This story took me a very long time to write. Why? Because it shows us how between 2020 and 2023 the guys changed not who they are but how they present themselves. It’s part of maturity, of course, but not entirely! After being together constantly for 11 years they suddenly found themselves communicating by phone. A very unique thing for them. They were never more than a hotel room away.
The Last performance before returning to Italy on March 11, 2020
Sometimes people write to me and say, you know these guys so well! No, I don’t. Have I met them? Yes! Do I have a personal relationship with them? On many occasions I have communicated with one or another. But no, I’m just a fan like you! But the research I’ve done over the years has given me the tools to write my Il Volo stories. And this story required a lot of research because I needed to find the turning point the new beginning When the Tides Changed!
When exactly did that happen? I think we have to go back 2020. I think of the day when the guys walked out the door and said I’ve had enough of this and started to live their lives again. On that day, it wasn’t about isolation, it was about what they contributed during the time of isolation. It was about working their way into a new life, a new beginning.
What the guys did during this time formed the framework for a new Il Volo!
Things changed; the world changed but above all we all changed in some way. As to the guys, they stayed home but they couldn’t stay without something to do.
And so, it begins ~ 2020
In May 2020, the guys joined other Italian singers and artists to make a statement about the people and their situation. They sang about all people all over Italy; perhaps all over the world. Ma il cielo e’ sempre blu (But the sky is always blue). No matter what happens, the sky is always blue! That’s true! It was a catchy tune and before you know it we were all singing it!
In July 2020 the guys performed at the Taormina Film Festival.
During the time when they were preparing for this event, the guys did fund raisers including one for Dolce & Gabbana! Which brings me to another thing that happened during isolation. The guys took on a new line of clothing. The Armani men went Dolce & Gabbana!
They were stunning in their new Dolce & Gabbana tuxedos!
At the Taormina Film Festival they sang a beautiful Sicilian song. E Vui Durmiti Ancora (And you sleep again!) When they sang it, they brought tears to our eyes and a beautiful sense of pride to the Sicilian people! An absolutely amazing performance!
In September 2020 the guys went to the SMA Awards….
When the guys arrived on stage at the SMA Awards, they had a message for the world and all the people in the industry:
Ignazio: 2020 will be remembered as the year where the world would be constrained to be turned off.
Gianluca: For the music employees the verb “turn off” means the end of the show, when the curtains close and it is the waiting moment for the next show, but this time the waiting lasted more than expected, the silence was unavoidable.
Piero: Now, the world is getting ready to start again! Now the moment has arrived to raise the curtain! Now, we will turn on the music!
This beautiful statement was followed by the performance of the evening. Their choice of “Nessun Dorma” sent an even stronger message. It says we may have to perform under these new world conditions, but we don’t have to change who we are or why we’re here. In this ancient Arena we look to the past while following the path to the future.
From their first note the whole arena lit up. Their voices were clean and crisp. Their presence was illuminating. Their notes rose above the Arena into the night sky to let the world know music is back! The final note of their song sent the final message. All three voices rose in unison and their voices sent forth a note that took our breaths away! It said We Have Returned! “Turn on the Lights!”
What is so amazing about this is, over the months since they had left quarantine, they had almost single handedly brought back the music industry in Italy. All the work they did after their quarantine moved things forward in Italy. This included their most important project the concert in Tribute to Ennio Morricone and the recording of their album by the same name.
The guys have Hit the Restart Button! They have played a major part in the restart of the music industry In Italy!
In October 2020, the guys surprised us with a press conference with the Mayor of Rome. The meeting set the wheels in motion for a phenomenal project, a Tribute to Ennio Morricone!
As you know the event was supposed to take place in Piazza Pio XII in the shadow of St. Peter’s Basilica. Due to the pandemic the venue had to be changed and the one million people who might have attended the free concert, were disappointed but, as always, the guys came through and on June 5, 2021, they held the performance of a lifetime at the ancient Arena of Verona! Who will ever forget it!
But we’ll get to that later.
This press conference was about a very ambitious project which included the genius of Il Volo and the music of Ennio Morricone. These four men, Il Volo and Ennio Morricone, have done extraordinary things in the music industry. Having worked together when they were teenagers the guys were the perfect people to present the legacy of Ennio Morricone!
On December 19, 2020, the guys went to St. Peters Square to record their Christmas Show. It was an exceptionally cold evening, and the guys were shivering as they sang. Behind them St. Peter’s Square was lit up and St. Peters and the Vatican shone brilliantly against the night sky! One light blared from the Papal residence. The light from the room of His Holiness Pope Francis. Together with Pope Francis we enjoyed a magnificent mini concert! Then the guys sent us a beautiful Christmas message!
Ten magnificent minutes at St. Peter’s Square. And this was their message to us!
In the middle of the video the guys spoke….
Gianluca: On this very special day in which, even though we are close, we are forced to stay apart, we wanted to find a way to wish you a Merry Christmas.
Ignazio: We did it in the way that best represents us with music in this extraordinary square where it seems like we are surrounded by two welcoming arms.
Piero: May Christmas with its magic bring a smile to your homes and warm your hearts. We will dedicate every note, every word on this Holy Night!
And at the end….
Gianluca: Merry Christmas
Ignazio: Happy New Year
Piero: Good life from Il Volo and Rai 1.
But there was one more message for the fans! The guys wanted to end 2020 on a high note!
How did they bring the year out? With a message from Verona!
Gianluca: Hello friends from Verona.
Ignazio: We should have seen each other in 2020, but we are ready to bring you a lot more music in 2021.
Piero: See you soon: Happy Holidays.
And so it is 2021….
On the last day of February, we got the sad news that Vito Boschetto had passed away! We were all shocked. We knew the guys were supposed to sing at San Remo but would they.
On a March evening when no one expected it, the guys including Ignazio stepped on the stage of the Ariston Theater and sang Your Love. We cried, the guys cried, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Without words it was understood that Ignazio did this to honor his father because he knew his father would want him to perform that evening!
This was the first sign of the true strength of Il Volo. A true brotherhood. From there the bond became stronger!
Your Love was and will always be the song that bonds us with the guys!
The other thing I remember very well about that night was that it was the first time we heard the song Màkari which was written by Ignazio for the Rai TV Series Màkari.
So we know Ignazio was writing during the pandemic.
I talk about San Remo and when I talk about it I have to say Carlo Conti played a big role in the career of Il Volo!
It seems every time there is a major event in their lives Conti was there.
In 2014 the guys made the decision to go to San Remo. As you know, at San Remo you must sing an unpublished song. When Michele Torpedine presented the song the guys chose, Conti said, “no they can’t win with that song.” Conti told Michele, “I know these two men who wrote a song I think is worthy.” Conti gave Michele the song and he presented it to the guys. As you know the guys didn’t like it, that is, everyone but Piero didn’t like it. Even though Piero liked the song, he didn’t think they could win with it! Of course, that song was Grande Amore!
On the evening of the award ceremony, it was Carlo Conti who said, “the winner is Il Volo.” Conti was very proud of the guys, and it was his great pleasure to present the guys with the Lion, top honors in the music industry in Italy.
As we arrive at 2021, we begin to see the results of what the guys did while they were in isolation.
First and foremost, they took on the Morricone project.
In June 2021, the guys did a concert in Verona. When I wrote about this concert I called it Phenomenal, because that’s what it was. Let’s take a look back at the Tribute to Ennio Morricone, where we witnessed an amazing transformation in their production. Not to mention the fact that it was their first Live Concert on TV with Rai 1.
This is where the tides begin to change….
I wrote about this concert, besides the superb performance by the guys, did you notice the interesting scenery? So different from what we are used to in an Il Volo concert. Spectacular scenery! And the videos that go along with each song. Such precision! Just amazing! Everything was so well thought out. Down to the last detail!
It’s obvious from this fantastic concert, while they were dealing with the pandemic, they were being very productive. Gianluca said, “We dealt with the pandemic productively, we tried not to give up. Young people must not give up the strength to believe in their dreams and pursue their goals.”
Piero reminds us that, “this is the first time we have performed a Concert live on TV.”
Yes, this is the first nod by Rai, but it wouldn’t be the last.
This was the first and only concert in 2021.
When the guys presented their songs they were presenting them in a new and different way. Each one told us what he always wanted to do in his solo and did it!
This is where it started. This is where individuality began to come into play.
They were mature, they were vibrant, they had come into their own individuality. They knew not what others wanted them to know, no they knew what they wanted, and this new idea of individuality was set into play.
They have matured in body and mind and their voices have gone to another level of magnificence!
Yes, we watched them grow but this is different. There’s a beautiful presence about them now. A certain elegance! After twelve years they haven’t waned, they’ve increased in strength and intensity! There is a certain power in their voices that grabs you from the first note of the concert to the last.
Each guy has grown into his voice and is showing a maturity and style the likes of which men who are approaching the end of their careers can only have imagined! Twelve years of a lifetime! A lifetime full of wonders and experience which most entertainers will never have the honor of knowing.
In September 2021, we had an exciting week with the guys. They went from Melpignano to Verona and shared every amazing moment with us!
I cut this video to where the guys are. If you wish to see the full concert, I added it at the end of this story.
Albano awaits their arrival of the guys on stage. He tells us about the song. It is from the region of Apulia, the region where he was born. He says, “It reminds me of the autumn song. It is the November song.”
November is the time of the olive harvest, and a man would always pass with a cart of olives to sell to the people. Albano and Ignazio sing a phrase in the Apulian dialect (“Who has olives, I have to buy them.”) Albano said when Modugno sang in the Apulian dialect he was very proud of him. Ignazio said, “So let’s hope, with this next song we will sing, to make you even more proud of your land.”
Albano tells the guys, You know that I am proud to have you here beside me…
Gianluca responded, and we are happy ….
Albano (continues) …simply because I baptized these two.
Albano is referring to Ignazio and Piero who he performed with on Ti Lascio Una Canzone. I remember those performances and that Albano was in awe of both of them. Then Albano continues about Gianluca who he didn’t perform with at Ti Lascio una Canzone.
Albano says, And to you, (Gianluca) you I baptize this evening.
Gianluca responds, One day, sooner or later, we will sing together. But it is nice, I can say, that these events make it possible to spread a musical culture like this of Taranta and it is right that young people are attached to the roots of these great events. We must not lose this desire to carry on traditions, we too, as young people, are proud to be here tonight.
Next stop Venezia! Talk about an exciting event!
In the afternoon the guys attended the award presentations where they were presented as winners of the 78th Film Italy Movie Awards.
Upon exiting the building, they were interviewed by an unknown man…
Man: This is not San Remo this is the cinema exhibition!
Piero: But it seems a little like San Remo, we meet, all familiar faces.
Gianluca: We are preparing a very ambitious recording project which is a tribute to maestro Ennio Morricone. We had the opportunity to collaborate with Vittorio Storaro in a music video, so we are here in the company of a great master of cinema, Vittorio Storaro.
Ignazio:He chose our voices for a tribute of the video of Your Love, which is shot in the Frasassi Caves, and therefore it is beautiful, this is not the first time we have come here. It is always a beautiful atmosphere. Venice is a place that is stupendous.
We were so proud of the award they won at the 78th Venice Film Festival, but that was only the beginning!
Next stop Verona…
Do you ever feel when they’re in Verona, they are home? I certainly do. To me they own the Verona Arena. Every performance there is phenomenal!
They returned to the Seat Music Awards to sing their beautiful song, “Your Love” and to pick up their second award for the week!
At the SMA awards Carlo presented the guys with their DIVA award…
Carlo said:I seriously read the inscription: Arena di Verona Award for Il Volo, for the tribute project to Ennio Morricone, represented with great success right here at the Verona Arena, live on RAI1, and for the over 10 years of career, which led them to be known and appreciated representatives of Italian music in the world.
2022 what an amazing year!
The guys are back on the road and there was no stopping them!
Their first appearance in America put all the fans in shock!
White tuxedos!
I wrote a story called Drop Dead Gorgeous, and that they were!
And what did the fans do? They went everywhere. I was in New York, Phoenix and Los Angeles. We just couldn’t get enough of the guys!
New York
Me, Sana and Kathleen
Los Angeles
Anna, Me and Rose Marie
Kathleen, Annette, Sana, Me and Anna
My biggest fan ~ Maguerite Nourian and me
After they left the states, they went to Australia!
But that’s not all they did!
They wrote a new book!
Yes, they were busy and then there was 2023. First stop Japan!
Yuko Kato interviewed the guys. These are just two of the questions she asked the guys!
Yuko Kato: I heard that you recorded a live video at Kiyomizu Temple without an audience.
Piero replied:It was a great experience. We make music called bel canto, which is an Italian tradition, and thanks to bel canto, we can sing in many beautiful places. This is also true in Italy, and again we can sing in a very beautiful temple in Japan. Kiyomizu Temple is the most important temple in Kyoto and has a great history, so it was really an honor to sing in such a wonderful place. It’s a very small place, so we couldn’t let the audience in, but I hope you enjoy what we’ve done by watching the video. Personally, I feel that Japanese culture and Italian culture are very compatible. Anyway, it has become an unforgettable memory for a lifetime, and I will continue to talk about live performances at Kiyomizu Temple in the future.
Yuko Kato: How did you feel about performing at a Buddhist temple?
PIero: We respect all religions. In fact, before the performance, we asked the monk of the temple to offer a prayer. Honestly, I didn’t understand what was said. (bitter smile). But we also have a lot of respect for that.
After Japan the guys returned to Italy and began the year that would change it all.
So where are we today for one Armani is back! But more importantly, we are on the threshold of a new and absolutely incredible adventure!
When the guys stepped on the stage in Verona for a concert which would be filmed and produced by Rai, they brought along new ideas and new concepts.
The three men on the stage were different! They had new ideas, and they were ready to share them with us!
For one, the guys invited guests to perform with them. And the production itself was different! It was everyone’s concert not just Il Volo. As the night went on, each guy told us who they are, and what their music is about!
Gianluca ~ Rock! Ignazio ~ Pop! Piero – Opera! The new Il Volo!
Italy is now ecstatic with the programs! And Rai said new productions would follow.
But it’s not just a production it’s not the magnificence of what is going on on the stage. It was three men on the stage in a production with other entertainers, showing Italy, who they really are.
Italy always complained that their music was old but that night the guys showed Italy that you can have your old classics that the people love while sharing a new concept! A new individuality!
They put on an absolutely spectacular concert that blew the minds of the Italians, actually all the fans, and grossed phenomenal ratings on Rai!
They proved that each of them is a star in his own right! And that star shines individually and collectively with one another. Each man has a phenomenal voice and each song they sang was a phenomenal event, a new beginning! We watched and listened as the tides changed and they introduced us to three new men who are at the height of their performance! They wanted to introduce us to their minds and their music and wanted nothing more than to share these new concepts with us.
The project that was three years in the making finally came to fruition on that stage in Verona! The new concept, the new individuality that started in their homes during the pandemic came full circle on the stage in Verona When the Tides Changed!
Final Note to the fans (my friends): I know many of you are not on Instagram and Facebook. Yesterday I put up a message that I would like to relate to all of you.
Over the last few weeks many of you have written to me. Some of you wished me well and had very kind words for me. Many of you prayed for me! When I walked out of Memorial Sloan Kettering yesterday, I called my sister. I could tell she was worried when she answered the phone. I said: No Cancer! She was crying. She said I was just saying a prayer for you and when I said Amen, the phone rang. I said you have good connections with the Lord!
This last week was extremely stressful for me. It was your messages and your prayers that got me through it! You all have good connections with the Lord! Prayers do work, my sweet friends. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
For your listening pleasure I have included the Complete concert at Verona in Tribute to Morricone.
Verona concert June 5, 2021
Notte della Taranta 2020 Concert with Albano Full Concert
If you would like to share a story with me, please email: susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com
To read more Il Volo stories visit us at www.ilvoloflightcrw.com
So I promised you to continue with the translation of the RTL 102.5 interview, but these three young men: Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, didn’t stop for a moment!!!
Let’s go in order:
Thursday 14 September
Private event in Rome, in the beautiful Villa Aurelia, organized by the VIP travel agency: I.D.I. TRAVER SRL.
There aren’t many videos or photos, but from that little we see a very beautiful location and a very elegant audience.
Friday 15 September
New program on RAI 1 hosted by Bruno Vespa, entitled “5 minutes”.
Short but really nice interview, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca happy and relaxed, important news from Piero!!!
We’ve been missing “Uncle Bruno” interviews for a long time!! 😉
PIERO= Hi Bruno, we wanted to greet you and congratulate you on the new program.
GIANLUCA= We just returned from the tour in South America.
IGNAZIO= Do you have 5 minutes? (paraphrasing the show title) Just to tell you what happened.
GIANLUCA= So we’ll tell you everything.
PIERO= See you soon.
GIANLUCA= Hi!
VESPA= And here they are: Piero Barone, tenor 30 years old Agrigento. Ignazio Boschetto, 29 years old, Marsala/Bologna Gianluca Ginoble 28 years old, Roseto Degli Abruzzi, only boyfriend.
GIANLUCA= Abruzzo like you.
VESPA= Like me. The other two womanizers. 😁😁
PIERO/IGNAZIO= No, no.
VESPA= I said it on purpose. What have you done?
PIERO= Many things, we promised you our presence, we came to wish you a good season.
VESPA = And happy tour to you, because you never stop, now a minimum of stasis and then you start again.
PIERO= We leave in two days for this 2-month European tour. We are happy because we will sing in cities we have never been to, in Greece, we will also sing in Prague. We are happy because next year we will celebrate 15 years of our career…….
VESPA= ……speaking of career, when Antonella Clerici took you on TI LASCIO UNA CANZONE you were fifteen years old, and immediately had an extraordinary success in America, but in Italy no one knew you, so much so that 10 years ago, on 17 December 2013, you made your television debut here. Let’s see it. (a short video of that evening in 2013 appears)
GIANLUCA= The incredible thing is that we were older then than we are today, we have gotten younger over time.
VESPA= So, you went to Sanremo essentially to make yourself known to the general public.
PIERO= We went to Sanremo thanks to you.
GIANLUCA= Let’s say that you were one of the first to believe in us, before the Italian success, let’s say, because it all started with talent…..
VESPA= There was a song called Grande…. how does he do it? 😁
PIERO= (he mentions a refrain from Grande Amore a cappella)
VESPA= But did you know that you don’t sing badly? 😁😁😁
IGNAZIO= Let’s try.
PIERO= The public should know that we were undecided whether to go to Sanremo or not for that song, (Grande Amore) you listened to that song and said: “You have nothing to lose, go!”
VESPA= In fact, all you had to do was win!
Then the great duets began in America, Domingo, Anastacia, Barbra Streisand, then Ramazzotti and then remember Woody Allen? When we met him in New York.
IGNAZIO= Absolutely. (a video starts that summarizes all those moments)
VESPA= How much fun we had in America. So you have returned to Italy for the first time from a theatre, the Arcimboldi, a glorious theatre, among other things the general public got to know it when during the restoration of the street, La Scala moved there. Sold out, there you are.
GIANLUCA= Yes.
IGNAZIO= It was a wonderful experience, arriving in Italian theaters for the first time. We knew Arcimboldi from other television programs, having close contact with the public in Italy, having them close in a more intimate environment, was very interesting and beautiful.
VESPA= Sold out.
IGNAZIO= For 6 concerts…..
VESPA= Listen, but you also wrote the soundtrack…
IGNAZIO= By Makari, it was beautiful, it was interesting, I like the composition and therefore it is small satisfactions that unite us.
VESPA= (he turns to Piero) And do you remember when we sat in the seats at the Metropolitan?
PIERO= Yes.
VESPA= Your dream was to go there. Right? Is he left? Are you growing it?
PIERO= It’s my goal. And the most important thing is to persevere.
VESPA= How old?
PIERO= I believe and hope by 30. I have just turned 30, by the end of the year (by June 2024) I hope it happens.
IGNAZIO= I hope you reserve a place for me….
PIERO= No, not at the Metropolitan, debut with opera….
VESPA= Where, where….
PIERO= Let’s hope, I can’t say because we are still in the preliminary phase…
VESPA= Role, role??
PIERO= I hope for TRAVIATA, Alfredo!! ☺
VESPA= Ah, let’s start high…..and you boy (to Gianluca)
GIANLUCA= For me the objective of Il Volo is always the main one, then, who knows, then we’ll see, we are united and we are strong together.
IGNAZIO= However, if I may, I don’t know how much time we have, we want to thank you, because in these years you have given us fundamental support, especially in 2015, where you encouraged us to participate in Sanremo, because you were the first to say that We had nothing to lose anyway….
PIERO= …. and in 2013 to believe in us…
IGNAZIO= And then we want to wish you a good season, great success and lots of fun…
VESPA= You guys too! Good luck.
PIERO= Thank you.
VESPA= Are you going to Sanremo this year??
PIERO= Amadeus!!
IGNAZIO = Ama, Ama…..
GIANLUCA= Hi Amadeus!
VESPA= Hi Ama, are you taking them to Sanremo??
(with these sentences, it seems that Piero Ignazio and Gianluca want to say that the decision is up to Amadeus who is the artistic director of Sanremo and who decides who the competitors will be, so the three of them could have even proposed themselves). 😉
Saturday 16 September
Il Volo will be one of the guests scheduled for the evening at the Arena organized by TIM MUSIC AWARDS.
The evening was supposed to be live on RAI 1 but, due to the final volleyball match between Poland and Italy for the European Championships, the evening takes place on Saturday evening in the Arena and is broadcast on Sunday 17th on Rai 1.
Even if a big secret surrounded the evening, during the afternoon rehearsals it transpired that Il Volo will open the evening with the beautiful Hallelujah.
(Il Volo opens the evening, without introduction and with a truly engaging Halleluja, then the presenters enter, Carlo Conti and Vanessa Incontrada)
CONTI= What a start!!!
VANESSA= Oh my goodness, we’re off to a great start here at the Tim Music Awards.
CONTI= Il Volo
VANESSA = With these three handsome boys.
CONTI= What a show (greetings)
VANESSA = What gentlemen
PIERO= Good evening Verona, good evening everyone.
IGNAZIO= It’s nothing new that I have a weakness for…. (Vanessa)
CONTI= What a start, what a powerful start. Lights, crazy atmosphere, thanks also to your voice, the orchestra and the audience of the Verona Arena, in this magnificent place that you know well.
VANESSA= Next year 15 years of career.
IGNAZIO= Yes, let’s say we are getting older too.
VANESSA= All of us, me too.
IGNAZIO= Time passes for us too, we had a lot of fun.
CONTI= You will celebrate in the best way, the Arena is your home, we will be waiting for you soon, because we will see you again.
IGNAZIO= See you later.
PIERO= See you later (Il Volo exits)
VANESSA= What a great start.
CONTI= We started off great.
VANESSA= Yes, great.
(At this point the evening continues with many other singers. The video resumes with the mid-evening performance of Il Volo. There are three solo moments, the first is Ignazio performing from the royal stage with AT LEAST YOU IN THE UNIVERSE.
The second is Gianluca with ANGELS sung among the audience.
The third is Piero with E LUCEAN LE STELLE from the stage. At the end all three reunite with a short chorus of Grande Amore.)
VANESSA= They opened the evening of this TIM MUSIC AWARDS and obviously now they return to this stage. I, Carlo, would define them as the 3 musketeers of Italian music.
CONTI= Three unique, extraordinary voices, who are loved and known throughout the world, and truly perform with the same success not only in Italy, but from Japan to the United States, on the 5 continents, everywhere.
VANESSA= They are: Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca.
CONTI= Il Volo.
IGNAZIO= Arena, let’s turn on all the flashes (start the 3 pieces of solos followed by Grande Amore – applause)
CONTI= Il Volo!
VANESSA= I love this song so much. (Vanessa sings the chorus of the song) Here we are again.
CONTI= It seems like yesterday, you know that they won Sanremo, my first Sanremo in 2015…..I said: “The Sanremo Festival wins with Grande Amore Il Volo”, it was 2015.
VANESSA= And look where they are now!
So, 2 million records, 1 billion views, millions of subscribers on the YouTube channel. What else do you want?
PIERO= But they are fake numbers come on…..
VANESSA+CONTI= But how are these fake numbers?
PIERO= But yes you said random numbers (piero is ironic, because these are the responses of certain young people or the press when they talk about Il Volo).
VANESSA= Yes, in fact they came to mind like this now. (Vanessa supports Piero’s game, because it is logical that she gives real news).
CONTI= Let’s do one thing, let’s move this way, so the masters (orchestra) whom I greet and thank, can leave.
PIERO= Ok.
IGNAZIO= The orchestra of Franciacorta ( a country very close to my home)
PIERO= Carlo, Vanessa, can we tell you something very important for us?
VANESSA= Tell me, tell me, sure.
PIERO= We can’t say the day yet, but next spring we will have 3 big events here at the Verona Arena, the ALL FOR ONE concept, three big events where every evening there will be 10 guests…
CONTI= With you?
PIERO= Yes, here at the Verona Arena. So we are really happy to announce this event.
VANESSA= But it’s a scoop.
GIANLUCA= But then next year will be a year of great celebrations because we are celebrating 15 years of career.
VANESSA= Exactly, as I said before.
GIANLUCA= Exactly.
IGNAZIO= We will also have Carlo Conti as a guest who will sing with us for the first time.
CONTI= Sure, I guarantee it. All for One is a bit like your life philosophy.
IGNAZIO= Absolutely, we grew up together, it’s been 15 years now, unfortunately we’ve been together…. no, I’m joking!! (laughs) We have been together for 15 years and we really know each other better than our brothers, and sharing our music together, but above all with you (the audience), which in the end is thanks to all of you if we are here, so we are very grateful to our public and to the people who have followed us since day one. And in April 2024 he will even tour Japan.
IGNAZIO= Yes.
CONTI= Here are the prizes for you, a prestigious prize, the ARENA DI VERONA prize with this motivation:
FOR THE GREAT SUCCESS OF THE EVENTS AT THE VERONA ARENA TO WHICH THEY BROUGHT ALL THE SOUNDS OF MUSIC, OPERA, POP, ROCK AND GREAT SONGWRITING,as you also demonstrated tonight, MAKING THE PUBLIC EXPERIENCE A REAL JOURNEY INTO MUSIC THAT ONLY THREE GREAT ARTISTS OF TALENT AND SENSITIVITY LIKE IL VOLO COULD INTERPRET. Good guys! (applause)
GIANLUCA= Thank you
IGNAZIO= Thanks everyone.
PIERO= Thanks Verona. (The DIVA award is given to them)
VANESSA= They are well deserved, good luck, see you next year.
PIERO= See you next spring, thanks everyone!
IGNAZIO= Thank you very much Verona!
VANESSA= Good evening.
PIERO= Thanks to all of you, have a good evening. (final greetings)
IGNAZIO= Hi guys, we are Il Volo.
PIERO= To all the friends of RAI Radio 2….
GIANLUCA = ???? ( He didn’t remember the phrase to say) 😁😁😁
IGNAZIO+PIERO and then GIANLUCA= We send a big hello!!
Rai Radio 2interview with Il Volo and LaMario
LAMARIO= I remember when I saw you for the first time, I was younger too, but you were obviously children and now I find them again: grown up, cool, successful…..oh how beautiful life is!
IGNAZIO= Cool… I would be slow to say it….but…
LAMARIO= But it’s like this….
PIERO= Established yourself, but I wouldn’t say it…
GIANLUCA= Sweaty tonight…
IGNAZIO= We were lucky enough to do in life what we like, our passion, and it’s nice to grow together, 15 years have passed…
PIERO= We can say that we are privileged.
LAMARIO= I really like this consideration, but sorry, can you tell me the story of the Korean band? Because I’ve read it, but I’d like to hear it from you
IGNAZIO= We too saw it on social media.
LAMARIO= But they didn’t warn you?
PIERO= No.
LAMARIO= They didn’t even have the good heart to send you their piece for you to listen to?
PIERO= But they are strong. They are very strong, right Ignazio?
GIANLUCA= Ignazio didn’t like it very much…
IGNAZIO= No, why?
PIERO= I have to tell you that I like the Korean version of Ignazio, I prefer it. (laughter, Ignazio tries to make some Korean sounds)
I’d say it was a very intense weekend and the award at the Tim Music Awards was truly deserved.
And what about the news that Piero will soon be making an entire opera, fantastic!
And now off to Zurich immediately, the concerts begin!!
Today I begin my journey to Athens and so do the guys. Even though we have different businesses, the guys bring their beautiful voices around the world, and I bring beautiful people around the world, we both conduct businesses in the same way. Our businesses require that we Tour so we are both very comfortable with traveling around the world and bringing happiness to many people.
The guys bring joy to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide each year. I too bring joy to my pilgrims but not on quite as a grand scale. Everything has its value in its own way.
Why do I say pilgrims? Because my business is pilgrimages. I bring people to religious places around the world.
So, what does this pilgrimage have to do with the guys? Some of the places we will visit along the way are places the guys are very familiar with because they did concerts there. One of those places is Assisi.
But let’s begin at the beginning….
This morning, Sunday, September 17th, the guys stepped on a plane in Milan, destination Zurich and the beginning of their European Tour!
This evening, Sunday September 17th I stepped on a plane at JFK airport in New York, destination Rome and the beginning of my pilgrimage.
Working My Way to Athens! Or should I say we are Working our way to Athens!
What’s so important about Athens? It’s the first time the guys will perform there, and the performance will be in the ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus Amphitheater which is just below the Acropolis. A magnificent theater! I’ve seen performances there over the years, but I had to be at this performance because I know this will be the greatest of all performances that ever was presented in this theater! Why?
Because, Greece, you have never experienced Il Volo! You are about to pass through a new age of entertainment the likes of which you have never experienced before. Be prepared for your senses to be awakened! Greece prepare yourself to take a giant leap forward in your musical experience.
Many of the Greek fans have been asking and waiting for this performance for a long time. I will be meeting up with many of those fans and group administrators while I’m in Athens. I will also meet up with American fans who are there.
So, this is where my journey is leading me. But while I’m in flight, let me tell you about a review I read about the guys. Thanks to Daniela’s translation, I can bring you part of this beautiful review.
This review was from a Blogger ~ Cristina Rampini. Cristina is the Director of the Blog. She writes about herself, “I was born a pianist and I continue as an artist! Why? Because I break the mold and start living my days and art at 360 degrees without limits, barriers and above all leaving the ‘idiots gossip’ and ‘criticism’ for its own sake. I started a new life at the age of 40 but as they say… better late than never!!
I already like this lady!
DEJAVU by Cristina Rampini
I begin with Cristina’s description of the guys….
Piero has a lyrical range and technical precision that make him ready to take on great roles in Italian melodrama. In particular, he leaves us speechless with his interpretation of “Mamma, il vino è generous”, an aria taken from Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana. (I’m sorry for those who dispute this simply because of archaic mental prototypes).
Ignazio, or ‘the voice.’ Disarming vocal extension with a tightness even in the high notes that leaves you speechless. The star of the stage with his jokes and his irony who also, doesn’t fail to make us cry with a splendid reinterpretation of ‘Almeno tu nell’universo’ (At least you in the universe) by Mia Martini.
Gianluca is always fascinating (but since super in love also very tender) he takes us into the world of the Beatles, of the legendary Elvis Presley without leaving out precious jewels of Italian song such as ‘La cura’ by Battiato of which he does an intense and highly emotional revisitation with a voice that enchants you from the first notes also for its truly enveloping timbre.
Great music, great voices, great stage performance… a show to absolutely see.
The only sadness: very few young people in the audience, and this must make us reflect a lot on the fact that it is necessary to ‘educate’ the new generations, have the critical ability to distinguish the difference between real music, real artists and pseudo artists.
Daniela’s remarks….
And finally, a truly truthful review, which leaves nothing to chance.
The writer does not report ‘hearsay,’ she was present at the concert and was impressed in a very positive sense.
The comments on the voices and personalities of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca are very beautiful and spot on.
I had the impression, reading this review, that the writer did not have any restrictions or impediments to write what she saw at full speed.
I was very happy, even elated, it’s been a long time since we read such a beautiful and accurate review.
In recent days, after the concerts in Milan, there have been many positive comments and even good reviews, but this is certainly the best.
The final reflection of the article DEJAVU is very beautiful, it’s true, our young people are not used to listening to beautiful songs even by recent song writers, if they don’t have rap or urban rhythms, in short rhythms that are successful now here in Italy.
Our young people don’t listen to Il Volo at all, also due to the denigrating campaign that Il Volo has had from the press which has always defined them as “old”.
But people are tired of the new rhythms, which have also brought rudeness, vulgarity and inelegance.
Something is changing and our favorites are getting more and more support, and this makes me really happy.
My comment is more of an observation but not on the Milan concerts. The Milan concerts were phenomenal but building on Cristina Rampini’s review I need to say that the guys have made amazing strides in just a few months. This is evident in their appearance at the TIM Awards. On Saturday, the guys performed at the Awards. Yes, they did win an award for their amazing Tutti per uno, but my comment is more about who the guys have become in just a short period of time….
As each guy walked up to the stage last night I couldn’t help but notice how happy he was. And I couldn’t help but notice that the three men who were on this stage in June were different from these three men. They already were phenomenal entertainers, but last night they became rock stars!
Did you hear the excitement when they approached the stage. The whole Arena was acknowledging them. And their performances were met with such great excitement both individually and together! No these were not Il Volo fans; these were Italians who were there for the Awards and acknowledging our guys for their phenomenal performances. The tides have changed! Amazing what a few months can do!
Onwards to Sanremo! Italy is so ready for you! Bring home another Lion!!!
This is what they were talking about when they received their awards.
Vanessa Incontrata said: The flight is from 2015 and look where they are. So, 2 million records as well as a billion views, millions of subscribers on the YouTuber channel.
Piero tells us that they will be doing three big events here at the Arena di Verona “Tutti per uno” the “Tutti per uno” Concept for large events where every evening there will be 10 guests with us here at the Arena di Verona, so we are really happy to announce this this event.
Gianluca tells us that next year will be a year of great celebrations because we are celebrating 15 years of our career.
Ignazio gives us gossip. He tells us that Carlo Conti will be a guest and he will sing with them for the first time. He guarantee us, “I wasn’t saying that all for one can be your philosophy. Yes, absolutely not your way of being. Look, we grew up together. Now they are quinticelli, unfortunately we are together I’m not joking, we have been together for 15 years, we really know each other better than our brothers and share our music with each other but above all with all of you.
Carlo Conti said….
This the motivation for the award: For the great success they had in the events at the Arena of Verona in which they brought all genres of music: pop, rock, opera and the great songwriting, as you demonstrated tonight. Making the public experience a real journey into music that only three great artists with talent and sensitivity like Il Volo could give.
So back to the tour….
So today I arrived in Assisi. Assisi is a beautiful city where St. Francis was born, and the people of this city dedicate their lives to him.
As I was walking around the city, I couldn’t help but remember when our guys lent their beautiful voices to this beautiful city with a magnificent concert at the Basilica of St. Francis.
In 2013 the guys did a concert at the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. It was the 28th year that the classical Christmas concert was being performed and the cast was exceptional. The Rai National Symphony Orchestra was conducted by Steven Mercurio, and the chorus of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, directed by Ciro Visco, performed numerous solo voices in a typical Christmas music program. Among those who performed alongside Il Volo, was actor and singer, Paul Sorvino.
This is a preview of the event.
Backstage at the concert we have a rare interview of the parents of the guys. Below are the responses by Piero’s father, Gaetano. Gianluca’s mother Elenora. And Ignazio’s mother, Caterina.
Gaetano says they hoped Piero would be successful and that for them it was a dream to be there.
Leonora says she is very proud and very happy.
Caterina says that the success didn’t go to their heads, absolutely, that they are playful, especially her son who was holding back because they were in a very serious moment.
Below is the full concert which was produced by Rai. It was a very beautiful concert. The guys were honored and moved by the invitation to perform at this amazing Basilica. For the guys, this was a step closer to Italy accepting them.
Today my group left Assisi and went to Manopello stopping enroute at the beautiful city of Orvieto. After some Wine Tasting, we leave Umbria and continue to Abruzzo.
Next stop Manopello….
Now you might say Manopello, I never heard of that city. And if you looked it up on a map you would have a hard time finding it, so, why would I go there and more importantly why would the guys go there. They never did a concert there. That’s correct but Gianluca certainly made a stop there.
Manopello, particularly the municipality of Lettomanoppello, is in the Abruzzo region.
Now that I said Abruzzo let me begin with Gianluca’s reason for going there.
In an article in a local newspaper, it was stated that a young artist from Abruzzo famous all over the world has been made a Honorary Citizen of Lettomanopello.
The Abruzzo region does not waste a moment to celebrate merits and express gratitude to Gianluca. The beautiful baritone was awarded honorary citizenship of the municipality of Lettomanoppello.
During the extraordinary city council an urgent session was held by the mayor Giuseppe Esposito and the college of municipal councilors of the village of Letta, the immediate request for the conferral of honorary citizenship to Gianluca Ginoble was accepted.
The award ceremony took place inside the council chamber of the municipality of Pescara, in the presence of Dr. Luciano D’Alfonso, president of the Abruzzo region and other local authorities. Following the municipal call, in Piazza Umberto I, a festive welcome was held with an open buffet and greeting by the member of Il Volo.
Words of pride were spoken in favor of Ginoble who was classified as an artist having the simplicity and sweetness of a true gentleman.”
What remains of this umpteenth event dedicated to an important presence for the good artistic-value image of Abruzzo, the testimony provided by a representative of Pro Loco Tholos, a voluntary association for the promotion of tourism in Lettomanoppello, among other things the promoter of the evening:
“We hope that this small community of 3,000 inhabitants in the province of Pescara will always remain in his heart and that he continues to bring up the ‘Great love’ for Abruzzo and in particular for Lettomanoppello in the world.”
If the nickname of “Prince of Abruzzo” attributed to Gianluca by fans, were not enough to embody the character qualities of the artist, the municipality of Lettomanoppello thinks that from today they officially crown him as “Gentlemen of Abruzzo.”
Luciano Monticelli wrote….
GIANLUCA GINOBLE AMBASSADOR AND PRIDE OF ABRUZZO
Yesterday Gianluca Ginoble was named honorary citizen of Lettomanoppello: it is just the last of an impressive series of awards, especially at his young age. In fact, I’m sure that any Abruzzo municipality would be proud to be able to name Gianluca among its citizens, even if only as an honorary title.
I was present at the ceremony as well, and I thank Mayor Giuseppe Esposito and President Luciano D’Alfonso for the invitation. Not only that: I made the car trip from Pineto to Lettomanoppello with the Ginoble family, and in particular the father and inseparable grandfather. Two ideal car-sharing companions: we talked about music, culture and many beautiful things that our Abruzzo has and can put on the field to be appreciated in the world.
How Gianluca, ambassador of Abruzzo in the world and genuine pride of our territory, teaches us.
A COUNTRY FOR YOUTH
In December 2015 Luciano again wrote about Gianluca.
Forgive me if I come back one more time about the exceptional day yesterday, but I am pleased to publish this video, which is a wonderful testimony to the great affection of the citizens of Castilenti and the whole Val Fino City towards Gianluca Ginoble.
Luciano D’Alfonso has called him an Abruzzo Ambassador, but I would add that he is also a great example of perseverance and courage for all our young people: courage to be themselves, aim for excellence and look at the globalized world not as a threat, but as an extraordinary opportunity.
Gianluca is the living proof that when young Italians decide to put into fruition the extraordinary cultural heritage passed down from previous generations, to do it and to reinvent it for the new times, there is no one else. Even for this we thank him from the bottom of our hearts for having agreed to be a witness to the Project “Val Fino City”!
So why am I in Manopello?
This tiny hamlet in Abruzzo holds one of the greatest treasures in the Catholic Church.
Volto Santo di Manopello (Holy Face of Manoppello)
This is believed to be the veil that was placed over Jesus’ face when he was buried. Not to be confused with Veronicas Veil.
The image, according to a tradition, would be “acheropita” that is “not drawn or painted by human hand” and has the particular characteristic of being clearly visible from both sides, as with elaborate photographic techniques of digital magnification it is possible to ascertain.
According to Professor Donato Vittore of the University of Bari, who performed an examination with ultraviolet rays in 1997, this test shows that the fibers of the Veil do not have any type of color, which is consistent with the tradition that states that this relic is neither painted nor woven with colored fibers.
The next few days we will travel to San Giovanni Rotondo where you find the body of Padre Pio. Many of you have read my book about Padre Pio. I thank you for following me and reading my Il Volo stories and my books and thank you for following me on a part of this pilgrimage. I enjoyed having you along as I was Working My Way to Athens. I will remain with the group for two more days and then on September 23rd, I go back to Rome to catch my flight to Athens. And I enjoyed sharing my Tour with the guys Tour. It was fun traveling together.
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
Thank you all for all your help with the videos and translations this week.
Christmas with the Three Tenors – Porta a Porta del 17/12/2013. There are some very beautiful memories in this video.
When you start to read this story you’re going to say, “Susan lost her mind. Shouldn’t she have written this story before the last story?”
No, I haven’t lost my mind, I held the story because this week on February 7th, is the beginning of Sanremo Festival 2023.
Now I know this is an old story and everyone knows it but, no, not everyone! The new fans, and there are many, know the guys won Sanremo but they don’t know how it came to be. So, for you old fans out there, I ask for your patience while the new fans hear the amazing story of Sanremo.
When I read Un’avventura Straordinaria, the guy’s biography, the story that I loved the most was the story of Sanremo. The decision by the guys to take on the Sanremo Festival. This story brought out their personalities, their differences and how they are so bound to one another that they could make the decision of a lifetime together even if it meant they could lose what was most important to them, their country and their people!
We know 2014 started out as a bad year, but suddenly things were happening. They were invited to sing at the Italian Senate. This was an event of immense importance for them. It said Italy was finally noticing them so, it only made sense that it was time to take a giant step!
So now I will flash back to Sanremo 2015 and Bringing the Lion Home
The lion for those who don’t know it is the Lion of Sanremo which is the award that the winner receives.
The Festival of Sanremo is a singing event held annually in Sanremo, Italy during the winter season. It is the most famous pop music event in Italy and a major media event on Italian television.
It currently takes place at the Teatro Ariston between late February and early March. The festival is essentially a singing competition among performers presenting original songs in premiere, never performed publicly before, composed by Italian authors, and voted by juries and/or by popular vote.
The winner of the 2015 Sanremo festival was Il Volo with the song, Grande Amore!
But this story doesn’t start with Sanremo, nor does it end there! Sanremo was the door opener!
They will tell you that the decision to go to Sanremo was a good one but, in contrast going to Eurovision may not have been their best decision. My reply, going to Eurovision was an excellent decision!
Let’s see how these decisions were made and what path they chose….
The Decision
So where do you begin to make the decision. Well, you have to start with….
Who’s in and who’s out!
Who’s in?
From day one, Gianluca wanted to go. He was so convinced that they would win that he never backed down from it. He had no doubt in his mind that they would win.
Who’s out?
Always the pessimist, Ignazio. He said “No, we can’t win. It’s too hard.”
So that leaves Piero! Piero at first was not on board but Gianluca persuaded him. Gianluca said, “No one trusted, no one believed it. It was I who persuaded Piero to persuade Ignazio to go to Sanremo. Because I told them: ‘Guys, if we go, we’ll win it, I’m sure, I’m sure’”.
Piero said, “We said to ourselves: ‘Guys, make it or break it, in the end, we were not anyone here in Italy, at most we would not be anyone even afterwards.’”
Decision made! It’s official the guys go to Sanremo!
Then there’s the second problem, the song!
At Sanremo you must perform an unpublished song. How do you begin to find such a song?
Now this is the part of the story that’s really interesting and sometimes funny! Oddly enough, the one who wanted this the most was the one who did not agree to the song. I so enjoyed listening to this dialogue between the guys. This is where we begin to hear the guys make important decisions together. They’re really good. When they begin, they’re not agreeing but as time goes by…. well, why don’t I let them tell you how they finally got to Sanremo….
The Song
Gianluca:I did not agree to go with that piece. If I think about it now, I’ll say that the next time I must reflect better before judging, try to sing a song and then judge because our voices change the songs. We arrange them by cutting them on our voice, and I did not take this fact into consideration. The song when we first listened to it was not very ugly!
Ignazio:It’s not that we’ve heard only that, no. Do you think it is easy to choose a piece for Sanremo? We started to do a search and a selection of unpublished tracks. Our policy was: either we go with something strong, or we do not go, right?
One day this song comes to us through Michele: Grande Amore by Francesco Boccia and Ciro Esposito, two Neapolitan authors. As usual, I am pessimistic. I listen to it, and it does not make me crazy. Not even Gianluca was convinced. The only enthusiast was Pie …
Piero (interrupts):I loved ‘Grande Amore!’ I did not believe that we would have won, but I was the one who pushed, I and Michele pushed for ‘Grande Amore’ because the audition that we heard was not beautiful, but we imagined it if it was made by Celso Valli and, I must say that we had guessed right.
Ignazio (interrupts):And I said it too if you let me talk. I was saying, in fact, that ‘Grande Amore’ was not as we hear it today. It was always called ‘Grande Amore,’ but it was totally different. So, we start to think: who can produce the piece? And Michele calls the great Celso Valli. After several weeks of work in the studio, we manage to churn out a song that could leave its mark at the Sanremo Festival.
Gianluca (interrupts): That’s why when we left for Sanremo I was very convinced we had the piece, the right project.
Piero:He wanted to influence us, but we are superstitious ….
Gianluca:Every day at lunch and dinner with Michele and the president of Sony, I say: ‘Guys, we will win Sanremo.’
Piero (interrupts):Do you know what a week like this means?
Ignazio:Piero and I were all day touching iron and the low parts. Gianluca was convinced that the little lion would be ours? And the two of us tried to keep the situation under control.
Gianluca (interrupts):What should I tell you? I am an optimist. They took it something like ‘he makes fun of us,’ but I felt it inside. I do not know why.
So many interruptions! Ignazio, before he was interrupted, was about to tell us about the first night they sang.
Ignazio:The 65th edition of the Festival begins on Tuesday, February 10th. We sing the second night, Wednesday the 11th. The strange thing is that normally my legs tremble before the performance, but mine trembled even after the performance! Perhaps too much adrenaline, it never happened before.
Piero (interrupts):Or maybe it was because we came back to the Ariston stage after going around the world. It was like coming home, because we experienced the beginning of our career here with Ti Lascio una Canzone. One thing that cannot be described: in Sanremo, in Italy, to sing and receive the applause of the Italian public. It cannot be explained.
The Wardrobe
Gianluca:Can you imagine for me this was also my birthday? I turned twenty on the Ariston stage! Of course, I was moved in the end, and it was too much emotion to my sensibility to play bad jokes at times. And then, we felt the pressure in the air. Even though I was optimistic, the tension was there.
Although we had taken care of the smallest details of the song, we had tried and tried again, and we had taken care of even the smallest details of the clothing. First evening look more rock: total black with leather jacket. Because when we do our work the image matters, too.
I really wanted to use the video of “Ancora” at Sanremo but I couldn’t get it to work so, instead I chose the one from Verona. Amazing no matter where they sing it!
Piero (interrupts):Count, of course that counts. But do you remember how we were dressed before? I remember that time at Una Notte per Caruso, in July 2009, it was the second time we saw Torpedine. Michele arrives with another white Range Rover, not that of Jesolo, and as soon as he arrives, we do not even say hello and we go to see the car. Let’s run, let’s open the car. Ignazio immediately goes up to the car. We went crazy for cars, one like that, we did not see every day. The day after we go for a ride in downtown Sorrento, a shopping trip, and we enter Gucci’s. Michele spent almost two thousand euros and we with that written number at the counter, we exclaimed: “Mizziga! (Damn!) Two thousand euro” with wide eyes. And we still have those clothes, at least I personally still have them.
He had bought us a jacket, but above all the need for us to dress all in white and blue. I had the blue jacket and the white shirt, Gianluca had blue trousers and white shirt, Ignazio the blue shoes and everything else white, Michele the blue jacket. And we took a picture in front of the hotel.
Gianluca (interrupts):We were just dressed badly to be singers by trade, we were children, we came from families of workers. What could I buy? There was not even the need.
Piero (interrupts):And then you remember the restaurant? Afterwards we went to a restaurant near the sea. When we finished eating, the three of us took off our shoes and ran to the beach. Michele ran behind us telling us: ‘Guys, calm down. Guys, slow down.’
At this point Ignazio loses his patience.
Ignazio: YES, but what does that have to do with it, Pie? We were talking about Sanremo. What has Sorrento got to do with it?
The Performance
Ignazio gets the conversation back on track!
Sanremo 2015, from the 10th to 14th of February, we sang on the second evening, legs shaking, Gianluca’s birthday.
(This video has English subtitles.)
Among the many interviews, the diary that we kept every day for TV Sorrisi e Canzoni … We had fun with the diary!
It was a sort of ‘pill.’ A very few minutes, in which we recorded from the 9th to 14th of February. We talked about some of the emotions we felt. For example, the time that Gianluca almost stumbles on stage or the happiness of seeing the audience get up and applaud the first night we sang ‘Grande Amore.’ The recording, then, went online on the site of the magazine.
What was I saying? Ah, yes, among the many interviews, the diary that we kept every day for TV Sorrisi e Canzoni, meetings and press conferences …
Piero (interrupts):And the criticisms we felt in those days? People at home voted for us, appreciated us, and journalists gave us votes that we thought were postponed until September, I also said this at the press conference after the victory. Five that flew (bad votes given by critics). But we see that the criticisms have done us good.
Ignazio:Can I do a criticism of you?
Piero:Ah, tell me…
Ignazio:You interrupted me. I was about to tell the final. I can continue?
The Win
Ignazio:In short, the final evening arrives, February 14th. I realize from my shirt that in a week we have eaten more than we sang. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I’m a boy who does not say cat if I do not have it in the bag, then until Carlo Conti said….
Piero (interrupts):And indeed, whoever wins does not know it until the end! Sorry, Igna’. Speak you!!!
Ignazio:Until Carlo Conti said: ‘The winner of the Sanremo Festival 2015 is … Il Volo!’ I said to the boys: ‘No, guys, we do not win, it’s difficult.’ And on the one hand I had Piero with shining eyes and on the other Gianluca with a smug smile as if to say: ‘Do not worry.’
Gianluca:The truth is that I was right from the beginning, and no one had ever listened to me, ever. I believed it so much that, if you notice, maybe I’m the one with the least surprised look on my face when Carlo Conti announces the winner. Then, of those moments, one remembers little, there is great confusion, emotion. It was a dream to be able to shout, ‘Thank you, Italy!’ from that stage. I look at Sanremo as a child, when there was Pippo Baudo, and I was there and have won because people were on our side and it was a dream, I repeat even if I have already said. The emotion was only when my grandfather told me almost in tears: “Who would have told me that in life I saw Modugno win at the Festival and then I saw you win?”
Taking the conversation back, I have to say, to me this was the best conversation we could listen to. They disagree, they find middle ground, and they agree but, most importantly they listen to one another and that’s what makes the bond so great!
In the end Gianluca said:In short, Sanremo was just a dream that brought us many different emotions.
This story was so important because the guys started on the Ariston stage as three teenagers, on Ti Lasc io Una Canzone, went around the world gaining success everywhere along the way, only to come back to the Ariston Theater to win not only Sanremo but the hearts of the Italian people; the one thing they wanted from the beginning!
Over those six years between Ti lascio Una Canzone and Sanremo, the guys sang in concerts hall around the world. Their songs went gold and platinum. They won many awards including the Latin American Music Award’s Latin Pop Albums Artist of the Year for a duo or group. They sang with people like Barbara Streisand and joined some of the best singers in the music industry for “We Are the World Haiti” but what they wanted more than anything was to be accepted in their own country and they did that by coming back to their beginnings! Going full circle and taking a big chance paid off on the Ariston Stage for the second time.
As the winners of Sanremo, the guys went on to Eurovision. They came in third. They saw it as a loss but, I saw it as a win because here the press came out for them awarding them the Marcel Bezencon Press Award. The press has spoken!
As Italy is a member of the Big Five, the guys went straight into the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest, which was held in Vienna on May 23rd, 2015. “Grande Amore” came in 3rd with 292 points but, they won the televote with 366 points and the Marcel Bezencon Press Award, as best song according to the collective voting of the accredited press.
And, the extended play “Sanremo Grande Amore” was released in Italy on February 20th, 2015, and it was certified triple platinum by FIMI.
When the guys won Sanremo 2015 they felt they had finally achieved their dream to be number one in the hearts of the Italian people!
Against all odds they pulled it off. The part of the story the guys missed was about the Italian people. They were always on their side. Even when they were traveling around the world and hoping to perform concerts in Italy, the Italian people were always waiting for them. The press was against them but never the people. They wanted them home as much as they wanted to go home.
How does Michele Torpedine sum up our guys….
These three guys have very clear ideas and I have never seen them impressed in front of audiences that many would shake their legs. I never heard a wrong attack, and if some inconsistency arose that made something happen professionally, they knew how to handle the problem at the origin. They are always extraordinary, their voices grow with them, they mature in body and soul. There is no other team or artistic team so complete.
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
So, we find the guys on February 14, 2015, Bringing the Lion Home.
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
For your listening pleasure – Il Volo Concert Verona 2015
If you would like to share a story with me, please e.mail: susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com
To read more Il Volo stories visit us at www.ilvoloflightcrw.com
My plan this week was to talk about the opening of the World Tour. It turns out it’s that and so much more. Over the past week many things have happened that need to be mentioned here. All that’s important in the lives of these three young men, Family, Country & Music, are up front and present in my story today.
We know that the Holy Father, Pope Francis has great love and respect for these young men. He sees them as an example of how young people should live their lives. They have respect for their families and for life in general. Always putting family first. And always trying to please everyone!
So, I will start my story today with an event at the Vatican which the guys will, at the request of Pope Francis, participate in! The World Meeting of Families ~ The Festival of Families
Family
If there is one thing I can tell you for certain about these young men it is that they truly love His Holiness, Pope Francis. And I can tell you for certain that the Holy Father truly loves them. They have shared many wonderful moments together, but none greater than singing the Ave Maria Mater Misericordiae at World Youth Day in Panama in 2019.
This event is entitled “The Beauty of the Family.” The Press Office explained, “rather than giving speeches and theories on families, people will give voice to witness. The choice of presenters, artists and those who will speak is designed to promote their experience as Christian families. For this reason, the presentation is entrusted to Amadeus and his wife Giovanna Civitillo. As for the artistic presence, the young artists ‘Il Volo’ together with some of their relatives, will participate by recounting their own family experience and proposing some musical pieces.”
The Holy Father recognized that the families of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca made many sacrifices so that these young men could go out into the world and present their beautiful Bel Canto.
In the beginning the boys were 15 and 16 years old and so it was necessary for a member of their family to travel with them. These families found themselves in a very difficult situation having to choose which parent would travel and which would stay home with the other children. These were very difficult times for them, and they made great sacrifices to do this. While they were with their sons, they left the other children behind. And when the boys were old enough to travel on their own another sacrifice had to be made; not seeing their sons for long periods of time.
The parents of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca realized that the gift that each of these boys was given was a gift from God and through the presence of God in their lives they were able to deal with the situation and share their amazing sons with the world.
This truly is what this conference is about. Families sharing their love and supporting each other. The result of their story is these families gave to the world three truly amazing men who appreciate the value of family and put their families first above all else in life.
Congratulations to the families of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca!
Country
Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca had the honor of singing the Mameli, the National Anthem of Italy, on June 2nd Republic Day before Sergio Mattarella the President of the Republic of Italy.
Also, in the Grandstand was Pietro Grasso former President of the Senate. He was very pleased to see the guys again. You will recall Mr. Grasso was the man who sang every song along with the guys when they did their Christmas Concert for the Senate in December 2014.
Mr. Grasso left the Senate to become the Acting President of Italy when Giorgio Napolitano resigned as President. He was the president from January 4, 2015, to February 3, 2015 when Sergio Mattarella the present President was sworn in.
For these young men, singing the National Anthem was a very proud moment in their lives because they are proud to be Italian and they are proud to be Ambassadors representing their country through song around the world
Music
Anyone who knows Il Volo knows one of their signature songs is “Caruso.”
Lucio Dalla was the composer of “Caruso” (1986), a song dedicated to the last days of Italian opera tenor Enrico Caruso. The song, dedicated to the tenor became an Italian national anthem abroad. It was the identifying song for the world of Dalla’s entire career. Nine million copies were sold. It was reinterpreted by among others Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli. And most recently and most importantly it was reinterpreted by our guys, Il Volo and it became one of those songs we look forward to hearing in their concerts.
A Concert tribute to Lucio Dalla was held at the Verona Arena on June 3rd with many stars singing Dalla songs, including Il Volo. This thrilling event was prerecorded at the Arena di Verona on June 2nd and presented on Raiuno on June 3rd. The presenters of the evening were Carlo Conti and Fiorella Mannoia.
The Concert in tribute to Lucio Dalla at the Verona Arena was a great party in the name of the music of one of the most loved songwriters of all time.
The World Tour Begins
Go out into the world and share the voice God gave you!
The new World Tour is about the old and the new and the two years in-between. It’s the best picture of what the guys have been doing these last two years when they were separated from us.
The big thing, they worked on new songs. Thus ~ Il Volo Sings Morricone!
They came on Instagram and Facebook and sang for us! One memorable moment from those songs is included in this concert.
They expanded their own horizons! Read what I have to say about Piero.
And they chose a set list that is very different from the past. All very beautiful songs. Something for everyone’s taste. Different…
The Ecstasy of Gold ~ Nessun Dorma ~ Un Amore Cosi Grande ~ Se Telefonando ~ Se ~ Your Love ~ Your Song ~ All By Myself ~ La Donna è Mobile ~ No Puede Ser ~ E Lucevan le Stelle ~ Hallelujah ~ My Way ~ Here’s to You ~ Delilah ~ Can’t help Falling in Love ~ Musica che Resta ~ L’amore si Muove ~ Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu ~ O Sole Mio/ Surrender ~ Granada ~ Libiamo Ne’ Lieti Calici ~ Caruso ~ Io Che Non Vivo Senza Te ~ Il Mondo ~ Grande Amore
There is so much to say about the production, but I will save that for another day. Instead, I will talk about the songs and the guys!
A good place to start is with the duets….
The duets in this concert were phenomenal! I will start with the duet between Ignazio and Gianluca. It is their prayer for those who were not as lucky as we were.
It’s very appropriate that Gianluca and Ignazio chose to present a prayer in this concert. Recognizing all that was, all that is and all that still remains, it is in the end, an expression of hope. The song Ignazio and Gianluca chose was the song Ignazio sang to us during COVID. You will recall each of the guys sang a prayer for us. Piero sang the “Ave Maria,” Ignazio sang “Hallelujah,” and Gianluca sang “You Raise Me up.” I remember this was at the high point in the pandemic and we were all very sad and very sensitive and they calmed our fears with their beautiful voices. We were all touched by this, and I wrote a column for each guy and his song.
This is what Ignazio had to say about the song they chose….
When we had to decide what to sing … We sang many songs together but this year we wanted something very special. So, one day I called Gianluca, and I said, ‘Why don’t we sing a prayer?’ We are living through a period of … I say it in Gianluca’s way… Bad time… We all have been through a very bad time and … We decided to sing a very significant song, it was in the pandemic, and it still is today. Let’s pretend it is a prayer, a prayer for everything that is happening and that has happened in the past months and unfortunately continues to happen. Let’s think about Covid…. now in Ukraine and Russia…. So, we want to address this prayer to those who are not making it, to those who are suffering, to those who are not as fortunate as us…
Their rendition of Hallelujah was very touching and very expressive. Ignazio articulates very well, and he has such beautiful diction, his words just flow on the air. Ignazio’s beautiful voice expresses the beauty of this song which leads us to a supreme experience. It brought me to tears. A truly beautiful delivery by both our tenor and baritone.
Next, I want to talk about the duet between Piero and Ignazio ~ “La Donna è Mobile.”
How did Piero feel about this duet…? Piero said when Ignazio proposed they do this duet, he replied that he was crazy, but then they tried to do it by themselves and they had fun, so they called the management and proposed singing this duet from Rigoletto.
This is a song everyone knows. For me, in this concert, it brought back memories of Ignazio’s childhood. You will recall in their book, Un’avventura Straordinaria, Ignazio said….
I always liked to sing, to be ‘in the middle’ of the music. And more and more passionately I began to understand how to use Nina’s famous pianola. I learned how to start the musical bases and flipping through them I discovered ‘La Donna è Mobile.’
In short, I began to like it so much that I sang with that base, inventing words. Now the exact words that I invented, I do not remember, but for sure my song was about Luciano Pavarotti. Why? Because as a child I always saw him on television and he always had a huge handkerchief in his hand, so I invented a text with Pavarotti and his handkerchief.
And so, I sang on the air of ‘La Donna è Mobile’not knowing what was on the horizon and what we would have to deal with in those years.
Was Ignazio thinking of his childhood, his first performance when they chose this song?
Beyond my memories of Ignazio’s childhood, I have to say their presentation was absolutely phenomenal! The tenor and the spinto tenor showed their true colors! They could have been singing on the stage of the MET! True opera singers in their delivery and expression! Absolutely phenomenal! Yes, Ignazio you do sing opera!
While I’m talking about Piero, I want to give you some of my thoughts about our spinto tenor. Piero’s voice which always was amazing, always was powerful, and his presentation which always produced phenomenal climaxes in the concerts, has now become such a vibrant sound in our ears! His voice has expanded so much in the last two years. Over this period, Piero has had the opportunity to spend unlimited time on his opera lessons. This is something that is not possible in his normal schedule. The intense opera lessons of the last two years have paid off with Piero standing at the door of the MET! The intensity of his voice sends shivers up and down my spine! A truly amazing voice that has become even more powerful than it was! Phenomenal! Bravo Piero!
My Way is the one song of the duets that has been presented before. And now as then it is amazing! Gianluca’s love of Frank Sinatra is something that brings joy to him and grace to their concerts. I know that Gianluca aspires to be like Sinatra, but I have to honestly say, if Sinatra was alive, he would aspire to be like Gianluca. Sinatra was and still is greatly loved and admired by his fans but Sinatra although a baritone like Gianluca could never achieve what Gianluca has achieved. Yes, he had great fame and was admired worldwide but he didn’t have the range that Gianluca has. Sinatra could not sing the full range of a baritone like Gianluca does. Gianluca, you have it all wrapped up.
Let’s turn to the solos….
Before he begins his solo, Ignazio tells us about his solo….
We meet again year after year, and I wonder what I am doing this year because what I tried to do in recent years was too ambitious. I sing what some men have never sung but at least if I make a fool of myself this year it is over a very famous person, a great artist who I hope sooner or later to have the honor of singing with. This is taken from the album of Celine Dion. ~ ‘All By Myself’
Before beginning his song, “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” Gianluca spoke about his choice of this solo and why he chose it….
Tonight, I will sing a song that was part of my adolescence of my musical inspiration. I grew up with many singers starting from Andrea Bocelli, definitely a great one! All the Great Americans Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin and the greatest of all Elvis Presley. I have been singing this song for years I have also grown a little with her because tonight I want to dedicate it to a person who is here (pointing to Elenora Venturini Storaro in the audience) and I will sing it for her.
Before beginning his solo, No puede ser, Piero said….
I am accompanied by a great musician. I always watched his videos and tonight I invited him to accompany me ~ Maestro Andrea Grinelli
A beautiful interpretation Piero! This aria is about a man’s love for a woman who everyone says is wicked but he doesn’t believe it. Piero’s expression shows his trust for the woman he loves and that he believes that she is good! Magnificent!
So where do we go from here?
Before they sang, Ignazio takes a moment to thank the fans….
I have to thank the fans, not only for their great affection, but also because coming to these concerts doesn’t just mean spending money on tickets, but for many people, also spending on travel and hotel expenses …. and therefore, we thank you for always being with us and we dedicate to you: ‘Un Amore Cosi Grande’
After the song Piero says some beautiful words as to why he gets excited when he sings this song. It’s about being Sicilian and who he is….
Piero:To pursue his dream as a director, Toto leaves his homeland. He is forced to leave his homeland. Every time I leave for a tour, fortunately I am a privileged guy, when we leave our homes, our cities, we leave them for good things, for what we are doing tonight, but there is always that….
Ignazio: Melancholy ….
Gianluca: That basic nostalgia ….
Piero: That incurable nostalgia and therefore I cried a lot, (watching that movie) because I see myself in that child. When I sing this song, those who know me well, see me quite moved by it.
And we end with a song you are all familiar with in Italian and English….
This is just a small part of the concert. I couldn’t fit all 27 songs into this article but over the next few weeks and as we continue the concerts, I will include all of them.
The importance of today’s story was to show you that the guys love what they do but they don’t forget who they are and where they came from. For them it’s about Family, Country & Music not always in that order. It’s called stepping up to the plate and that is something they do well!
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
Daniela, Ale and Stefi at the Concert! Wish I was with them.
Today I want to thank three ladies who help me with photos and translations: Daniela, Ale and Stefi. I also want to thank my proof readers. Thanks for catching the errors! Pat in English and Daniela in Italian
If you would like to share a story with me, please email: susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com
sit us at www.ilvoloflightcrw.com
Credits to the owners of photos and videos.
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!
