “They discovered Il Volo thanks to a song we recorded in 2011, which was entitled Starry Night. So, we had the opportunity to listen to our repertoire and also add our unreleased songs such as Grande amore and Capolavoro. The reaction is incredible.”
Now, after Japan, Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero are expected in Italy with Tutti Per Uno, four special concert events at the Arena di Verona – 9 May (sold out), 11 May (sold out), 12 May (sold out ), 13 May. The first three evenings will subsequently be broadcast in prime time on Canale 5 and will see the participation of numerous important guests from the Italian music scene.
“It will be interesting for us to sing a repertoire of unreleased songs for the first time on tour,” explains Boschetto. “We are very happy to bring back to meet our fans and maybe even new people who started following us this year”. In fact, between June and September, the trio will be involved in twenty live dates in the most evocative venues in Italy while in autumn they will be the protagonists of a tour in the main European capitals. The World Tour will continue in 2025 in the USA, Canada and Latin America.
The Italian national news program RAI 1 also published the news:
During the TG1 report, we see our friends Yukio and Kumiko Kobayashi: hello friends, how nice to see you at the concert.
And now a summary of many beautiful moments spent in Japan.
During the visit to Nara, our boys were accompanied by Marco Ferrari, an Italian who acts as a guide in Japan. Marco had met Il Volo two years ago on tour in Japan and a beautiful friendship was born.☺️
Marco published this video with these words: “The words of Gianluca Ginoble from Il Volo after the day spent with me in Nara. I am truly moved what can I say, his words speak for themselves. ❤️”
GIANLUCA= I have to thank you because between one date and another, coming here for work we found some time to visit Nara. You are truly number 1, an incredible guide.
MARCO= Oh, thanks Gianluca.
GIANLUCA= It was wonderful. Japan is incredible, it’s a culture that always strikes me, every time it’s like it’s the first time.
MARCO= Thanks Gianluca. I wait for you again.
GIANLUCA= See you soon!
Some photos and videos of extra tour moments in Japan.🏯
Beautiful moments, in different cultures but united by music.
Lots of affection from the Japanese fans and just as much love and respect from Il Volo.
Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca have already returned to Italy, just enough time for a couple of days with the family and then off they go, straight to Verona, the Arena awaits them.
In days at the end of April, as you well know, there was the anniversary of the start of Il Volo’s career.
Searching on YouTube for something that documented their beginnings (I have been following them since 2015), I came across many videos with Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca who were really young, in their first interviews, what sweet treasures, they didn’t yet know how to speak English well, and it’s so nice to hear their answers, even though they were really young, their answers are mature and don’t deviate from what they say even now. It’s nice to hear their hesitation about the future and the hope that everything will go well for them. ❤️❤️❤️
What little treasures, they still struggled to understand well and respond in English, but what love!! ❤️❤️❤️
The next interview is in Italian, but you can activate the subtitles. 😉
At the beginning of the next video, Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca talk about what their ideal women should be like! 🥰🥰🥰
In those years, Gianluca had a girlfriend, Jessica, who he also mentions in the video. Jessica Brando is an Italian singer, photo model, at that time they were very much in love. 😍😍
Gianluca and Jessica Brando.
Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca have always said that they went to a school in the US. to learn the language, while they learned Spanish thanks to Humberto Gatica, who spoke Spanish with them.
In the next video, they talk about Il Volo: Tony Renis, Humberto Gatica and also Michele Torpedine.
Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio talk about their tours and missing their family.
The first shows on television: The Talk
Young Hollywood
A nice interview, showing them starting to master the English language.
In this Instagram post above: Il Volo in Rome with Tony Renis, Humberto Gatica and Ennio Morricone.
These videos don’t need many comments, because they speak for themselves, they tell us about the beginnings of three boys who didn’t know each other. Three guys full of talent, but also of enormous values, well anchored to their roots and the education they received, guys with a head on their shoulders despite their young age.
Also full of dreams and paths that came true, but continually evolving, kids who didn’t give up at the first difficulties but made the most of them. They are Il Volo, they are Piero, Ignazio, Gianluca. ❤️❤️❤️
Daniela🤗
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!
