We’ve recently had so many intriguing posts about the Verona concert, the latest Il Volo TV interview, and the history of Il Volo, that I took a short break from writing and translating (while I worked at my day job)! In any case, Flight Crew still wanted you to get the translation of an Il Volo interview article that appeared in Famiglia Cristiana magazine right before the Verona concert.
The Famiglia Cristiana article pursued some of the things many other interviewers have already asked the guys: their memories, their feelings about returning to the stage, upcoming recordings. But this article touched on one or two things that most of the media don’t usually get Il Volo to talk about: supporting each other during crises, their faith, prayer, marriage, starting a family. See if you agree with me that overall, Ignazio said the least, but revealed the most.
The Cover Story Title is “Exclusive: Il Volo at the Arena of Verona in Concert for Morricone. Once Again in Front of the Public.”The cover quote from the guys is“Our Strength? It’s Our Friendship and Our Faith.”
This posting will be a little different than my previous ones, because I am giving you the actual magazine pages, so we can enjoy the whole thing together. I put the translation of the call-out boxes into our own call-out boxes. In case some of the magazine pages aren’t super sharp, we have also embedded some of the original shots here and there for you to enjoy.
(Each image in this post can be clicked on to view a larger version.)
As you can see below, the inside headline, besides repeating the cover, adds: “The Three Singers of Il Volo are the Stars of a Concert in Honor of Ennio Morricone, Whom We Lost One Year Ago.
When I first saw this article, it added to my impression that the Verona concert was dedicated to more different people than any other show I’ve ever heard. Daniela’s and my translations of the stage talk from the concert over the past month showed that in addition to the show being dedicated to the memory of Maestro Ennio Morricone, Ignazio dedicated the concert to those we lost during the pandemic, and Piero dedicated it to Ignazio’s late father Vito. Now, at the bottom of this magazine article, we see Gianluca’s statement “I’m dedicating this show to my grandfather Ernesto who recovered from the [Corona] virus. It’s he who helped me discover the westerns of Sergio Leone.”
Sergio Leone, as you probably know is the Italian film director whose “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” featured Maestro Morricone’s music, and like the other two films in that trilogy, A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More, added up to help make Clint Eastwood a star. Leone also directed the “Once Upon a Time” series of western films. Given Leone’s Italia origins, he is the founder of the style that came to be called “Spaghetti Westerns.”
So, without further ado, here’s the translation of the article by Eugenio Arcidiacono. [Based on his name, he may actually be an archdeacon].
“The interview takes place remotely, with the three Il Volo guys linked by video from their homes. But on June 5 will put them back together again for the first big concert in Italy with the public (a live audience) since the start of the pandemic: 6 thousand people will listen to them in the Arena di Verona during their tribute to Ennio Morricone one year after his loss (and the lucky ticketholders will be allowed to return home later than the curfew hour). Many more are those who will follow them on TV, live on RAI1 and in other countries of the world, from the United States to Japan. A great challenge after a year and a half of inactivity for Piero Barone, Gianluca Ginoble and Ignazio Boschetto.“
“We’re only thinking about one thing: finally, we get to sing. We couldn’t stand it anymore!” exclaims Piero. “We prepared for months, partly because for us it’s a totally new repertoire, with the exception of Il Più Ti Penso, a song that was constructed by blending themes from Once Upon a Time in America and from Malèna, which we included in our first album.
EA: Did any of the other tracks have lyrics written purposely for you?
Ignazio: “No, they’ve already been performed with lyrics. The only “gem” is Ecstasy of Gold from the Good the Bad and the Ugly: the Morricone family gave it lyrics, so it was a debut performance.
Gianluca: “There have been so many tributes to Morricone, but this will be the very first time for a tribute done by a male group. A tribute that will be translated to a CD that will come out after the summer. Andrea Morricone came to us in the recording studio and will be a guest on the stage to conduct some of his father’s music.”
EA: You’ve been conducted by Ennio Morricone in concert in the Piazza Del Popolo in Rome in 2011. You weren’t even 20 years old. What memories do you have?
Gianluca: “It’s true, we return to being children when we think of him. We were really naïve. I remember that during the general rehearsals with a one-hundred-piece orchestra he gave me the cue to start singing, but I didn’t start. Morricone turned to me [for not starting], and then I said to him, “So you give me the start cue?’ I saw the first violinist turn white [with shock] because I addressed the maestro as “tu” [the familiar/intimate form of you, which is not supposed to be used to conductors and music directors]. But he just smiled at me and said to me ‘Guys, don’t worry about it. I’ll deal with it.’”
EA: What is the first film with his music that you saw?
Piero: “Nuovo Cinema Paradiso. As a real Sicilian I recognized myself in that little boy who wanted to get away from his homeland to find his own way, and who listened to the adult he was most attached to, who counseled him to not get trapped by nostalgia. I’ve only cried a few times in my life, but when I saw it and heard that poignant music, I melted like a popsicle.”
Piero stops, and begins to hum the theme song from Nuovo Cinema Paradiso. “Who knows these notes? With our concert we want to make our audience take a dip into their past, rediscovering the emotions they experienced the first time they saw these films.”
Gianluca: “I, on the other hand, am fond of westerns, because I watched them with my Grandfather Ernesto, whom I’m extremely attached to. When I let him hear The Good, the Bad and the Ugly sung by us, he got very excited. I dedicate the concert and the CD to him, because at 87 years old he became sick with COVID and took a month in the hospital to recover. We were very scared, but in the end, he made it.”
EA: The concert was originally expected to be in St. Peter’s Square, but instead became the season opener in the Arena of Verona.
Piero: “We thought of St. Peter’s Square because Morricone was from Rome, but they didn’t have the conditions to guarantee [everyone’s] safety there. At the Arena of Verona, on the other hand, these conditions were present and it’s as magical a place as any, and recognized all over the world. But we still want to return to St. Peter’s Square as soon as possible.”
EA: Morricone has also composed musical scores thick with spirituality. Will you also perform one of those?
Gianluca: “In Fantasy, a track based on the theme of Gabriel’s Oboe, from the film Mission, one of the most mystical melodies ever composed by the master, accompanied by words like “In fantasy exists a warm wind which blows over the cities, like a friend. I dream of souls that are forever free.”
EA: As ambassadors of Italian music to the world, what do you think about Maneskin’s victory at the Eurofestival?
Piero: “We’re very happy. They are young people with great personality who present an “unpublished” side of Italian music to the outside: rock.”
Gianluca: “They do a completely different genre than ours, but we like them. We don’t listen to lyric music from morning to night. I grew up with David Bowie and Elton John.”
EA: In these months of forced inactivity, how has the relationship among you been, especially as friends?
Piero: “We got to know each other better. We talked a great deal, not just about music; and above all, we learned how to listen to each other.”
EA: How do you feel about those three child prodigies who in 2009 appeared on Ti Lascio Una Canzone?
Piero: Much tenderness, but also pride. We have been fortunate but also good at not getting sucked into the most ephemeral, fleeting parts of show business. We have managed not to lose contact with reality, because we have always remained anchored to our families.
EA: All three of you are believers and practicing [Catholics]. What reflections have sustained you in these times we’re living in?
Ignazio: “Like Piero said, this pandemic has made us grow as persons, because we have held each other up in difficult times, like the death of my father and the illness of Gianluca’s grandfather. But our faith has been fundamental in helping us. Prayer, in particular, has proven its power.”
EA: After the Arena of Verona, you won’t be doing concerts [in Italy] for the rest of the year. You can take advantage of this to start having your families.
Gianluca: “I’m still such a kid, that I can’t imagine myself as a father.”
Piero: “For sure, the first of us to get married will be Ignazio.”
Ignazio: “Yes, it’s true that I have always dreamed of a wife and children. With the job I do it’s not easy. But I’ve been working on it…”
Credit to Famiglia Cristiana and owners of all photos.
How do Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca identify as Italians?
Today is a National Holiday in Italy. It is Republic Day. It commemorates the birth of the Republic of Italy with the constitutional referendum of 1946, when the Italian population was called to decide what form of government (monarchy or republic) to give to the country after World War II and the fall of fascism. After 85 years of monarchy, Italy decided on the abolition of the monarchy, ruled by the House of Savoy, and established the Republic.
Italians are the only people in the world who do not identify with their country. They identify with their region and their people. In America we are all immigrants. We all came from someplace else. If you ask a German where his family is from, he’ll say Germany, same with France, Spain etc. but if you asked me where my family is from, I would answer, my mothers’ family is from Abruzzo, my fathers’ father is from Calabria with roots in Marsala and fathers mother is born in New York and her family was from Campania. We never say we are from Italy. We associate with who our parents are and the region of Italy they came from.
Think about the guys. Now we know they are Italian, born in Italy but Gianluca says I’m Abruzzese, Piero says I’m Sicilian and Ignazio, is the interesting one that proves my point. He says he’s Sicilian but, he was born in Bologna in Emilia Romagna. Why Sicilian, because his parents are Sicilian born in Sicily. Which begs the question, what will Ignazio’s children be?
So, 150 years after the unification of Italy, nothing has changed.
They are who their people are!
Today, live from the Arena di Verona, for the feast of the Italian Republic, Il Volo will perform the “Canto degli Italiani” (national anthem).
The hymn was written by Goffredo Mameli, poet and patriot of the 1800s.
And here it is the beautiful interpretation performed by Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca, certainly proud to sing ancient words of unchanged charm.
Click on photo below to hear IL VOLO sing the Italian national anthem.
At the beginning of the video the boys say some thoughts.
Gianluca reads the first article of the Italian Constitution.
GIANLUCA = Italy is a Democratic Republic founded on work, sovereignty belongs to the people who exercise it in the forms and within the limits of the Constitution.
IGNAZIO = We want to honor this anniversary by singing the anthem of Italy, which is a Risorgimento song.
PIERO = And it is a resurgence, what we wish for Italy and for all Italians.
It’s all a succession of news and I will try to make order.
Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca were in Verona, together with the mayor of Verona, they held the press conference for the presentation of the June 5th event in the Arena. I will summarize what was said by the mayor of Verona and the director of RAI1, the network that will broadcast the event.
MAYOR = “Welcome to Il Volo in our city. It is an important day because we are presenting this concert which has a number of important meanings.
The request by the Veneto Region on the possibility of giving concerts at the Verona Arena for 6,000 people was accepted.
The Arena is not only the symbol of Verona but of music, in an open theater, on an international level.
It is the date of a restart, a reopening and great music that can be enjoyed live. On June 5, you have the honor of restarting the music with the presence of thousands of people.
For the city of Verona it is an honor to host you and be the city where everything can start again.”
RAI 1 DIRECTOR = For the flagship network of the Public Service, it is an honor to go to this special evening which means a lot for the artistic world and for the country.
As soon as Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca came together with their agent to offer me this evening, I accepted it immediately.
Rai Uno wants to remember Morricone, who has done so much for our music and culture, and the thing that seemed interesting to me is that it was reinterpreted by three young people who represent.
The idea that they were born in a talent show and have climbed, achieving such great success all over the world, makes us proud. It is the world of hope, justice and public service that Rai represents.
It is nice to think that three artists like Il Volo want to pay homage to Morricone. I think they have a lot to tell, even beyond singing.
I asked them to perform on their repertoire songs as well (“‘O Sole Mio”, “Grande Amore”, etc.), to the Italian people to review how their virtuosity has changed. They are now adults, really for Rai Uno it is an honor and we will be alongside, with great joy, for this first normal event. We will give a taste of the arrival of Il Volo on Rai Uno, on 2 June, with the National Anthem, after Tg1. I believe that the identity of this trio is consistent with the identity that the flagship network must have.”
RAI 1 VICE DIRECTOR = “I just want to reiterate and underline the welcome to Il Volo on Rai Uno. Il Volo is strongly Rai Uno, it has the artistic and value characteristics of the channel’s entertainment.
From the Festival to today, it has punctuated and punctuated the Rai Uno schedule.
It is no coincidence that they have always had a leading role. An extraordinary adventure that started some time ago that gives us the opportunity to enjoy new stages like this one to pay tribute to Ennio Morricone with great singers from Il Volo.
Such an important story for Italian music and cinema, Ennio Morricone has won 10 David di Donatello and two Oscars.”
ARENA ARTISTIC DIRECTOR = “I’m excited I got to know Ennio Morricone very well. Being able to open the season of live and television events with this event has always been my hope. I thank Gianluca, Piero, Ignazio for their commitment and desire to return to the Arena.
We will give, to the three of them, a numbered statue representing a divinity with the Arena of Verona on his head.
I hope it is a good omen for the resumption of events at the Arena which, I hope, will never stop.”
Gianluca: “We are honored to be able to represent this rebirth. For us it is a great journey, a wonderful adventure, immersed in the notes of Morricone, one year after his death. Lately we believe we have had a personal growth that also involves an artistic maturity that we try to show to all of you. We were born as child prodigies, after 12 years of career we are satisfied with the work we are doing. We are really happy to be able to do it.”
PIERO: “Finally we can sing, after a year and a half we couldn’t take it anymore. Our work, I always say, is a dream job. We are incurable dreamers. Every wish is finally coming true. On June 5 we will give a message of hope, there is a great desire to get on that stage and see so many people working with us: from the technicians to the orchestra, to the many collaborators.”
IGNAZIO: “The Arena is one of the icons of our Italy, one of the few symbols like the Colosseum or Venice that are regularly remembered. The one on June 5 will be our only concert in 2021 . At every event we organize we make ourselves crazy: I think of the concert in homage to the three tenors with Placido Domingo with us on stage or when we sang a few meters from the Pope.”
Piero Ignazio and Gianluca then gave these answers to the press:
The aim is to make Ennio Morricone’s music and culture known even to the youngest.
“We like the surprise effect. It will be an evening dedicated to Ennio Morricone but there will also be songs from our repertoire that are part of the career. If you remember well: The Mission, Once Upon a Time in the West, New Cinema Paradiso … We hope to be up to it.
The evening will also be broadcast by PBS, the American network.
“For a better result of the audio we decided to record the CD in the studio, not live. We have the pleasure of collaborating with the Sinfonietta, Ennio Morricone’s orchestra. It is a studio album. We decided to anticipate this concert even though the album will be released later.
Our tour will start in March 18, 2022 from New York.”
(Il Volo with the mayor)
“We changed the location from Rome to Verona, because the Arena is the largest open-air amphitheater. In Rome, it would have been more difficult to manage this situation. In St. Peter’s Square we sang for Christmas, with Christmas songs. In San Pietro there were no conditions to ensure safety.”
“During the pandemic, we tried not to passively experience this bad time. We have always tried to be productive. It was a difficult time for everyone. We canceled the world tour but we are very optimistic, determined and ambitious by nature. The strength to believe in one’s dreams and goals. We got to go back to the recording studio and dedicate ourselves to ourselves and our music. Everyone should try to mature and study from all points of view.”
“Perhaps this is the best project of our career,” says Gianluca Ginoble, at the end of the press conference.
Tickets will be on sale from Friday 14 May at 4 pm on the TicketOne circuit. Those who have a ticket for the 2022 tour will have the opportunity to buy the ticket at a special price.
What can I say, a beautiful conference and many beautiful and deserved words for our beloved trio Il Volo.
You read that right, the tour will start on March 18 in NY, surely it will be in Radio City Music Hall.
The greeting of our boys:
PIERO = Hello to all the friends of Arenalive.it.
GIAN = We give you the great news, the appointment in Verona on June 5th, both here in presence and on TV. It will be a great event, a contribution to Morricone.
IGNAZIO = They have already said everything, I greet you, and we are waiting for you.
REPORTER = Is this event more of a burden or more of an honor?
IGNAZIO = In reality it is a bit of everything, for responsibility it is an honor and pride.
PRIDEbecause Morricone’s music is a heritage of Italy, it is part of our culture and it is an honor for us to spread his music through our voices, and to bring his melodies all over the world.
HONOR because we do it in a very particular historical moment, where, until recently, it was uncertain to sing again in front of an audience and now, thanks also to the work of the mayor of Verona and many other people, we are able to sing in the Arena with the presence of 6000 people, so it is a great hope that soon they will be back on tour.
REPORTER = You said something extraordinary in a press conference, which is the most important occasion of your career.
GIAN = Yes, because for us it shows a certain artistic maturity, we are always looking to surpass ourselves. In our career, born as child prodigies, it is clear that to acquire a certain credibility, it takes time, with patience you reach everything and we work hard for this.
REPORTER = What kind of signal will come out of this show in the Arena?
PIERO = More than anything else we have always had the strength not to be disheartened.
It will be a concert of hope, there has always been talk of “we will make it” and when we will return to normal and therefore we must start and all the ideas are materializing. Finally we will be on stage, finally we sing.
REPORTER= There is expectation on the part of the public, but also on your part for this concert.
GIAN = For us who do it, we are very happy, I also imagine people who really want to go back to see a live concert, so it will be a great shared happiness.
This, on the other hand, is the promo video for the concert on June 5th.
GIAN = A beautiful adventure begins, a beautiful journey.
PRESENTER = Il Volo celebrates the great master ENNIO MORRICONE
PIERO = Silence because they are recording.
PRESENTER = In an event evening, on the notes of his unforgettable music.
IGNAZIO = I must say that they are all different and all beautiful.
(the song the boys mention is taken from the Cinema Paradiso soundtrack)
PIERO = We are close to the finish line.
PRESENTER = Il Volo, a tribute to Ennio Morricone, coming soon on RAI 1.
I have no more words, but only many positive thoughts.
When I hear our boys talking, I always denote a great composure and maturity, certainly not so common to many other artists.
They are “great” and they want to prove it with their wonderful commitments, which they inevitably carry out with great honor.
Now I have only one fixed thought ….. to be able to get tickets for June 5th !!!
OK, it was news that I was hoping it would not come, I had to wait a few days to make this post, because the disappointment was really great and the thing had to be metabolized.
Surely you have all already read and are aware of the news, but it seemed right to talk about it together, maybe talking about it seems less bad.
On Monday 3 May, Volomusic (the official website of Il Volo) published the news that all the Italian concerts that were scheduled for 2020 and already moved, due to the pandemic, to 2021, will be further moved to 2022.
TERRIBLE!! 😱😭
Here is the official news:
Accordingly to the current Anti Covid rules, the “10 Years – Live” tour planned for the 2021 is postponed to the next year, 2022.
All tickets already sold will be valid for the new dates.
Please find below the first confirmed dates for 2022, in agreement with the Verona Arena: -3rd June 2022 at the Verona Arena (recovery of 29th August 2021 at the Verona Arena) -4th June 2022 at the Verona Arena (recovery 30th August 2021 at the Verona Arena)
By Within the 15th May 2021, the new 2022 dates will be communicated for the following cities: -Taormina (recovery of 4th and 5th September 2021) -Turin (recovery of 16th October 16 2021) -Rome (recovery of 20th October 2021) -Milan (recovery of 23rd October 2021) Thanks everyone for your support!
❤️ IL VOLO
Within minutes, the tam tam of the news had already gone around the world and I received messages to confirm the news (unfortunately) from one continent to another.
So the nice concert I had to see on August 30th will be postponed to June 3rd 2022 !! And I know of many American friends who already had tickets for Taormina 2020, moved to 2021 and now to 2022.
After having patiently waited for a whole year, and having passed a terrible winter studded with so much bad and very bad news, we began to see a light at the end of this tunnel, also thanks to the spread of vaccines, and instead our hopes were dashed.
Certainly it is not the fault of Il Volo, which is working to surprise us and which has already been denied the concert in the beautiful square in front of the Vatican in Rome, and which still does not know if the public will be present in the Arena in Verona.
It is well known that performing in front of a large festive audience gives you an incredible charge of adrenaline, it is quite another thing to perform “behind closed doors”.
So, the only opportunity here in Italy, this year, to attend a live concert of Il Volo is only that of the tribute concert to Morricone on June 4th.
The mayor of Verona is doing everything in his power to expand the number of people admitted to the concerts, from 1000 to 6000. I read his heartfelt letter that he published, asking for the support of all the government representatives of the Veneto region (where the Arena is).
On May 6, I heard the mayor himself speaking on Radio 102.5. He said that the Arena must restart and that he is responsible, not only as mayor, but also as supervisor for the Arena and therefore he says he has done everything so that there are no contagion problems and therefore he wants people to be admitted, at least 6000, and that their ticket (which will be nominative) is also proof for returning home after the hours set for the curfew (currently 10:00 pm).
Meanwhile, other news has arrived, because it has been published that on 11 May Il Volo will be in the Arena in Verona, and will record a video to announce the concert on 5 June and on that occasion they will also sing “Il canto degli italiani”, that is the Italian national anthem, which will be broadcast by RAI on 2 June, Republic Day here in Italy. Of course, the shooting in the Arena will be done without an audience (too bad).
But why was 11 May chosen to do these shots?
It is not a date chosen at random, but it is a symbolic date of a great anniversary.
On 11 May 1946, the Scala in Milan reopened to the public after the Liberation and the end of the war. Seventy-five years later, in the difficult period we all live in, the Verona Arena is fighting to reopen.
Here is the heartfelt appeal, published by the Verona Arena.
THE APPEAL – “We make this appeal with an objective, within our reach and that of our Authorities: that the Arena of Verona, in order not to die, can welcome at least 6,000 spectators in its shows until midnight – TO THE ARENA IN 6 THOUSAND UNTIL 24.00 – and that its first international event, Il Volo – Tribute to Ennio Morricone, scheduled for Saturday 5 June and broadcast in Italy and the United States of America, can take place with this public presence, to spread abroad an encouraging image of our country.”
And then there is more, in the last two days there have been photos taken in Rome by our boys, in particular, pieces of videos that filmed Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero on a beautiful day in Villa Borghese, in the beautiful park , but why? Maybe a relaxating ride ??
But these little messages that our boys send us (thanks again Gianluca!), Are always small traces to make us understand that they are doing something ………….. in fact in fact here is the news that I have translated from ANSA from Brazil.:
Tenor trio Il Volo surprised fans on Wednesday 5 May by appearing in the gardens of Villa Borghese, a park located in Rome, Italy, to record a video dedicated to Brazil. The content of the clip has not been revealed, but the filming took place between the Italians who practiced physical exercises and the workers who rested for lunch. During the recording break, Ignazio Boschetto, Gianluca Ginoble and Piero Barone greeted and wished “good training” to all the citizens who stopped the race to watch them. At least 15 people participated in the making of the video dedicated to Brazil, a country that the tenors, famous for giving a pop touch to classical music, have already declared their love several times.
Mamma mia, what a nice surprise for those who had the pleasure of seeing them and maybe making the video with them.
It will be a nice surprise also for the Brazilian fans, who will see Il Volo on video, we hope it can be seen by us too !!
This photo, taken by Gianluca (thanks Gian), I can’t believe it was posted by Ignazio!
Beautiful and smiling, Piero Ignazio and Gianluca, at the Rome airport, impossible to know the direction, but in the meantime let’s enjoy their smiling faces and we notice with joy that Ignazio’s eyebrow is healed and there are no piercing !!😁😉
That’s all for now, lots of bad and good news, I must say this post started out sad, but then, seeing their smiling faces in Rome cheered us up, a smile was also formed on our faces, that smile that will make us wait patiently for the moment when we will see them again. ❤️
Daniela
🌸 Auguri per la festa della mamma!!
UPDATE May 8
This post was ready to be published, when the organization of the Verona Arena published that they had the green light to admit 6000 people, so good news, now I hope to be admitted to purchase these tickets !!!
The Arena communiqué ends with these words: “With the Il Volo event, live in Italy and also broadcast in the USA from the Arena on June 5, we want to give an encouraging image of Italy.”
This photo instead was published today by the president of the Marche region. There are with him: Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca in Genga. Genga is the place where there are the beautiful and famous Frasassi Caves !!!
This photo was taken in front of the Abbey of San Vittore. Could there be a collaboration with Il Volo?
Il Volo, in these days has returned to continue their work. The rehearsals for the Morricone event must continue.
Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca have reunited in Milan, where they can also work in the recording studio.
A jump to Sony ….
and at work in the recording studio.
Together with Saturnino (musician and composer) perhaps for some collaboration?
Dinner in hotel.
(dinners are allowed at this time in Italy, only if you are a guest in a hotel)
I want to try to explain this little skit to you:
An aperitif was poured to the boys and Piero welcomes it as if it were a romance and sings:
Piero = Morelli, what a generous wine, I swallowed too many glasses (and raises the glass together with Gianluca)
Gianluca = Gian tonic (he gave his name to the aperitif)
Piero = (still singing) I go out in the open (because in the evening in Italy, at this moment, you can drink an aperitif but only outdoors)
Ignazio = (after hearing Piero and Gian with opera tones, he speaks in Sicilian) Damn, Morelli I’ll drink the Gian tonic !! laughs
Morelli = Damn, you’re in a bad way tonight !!
A few moments of leisure with the owners Morelli and great chef La Mantia.
Repost from Morelli hotel:“Thanks Il Volo for letting us fly with your wonderful voices.”
Morelli (with glasses) is the owner of the hotel, La Mantia is a famous chef who, due to the pandemic, has closed his restaurant in MIlan, and his friend Morelli has made available to him the use of the kitchen of his hotel.
And now a nice moment for American friends !!
Our tireless Gianluca delights us with two short videos:
from the hotel terrace with a panoramic view of Milan
and in the beautiful Piazza Duomo in Milan (our original video preview was blocked, please click on the link below)
Guys, seeing you so smiling fills us with joy and makes us face the days better.
As for the reopening of the concert season at the Verona Arena, there are still many difficulties, because since April 26 the government has allowed the reopening of the theaters but with a maximum of 1,000 people. The mayor of Verona wrote and published a long letter to the parliamentarians of the Veneto (his region) asking them to intervene on this and save the Arena season. I remind you, that the Arena contains about 20 thousand people and making shows with 1,000 people is really senseless, also there is always the curfew at 22.00 (10:00 pm).
Here is an excerpt from the mayor’s letter:
“I bring to your attention, both in my capacity as Mayor and President of the Arena di Verona Foundation, the problem of the ‘opening’ of the Arena Amphitheater and its ‘capacity’ in anticipation of the start of the next opera and extra-opera season In fact, the draft of the Law Decree relating to the ‘reopenings’ starting from next April 26 provides for a capacity of the theaters not exceeding 50% of the maximum authorized. (1,000 people).
It is clear that with these limitations it will be necessary to review the entire Arena programming for the summer of 2021 which foresees for the extra lyric, as the first event on June 5, 2021, the performance of Il Volo broadcast also by an important American television station with more than 90 million viewers, while the premiere of the opera season with Verdi’s ‘Aida’ was set for 19 June 2021.
About a month after the start of the Arena season (opera and extra opera), it is not possible to change the ambitious programming already prepared in every detail and on which the organizational machine has already started.
Therefore, I ask you to take an active part in all the appropriate locations, in order to allow the next Arena season to take place.”
We don’t want to disturb you during the recordings or rehearsals of the tribute concert, but keep in touch with us fans, seeing you is a joy and knowing that you are working for us too, makes us so happy.
As for the Morricone tribute concert, we sincerely hope that everything goes as hoped and that the audience (even if only 6,000 people) will be able to attend live.
The Flight Crew will keep its readers informed on the evolution of all this.
Daniela
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!
the start cue?’ I saw the first violinist turn white [with shock] because I addressed the maestro as “tu” [the familiar/intimate form of you, which is not supposed to be used to conductors and music directors]. But he just smiled at me and said to me ‘Guys, don’t worry about it. I’ll deal with it.’”
