I promised Il Volo Flight Crew an article on the first concert of the autumn tour –Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London.It took place last Sunday, October 6th and I was completely blown away.
HOOKED I had come across Il Volo a few years back on Facebook: they performed Il Mondo to a German audience and they were just teenage boys. I remember I posted the whole clip and wrote something on my page like “Happy Monday. Cheer yourself up” because the joy of these three very young men had captured something in me.
And yet I forgot about them – for a few busy years anyway. Then, earlier this year (2024), I (who was never ill) suffered a second heart attack. Commanded (again!) to rest, I scrolled through FB memories, listened again to Il Mondo, and wondered what had become of these boys-with-men’s-voices? Then, oh my goodness, I discovered the goldmine that is YouTube with Il Volo performances and interviews and funny moments spanning 15 years.
Hooked! I was completely hooked. And then beyond excited to see that extra date added to the start of the European tour – London, UK. I reckoned I deserved a treat for surviving despite everything, and I booked two tickets in the royal circle of the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. I booked flights from Glasgow. I bought the albums and brushed up my Italian to understand properly their amazing lyrics. I played Ad Astra from beginning to end until I knew every note and nuance. It is my favourite album. In it, I hear the struggles and the triumphs, the joy or Felicità that they have in singing, the love that holds them together despite everything.
LONDON, 2024
And finally, here I was. I’m outside one of the oldest theatres in London, built in 1812. It retains its splendid features, the ornate plasterwork, the great glass lights, the private boxes above the stage. Our seats were in the first tier at the left side as you look from the stage. I could just be visible in one of the audience shots. I wondered about the venue – so tiny compared to Verona and others – but when the curtain came up in this old and beautiful theatre, it felt exactly right.
People from all over the world had queued to see them arrive at the theatre. If Il Volo had reservations about performing in London, they were greeted by an enthusiastic sellout.
This headline from La Reppublica:
Il Volo conquista anche Londra: “Questa città era una sfida, siamo stati accolti col tutto esaurito”
(Trans: Il Volo also conquers London: “This city was a challenge, we were welcomed with a full house”)
I’ve listed all the songs that I remember Il Volo sang; they’re below though not in any order. I was too intent on the performance to take notes during it. Th emphasis is perhaps tending towards an English-speaking audience with songs from Elvis, Sinatra and Queen, but I was so happy that they kept in the beautiful Bel Canto classics like Un Amore Così Grandeand O Sole Mio because I had never heard them sung live. As I said, my favourites are from Ad Astra and it was wonderful to hear the powerful Opéra, the magical Capolavoro and to watch the interplay of these amazing voices at the same time as hearing them. Next time, I hope to hear more.
VERY SPECIAL MOMENTS What were the special London moments? Ignazio’s warm welcome and pleasure at being in London. He told us it had been Barbara’s favourite city. Gianluca’s apologising for his American accent and promising to practise his British one (really, you sound fantastic, Gian – what a linguist!). Ignazio teasing Gianluca about his sparkly boots and Gian teasing Igna about his very Italian accent when he said: “It’s my first concert with the ring”. Piero laughing at them both. And Piero’s smile at the end of each solo, as though he can’t believe he has actually brought it off!
They were in excellent voice, of course, and their solos were truly beautiful – my favourites: Memory by Ignazio, Amor, Vida de Mi Vida by Piero and Music of the Night by Gianluca. This seemed especially to reverberate around the traditional theatre with its boxes and balconies, its hidden corners: very like the Paris Opéra which is the setting for Phantom.
They told us a little about themselves. Piero talked about their 15 year journey together, starting as young boys who didn’t know one another. Gianluca described how he gets lost in the music, how important it is to live creatively in the moment. And Ignazio spoke about losing Barbara Vitali as he introduced Hallelujah. The audience had been told strictly no phones, photos or videos but we put on our flashlights when he asked us to, as a tribute to her. And we sneaked a photo or two. But I just wanted to listen – Hallelujah is another favourite, beautifully sung. You have to hope that their very real grief at Barbara’s death is receding just a little.
One of the UK’s most famous pop singers from the 50s till now, Cliff Richard (Sir Cliff), was in the audience. He was greeted from the stage by Gianluca, and as we craned over the balconies to try and see him, Ignazio told us to be careful and not to take a dive.
The audience was lit up between songs; it seemed Il Volo really wanted to see us and to know this audience who sang and clapped and shouted their names and “Bravi!” to show them how much we loved them. There were standing ovations and I suspect more than a few tears. (Caruso got to me!) We Brits are not so cold after all.
MEETING AND GREETING After the show, I nervously headed for the Meet and Greet. They took a little while to arrive, and while I was waiting, I wondered what on earth I could say to them. In the end, I walked towards them smiling (probably like a crazy woman) and I just said “Thank you. That was a great show”. Those three pairs of wonderful eyes looked at me, and someone (which one was it?) said, “I’m glad you liked it”. But I wanted to say, “You have cheered some of my darkest days and brought me music that makes sense of life.”
WHY THIS CONCERT? When I think about how determined I was to see Il Volo after knowing about their music for such a short time, I realise it was the warmth expressed for and from their audiences that really drew me. Yes, they are consummate entertainers, beautiful to hear and to look at, but it is this warmth that draws people to them all over the world, I believe. At the very end of the night, as they finally left the stage, Gianluca promised they would come back next year. If they do, I’ll be there.
THE SONGS Here are all the songs I can remember from the show. I may have missed some songs out as I didn’t take notes at the time. I was mesmerised by what was happening onstage.
O Sole Mio Il Mondo Se The Ecstasy of Gold Can’t Help Falling In Love Grande amore Amor, Vida de mi Vida The Sound of Silence La donna è mobile Hallelujah Miserere My Way Opéra Capolavoro Un Amore Così Grande È Lucevan Le Stelle The Music of the Night Memory Nessun Dorma
Here are highlights of this beautiful, intimate concert.
LIBIAM DE LIETI CALICI with the soprano Elina Netsajeva
CAPOLAVORO
MEMORY
Always nice to hear this beautiful song from Ignazio’s voice! ❤️
E LUCEVAN LE STELLE
Piero with his powerful lyrical voice, what a dream! ❤️
This video is really special and in its entirety, Gianluca singing THE MUSIC OF THE NIGHT wonderfully, rejoice!❤️
And what to say about this other single by Gianluca sung in Budapest:BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS❤️
I found this video and I left it for last because I find it really wonderful, finally we can listen to THE SOUND OF SILENCE in its entirety and at the beginning the voices of Il Volo are subdued, and then follow with all the strength, I like it very much !! ❤️
the final
Backstage with Il Volo, Cellist Jodok Vuille, the soprano Elina Netsajeva and Marcelito Pomoy, who went to see the concert.
Marcelito Pomoy is a very famous Filipino singer, he won Philippines Got’s Talent and participated in America’s Got Talent, his peculiarity is that he sings with both a baritone voice and a mezzo-soprano voice and therefore plays both in the same song roles for men and women!!!
October 12, Czech Republic: PRAGUE
The concert is held in the beautiful and largest arena in Prague, Arena 02.
Here too, great public participation, great warmth, great love!
02 Arena, after the concert published these words:
“A spectacular show full of Italian passion from Il Volo lit up the O2 arena just last night.”
I found this video of a fan filming her concert experience from outside the arena and then several songs.
It’s nice to hear so much applause for our dear young men. Our dear friend, Alicja, was kind enough to provide the translation/summary of the words of this Ukranian lady.
Summary:
Hello, I came to Prague alone, for concert of Italian pop opera trio. It is trio of 3 boys who sing pop opera. I could not attend concerts since 3 years, this time I bought ticket as well very late, I have my seat very high in the arena. Look behind it is O2 Arena, it is famous venue for concerts, hockey games and other shows. I think I will enjoy this evening. Look how many people are already in the queues and still coming from all directions. Concert is sold out. Here you see escalators, I will go up to my sector. Here you can buy snacks and drinks, even alcoholic drinks you can buy before event. Now I want to show you the view of entire Arena. I like such big venues, feel small here. I still have time so will walk a bit around Arena.
AFTER CONCERT: I’m so amazed, concert was incomparable to anything I saw before, fantastic performance, great young boys, great singers.
But how sweet is this child who wants to give flowers to his favorite… Piero takes the flowers, but the child has clear ideas, his favorite is Gianluca!!❤️😂😂😍
MISERERE
HERE’S TO YOU
Il Volo with maestro Martin Sanda who conducted the orchestra.
Only two days of break, incredible to think how Piero, Gianluca and Ignazio can move places in just two days, rehearse with a different orchestra and maybe with a few different songs and always be at the top. By the way, as some of you asked, they also manage to visit the cities where they hold concerts, as demonstrated by the photos that they themselves publish of the monuments or typical places of the various cities, and we are happy that they manage to do so.
14 October Spain: BARCELONA
The concert is held in AUDITORI FORUM.
The beginning of the concert:
NELLE TUE MANI from Il Gladiatore
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER
AD ASTRA
OPERA
GRANADA
GRANDE AMORE in Spanish, Italian and English 😂
CCIB (Barcelona International Convention Centre) published these words:
“🎶 Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto and Gianluca Ginoble, the renowned members of the Italian opera trio Il Volo were the protagonists of a memorable performance last night at the #CCIB Forum Auditorium, as part of the Festival della Croce d’Autunno Concerts Cruïlla. Thank you for giving Barcelona this special musical evening!”
And the event organizer CONCERT CRUILLA wrote this:
“Last night @ilvolomusic transformed the @ccib_auditori into a refuge for lovers of opera, intergenerational hits and the Italian essence that only they can transport all over the world. 🐚
The sensitivity of this trio contrasted with their lyrical skill and a staging that won us over from the start!”
And so three more concerts have concluded and I would say in an impressive way as regards the participation of the fans and the professionalism of our beloved ones.
Even in Barcelona Il Volo was greeted with warm applause and affection.
Only two days after Spain and then there will be the next concert in Germany…….but do you think there will be a whole day of rest???
But not by chance, because on October 15th Il Volo returned to Italy, to Rome for a private event in the beautiful Palazzo Colonna, of which we can only give you this short video.
And then back to Germany for the next concert.
But there is still something new!
From the next concert in Germany there will be a regular guest in Il Volo concerts, her name is Cecille (Cecilia Sordoni), a good singer from the Marche region.
Il Volo, the singer Cecille will be the guest of all the European dates starting from tonight’s live show in Dusseldorf.
After London, Bratislava, Budapest, Prague and Barcelona, Il Volo continues the World Tour and announces that Cecille, a young singer from the Marche region, will be a regular guest on all the upcoming European dates starting from tonight’s live at the Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf until last show on November 6th at the Wizink Center in Madrid.
The meeting between Il Volo and Cecille was born by chance, when Piero Barone, Gianluca Ginoble and Ignazio Boschetto, always looking for new sounds and talents, came across some of her videos on Andrea Bocelli’s social media.
Impressed by her interpretation and voice, they decided to contact her and offer her the opportunity to perform with them on all the upcoming dates of the European tour.
“We all agreed that she was the perfect talent to accompany us on our concerts in Europe and we are happy that she immediately accepted our proposal with enthusiasm,” explains the trio who later discovered that Cecille is part of the Bocelli family. (in the sense that she often sang with Bocelli)
The singer has already conquered international audiences with extraordinary performances, including one at the White House in 2023, when she sang in front of First Lady Jill Biden interpreting Lucio Dalla’s Caruso.
While the 2024/2025 World Tour continues with European appointments until November, for Italian fans of Il Volo the appointment is set for January 2025 with Tutti per uno – ad Astra live in sports halls, the tour in the main Italian arenas produced by Friends & Partners. The World Tour will then continue in the USA, Canada and Latin America.
And now look at how cute this video is with Cecille breaking the news to Bocelli.
CECILLE= Hi Andrea, I came to say hello, I have a flight not to miss. (flight in Italian = Volo, she plays on the double meaning of the word).
BOCELLI= Do you have a flight not to miss? Where to?
PIERO= Andrea is coming to us, don’t worry.
IGNAZIO= Yes, in any case it was a misunderstanding, the flight (Il Volo) is us, not intended as an airline…
GIANLUCA= Andrea, Cecille will come with us on tour in Europe. Get ready to fly.
BOCELLI= In this case, how to say…..(he starts playing the song VOLARE on the piano). Good luck everyone!
CECILLE= Ciao!
And here are the words published by Cecille:
“Once again reality surpasses all my dreams, all my imaginations.
I can’t find the words to describe the emotion and honor of being part of this extraordinary journey with Il Volo for inviting me to join their European Tour.
Piero, Gianluca, Ignazio, the words ‘Thank you’ will never be enough.
All my gratitude to Andrea Bocelli whose music and support have always inspired me throughout my journey.
And now we get ready to fly…Düsseldorf we arrive!✈️🎶🌍✨❤️”
Beautiful theater from the photos posted by Gianluca and his mother.
A moment during the soundcheck
This is a short video made and broadcast by LONDON ONERADIO where you see the fans at the soundcheck and you hear a brief moment of Il Volo singing the beautiful THE SOUND OF SILENCE, it is a magnificent song, new to the Il Volo repertoire, let’s hope someone recorded it in full during the concert!!
But let’s get to the evening of the concert.
My friend Katerina Tsaousi flew from Greece for the concert and recorded some beautiful videos that I propose to you. Thanks Katerina!! 😘
The repertoire has been revisited with the addition of new interpretations made by Il Volo, such as the beautiful SOUND OF SILENCE, but also by having Italian songs that everyone knows again listened to such as:
FUNICULÌ FUNICULÀ
or: O SOLE MIO
AMOR VIDA DE MI VIDA (Piero)
CAPOLAVORO
CARUSO
GRANDE AMORE
The final
Gianluca’s words: Thank you London, for the incredible energy and warmth! There’s no better way to kick off our European tour. You’ve set the bar high, and we can’t wait to share more unforgettable nights with all of you!
This video about the London concert is beautiful.
And the Italia 1 news broadcast an excerpt, here it is:
Il Volo also conquers London: “This city was a challenge, we were welcomed with a full house”
The trio opened the tour from the English capital, featuring some evergreens by Queen and classics by Leonard Cohen, Simon & Garfunkel, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. A success
LONDON – A challenge won for Il Volo which opened its new European tour in the English capital and sold out. “We were very hesitant in starting from here – Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca told us a few hours before going on stage – due to the enormous cultural offer that the Capital puts on the table every day of the week and, more generally, because the England is a difficult market for any artist. We thought that perhaps it would have been better to include London a little later, doing other cities first, other concerts and arriving here better prepared, warmer. Instead, we chose to trust our promoter and, shortly after the announcement of the European tour, London was among the first stops to be sold out.”
The confirmation of how the trio was eagerly awaited at the Theater Royal Drury Lane, one of the oldest stages in the city dating back to 1812, came not only from the number of tickets sold, over two thousand, but from the queue of fans that had been created hours before the opening of the doors, with many Italians queuing, English people also arriving from the rest of the country, British people from Wales, Venezuelans, Brazilians and other nationalities, all belonging to those small and large foreign communities that feed the melting pot of the Capital, ready to support, applaud and enjoy Bel Canto for a night.
Il Volo is prepared for all this, thanks to its fifteen years of experience around the world; for this reason that every concert, including the one in London, tries to think of it in a unique way. Hence the choice to include in the setlist, for the performance at Royal Drury Lane, some of Queen’s evergreens which are always a pleasure to listen to immersed in English atmospheres: from the show must go on to Who wants to live forever, moving on to other musical classics timeless, like Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen and, for the first time, The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel. All expertly mixed with songs by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley or soundtracks from musicals of the caliber of The Phantom of the Opera.
There is also ample space for their most successful songs, old and new such as Capolavoro, Ad Astra, Opera, to others taken from their album tribute to the maestro Ennio Morricone, up to the inevitable Grande Amore per la grande finale anticipated by classics of Italian popular culture , hummed by everyone, Italians and foreigners, complete with hands raised towards the sky.
Each piece was a river of applause, but the peak was recorded when their voice went high, very high, as with Piero Barone in the interpretation of Amor, vida de mi vida which, among the numerous performances, that of Plácido Domingo remains still the most memorable today. For Piero there was a standing ovation, as well as a heartfelt applause of appreciation from Sir Cliff Richard, present in the audience, one of the older generation English singers with over 21 million albums sold.
“Having a rather substantial career behind us, having duetted with many international stars and held concerts on all continents, we can truly draw from an almost infinite repertoire – they add – from classical to pop, to contemporary, to even more dated things, but without never distort our nature, which remains that of being ambassadors of Bel canto in the world. That’s how people got to know us and that’s what they expect from us when they come to our concerts. However, this does not mean repeating ourselves constantly even in the years to come, but rather proposing songs that we like to sing first of all, that we have made our own and that with them we have reached a level of confidence such as to be able to insert them into lineup, with the certainty that they can also be appreciated by our fans. This is how we think about tours, including the new European one which starts today from London.”
A performance, this one in the English capital, which represented a unicum in Il Volo’s career. It is the third time they have performed in London (the first at the Palladium in 2016 and then at the Royal Albert Hall in 2017), but the first post-Brexit, post-Covid, to pave the way for an international tour, and also because Ignazio Boschetto went up for the first time on stage wearing the ring on his finger, fresh from his marriage to Michelle Bertolini and also fresh from his round figure, 30 years celebrated a few days earlier, on October 4th. “We also wanted to dedicate this special evening to Barbara (Vitali, historic collaborator of the trio who passed away at the age of 54 in July due to a car accident, ed.) because she has been with us since the beginning of our career. She was our second mother and for her, London was a special place…”.
Leaving the London drizzle behind, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca flew to Bratislava for the second stage of the European tour, which will be followed by Budapest, Prague, Barcelona, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Frankfurt, Athens, Zurich, with a date in the Emirates in Dubai on October 25th to return to the Old Continent first in Lodz and then Lisbon, Paris, Sofia in view of the grand finale on November 6th in Madrid. The Italian tour in the sports halls will start in January with stops in Milan, Treviso, Florence, Bologna, Turin, Rome, Eboli, Bari, Messina.
“In the meantime, we also have to think about the next musical project. Because this is the real challenge that we have been pursuing for fifteen years. Put like this, it seems like a condemnation, but it isn’t at all, given that we are neither the first nor the only ones to live like this. It is the reality that unites all those who work in the artistic field. Except that for us it has been valid since we were little more than kids and, we hope, that it will be valid for a long time to come”, the three finally tell us, from the dressing rooms on the third floor of the Theater Royal Drury Lane, while the fans began to take their seats in the velvety seats red, including those who, without knowing it and pleasantly surprised once seated, purchased seats in the Royal Balcony, the one reserved for members of the royal family.
8 October: Bratislava
The concert is in the beautiful and modern Tipos Arena.
The very large audience cheered fervently and admired our three treasures with affection.
What a crackling start.
There aren’t many full videos, but several nice mixes from the evening.
Magnificent: THE SOUND OF SILENCE by Simon & Garfunkel ❤️
Gianluca in the audience while they sing O Sole Mio.
The enthusiastic applause of the people.
Some nice photos of the evening
Il Volo with Jodok and the concert organizers of Koncertpromo who published these words!
Thank you, Il Volo for an incredible first show in Bratislava! Tomorrow, let’s take over Budapest at the @mvm_dome and show how Italian Belcanto conquers the hearts of the Hungarian audience. Love you guys! ❤️
❤️Thank you for inviting @jodokcello to perform with you on these beautiful shows!❤️
The words written by the hotel that hosted them in Bratislava were also very nice:
This week we had the honor of welcoming other exceptional guests to our hotel – the famous Il Volo trio! 🎶✨
Their talent and energy filled not only the winter stadium but also our entire facility, and we are so proud that they chose us. ❤️ Thank you for allowing us to be part of their journey and we wish them much success in their future performances!
Some news that you will have already read, but which I have not given here.
Il Volo will be in Chile in November (8 or 9) for the TELETHON charity broadcast.
Here’s how the news was broken:
“Finally – and from Europe – the Italian trio “Il Volo” will also arrive in our country. Ignazio Boschetto, Gianluca Ginoble and Piero Barone are the singers behind this successful operatic pop group. With almost 15 years of experience and millions of views, come to Chile for the third time to present their greatest hits and their popular covers of ballads in Spanish such as “Abrázame”, by Julio Iglesias, “La unconditional”, by Luis Miguel and “So in love”, by Ricardo Montaner.”
And we end with a bit of gossip, Claudia, Gianluca’s girlfriend, was also present at the London concert, here she is in the photo next to mother Eleonora.
Wow, it was a really exciting start to the tour, great turnout and love from the people who were really excited to listen to Il Volo!!
Of course, the voices of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca are beautiful and their professionalism is a guarantee, their concerts do not disappoint.
But there are many dates and many concerts still to be done, the journey is long and will certainly be equally full of successes, we have no doubt!!
See you again soon, next stop Budapest!
Daniela 🤗
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!
