A beautiful opening ceremony recently took place in L’Aquila (the capital of Abruzzo) marking the year 2026 in which L’Aquila was named “Italian Capital of Culture.”
The opening ceremony was attended by our President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and all the mayors of the province of L’Aquila.
Gianluca Ginoble, a true Abruzzese, contributed to the event by singing the beautiful and sad Abruzzese song “AMARA TERRA MIA” on stage. During his performance, a beautiful video of the Abruzzo region was shown.
Here’s the entire moment of Gianluca’s speech. (translation captions can be activated)
Beautiful lyrics in this sad but truthful song.
The landscapes that pass by in the video are stunning, and what can I say about Gianluca’s voice and emotion?
Fantastic! He sang a single verse in the Abruzzese dialect. Bravo, Gianluca!
Did you notice Maestro Leonardo De Amicis, who conducted the orchestra? He’s also from Abruzzo and a longtime friend.
Gianluca’s speech at the end of the song was absolutely sweet, extending greetings to President Mattarella, also on behalf of his companions, Ignazio and Piero.
Gianluca also wrote a beautiful article for the newspaper IL CENTRO that I’m translating for you.
Gianluca Ginoble: “L’Aquila, the city that accepts the responsibility of flying.”
The singer writes for Il Centro: “Destiny in the name has never abdicated the upward striving.” Quotes from Jung, Battiato, and San Giovanni: “This is a land to be proud of.”
GIANLUCA GINOBLE
Myths are not a thing of the past. They still influence human affairs, dramatize our internal struggles, disrupt our character, and inhabit our lives even when we’re unaware of it. Carl Gustav Jung said that “the gods have not disappeared, they have transformed into illnesses”: into inner forces, tensions, desires, and ambitions that we simply cannot control or eliminate. Myths, in fact, represent archetypal ways of existence: symbolic forces from which we can neither escape nor fully recover. In cultures founded on myth, the gods were inhuman and eternal: the Immortals, as the Greeks called them. Forces that, precisely because they were eternal, made certain traits of the human soul indelible. If there is a mythical figure capable of embodying the tension of ambition, of impetus, of the desire to rise, it is the Eagle. The Eagle carries with it a name and a symbolic destiny. Ancient texts describe it as an animal with a hot, dry temperament and a voracious appetite, always associated with sacred contexts. It’s no coincidence that John, the most spiritual of the evangelists, is traditionally represented by an eagle: a creature that flies higher than all others, that gazes far ahead, that approaches the light without fear. The eagle is the bearer of the spirit in its highest form. It is ambition at its fullest extent: an instant bathed in the shining light and immediately ready to be reborn, to take flight again with the future still ahead. Even in Egyptian hieroglyphics, the letter A is represented by an eagle. Not a simple coincidence, but a sign. This is the symbolic power of a city that bears such a meaningful name.
This symbolism is almost inevitably accompanied by the thought of Franco Battiato (Italian singer), for whom the eagle has never been merely an image, but a key to access. Eagles, in his work, certainly recall a hit song, but above all a symbolic constellation deeply dear to him: that of birds, of the play of wingspans, of secrets revealed only to those who accept the risk of heights. Eagles are destined for unpredictable flights, sudden ascents, imperceptible trajectories that trace a sort of existential geometry. They are called to change their perspective on the world, to use his words. Walking, for an eagle, is an unnatural gesture: its vocation is flight, approaching the sky to intuit its secrets. L’Aquila is the city that rises, that observes from above, that accepts the responsibility of flight. A city that knows the risk of getting too close to the sun, of getting burned, but that never abandons its striving for the sky. Like the eagle, precisely. And Abruzzo is a strong and gentle land, reflecting this same archetype, as Flaiano described it: a harsh, severe, silent land. A region that seeks not to please, but to remain true to itself.
A simple, archaic place, unprone to rhetoric, where the landscape and its people share the same sobriety. A land that has given voice, art, thought, and resistance. A land to be proud of. Because L’Aquila is a city that has learned to rise again, to rebuild itself, to take flight again, always with wings stretched toward the sky. Despite its wounds, despite its difficulties, it has proven itself to be a people capable of strength and vision. Just like its founding myth: the eagle. Always in flight. Always alive. Always with its head held high.
And this is the beautiful moment when Gianluca shakes hands with the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella!
This article about the event published by IMUSICFUN is also very nice.
Gianluca Ginoble enchants L’Aquila: a solemn and distinctive inauguration for the Italian Capital of Culture 2026.
L’Aquila inaugurates 2026 as the Italian Capital of Culture in the presence of President Mattarella; emotion and identity with Gianluca Ginoble and “Amara Terra Mia”
L’Aquila officially opened its year as Italian Capital of Culture 2026 with an intense, solemn ceremony deeply rooted in the region. On Saturday, January 17, at the Auditorium of the Guardia di Finanza, the Abruzzo city began a journey that looks to the future, starting from memory. The ceremony was attended by President Sergio Mattarella, Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, Mayor Pierluigi Biondi, and President of the Abruzzo Region Marco Marsilio.
But more than a celebration, the event felt like a foundational act, a choral narrative intertwining music, words, and images. And among the most moving moments of the morning, Gianluca Ginoble, the singer of Il Volo, undoubtedly stood out, giving the audience a powerful and meaningful reading of “Amara Terra Mia.”
Gianluca Ginoble and “Amara Terra Mia”: The Voice of Emigration and Roots
Conducted by Maestro Leonardo De Amicis, Gianluca Ginoble—a native of Roseto degli Abruzzi—brought to the stage a song that symbolizes Abruzzo’s identity. “Amara terra mia” (Bitter Land of My Love) is more than just a song: it’s a chant of emigration, toil, and nostalgia, born in the early 1900s as a work song for olive pickers in the Maiella area.
Also known as “Nebbia alla valle” (Nebbia in the Valley), “Addije, addije amore” (Addije, Addije Amore), or “Casca l’oliva” (Let the Olive Fall), the song has been passed down through various choral harmonizations and made famous thanks to Giovanna Marini’s work in the 1960s. Ginoble’s interpretation captured the full emotional power of this oral heritage, transforming it into a moment of great civic and musical intensity.
It is no coincidence that the artist wanted to symbolically remember all his “fraternal colleagues”, underlining the collective value of music and shared memory.
Well, Gianluca, we’re here to congratulate you once again.
The event dedicated to your hometown was certainly welcomed with affection and enthusiasm by you, you who always sing the praises of your homeland.
You are a sensitive man who never forgets where he comes from.
We admire you greatly for all this and also for remembering your friends and brothers Ignazio and Piero in your greetings!!
Every year, the Abruzzo newspaper IL Centro elects its “Person of the Year,” and this year, the citizens voted and elected our Gianluca Ginoble!
Luca Telese conducted a very interesting interview, which I’m translating for you.
Gianluca Ginoble talks about himself: “I’m Flying like Dean Martin.”
The Director’s interview with the singer of Il Volo: inspired by grandfather Ernesto, from Roseto to the world thanks to bel canto.
Where do we start?
“I want to tell you something, before any other considerations. We are three eclectic performers, we sing any genre as long as it’s good music and we like it. But…”
What?
“There’s only one melody, musically, that allows you to speak to everyone, all over the world.”
Really?
“Let me explain. There’s only one melody if you want to make music, if you’re Italian, if you want to be consistent with your history, and if you want to be successful abroad.”
Which one?
“Art alone holds all these threads together. It’s an ancient art, but one in which everyone recognizes us—we Italians, I mean—as masters, a language that still speaks to millions of people, and which is inextricably linked to our culture: I’m talking—obviously—about bel canto.”
This actually seems like a portrait of Il Volo. It’s your history, an important part of your repertoire. Are you sure it applies to everyone?
“No, I’m not necessarily talking about Il Volo. You see, we’ve sung and continue to sing everywhere, in five different languages. Our repertoire spans themes, genres, and obviously eras.”
Explain further.
“We’ve sung to the most diverse audiences. But audiences recognize us as ambassadors of this music.”
Is there a figure from the past who inspires you?
“In another era, I would have felt close to Dean Martin: a great man from Abruzzo, but also a profoundly international artist.”
Explain to me why you think opera speaks to people who know nothing about our country, who don’t speak our language, who know nothing of those operas.
“I wish you could see the same faces I see from the stage, in the audience, when we sing an aria like Nessun Dorma.”
Try to describe it. It’s beautiful if you can.
“Nessun Dorma is more than an aria. It’s more than a success or a famous hit: it’s a journey. Starting from Turandot, and a night in Beijing, emerging in a theater, and ending up walking, led by Puccini, along the paths that lead to a dream. A magic, an emotion everyone can relate to.”
Evocative.
“When I see those enchanted faces at our concerts, listening to the most famous melody in the history of opera, I understand that we’re not giving people something they need to know or learn, but that we’re giving them back something that’s already inside them.”
What?
“A music that’s a century old, but which is actually timeless and ageless.”
And when you sing Puccini, do you see on people’s faces that this ritual is being celebrated?
“Yes. We all have an enchanted story within us, but no one can reach it except through dreams. It’s wonderful to know that you’re the one making it possible. That’s why I can sing Nessun Dorma, a thousand times, in a hundred different stages, but it’s always as if it were the first time for me.”
But is bel canto still alive in the present time? Or is it a luminous but dead language, like Latin and Ancient Greek?
“Are you kidding? Schools and conservatories are full of Anglo-Saxons, South Americans, and even many Koreans and Japanese who study, even with great effort, our language and our music so they can sing in Italian.”
Is this what gives you the most satisfaction when you perform with Il Volo? The emotion of universality?
“Yes, I admit it. For me, performing this repertoire means never betraying who we Italians are.”
In what sense?
“It means paying homage to something we inherited from our masters as a gift, and that we must pass on to those who come after us as a legacy.”
Gianluca Ginoble, a baritone voice between two tenors in the global lyrical trio Il Volo. Gianluca is thirty years old: he has the face of an eternal boy that could be stolen from Peter Pan, but he displays the maturity of a wise highlander: refined vocabulary, omnivorous curiosity, a ravenous passion for literature. It’s as if in its fifteen years of activity, the most famous Italian group in the world has lived, as the android from Blade Runner says of himself: “I burned the candle of life from both ends.” It’s as if behind Gianluca’s smile (proud Abruzzese by birth but cosmopolitan by experience and education) there was something more mysterious: I found myself imagining a portrait of Dorian Gray hidden in some attic of his birthplace in Roseto degli Abruzzi. That’s why it wasn’t easy for me to write this interview, which we did in installments. You always learn something from those who travel through different worlds at the speed of light.
You learn in a flash: but then it takes much longer to understand everything. In these lines—almost without realizing it—we talk about national identity, education, values, and, of course, music. This interview, full of complex lives and stories, is the end-of-year gift I want to give to the readers of the Center. (Center is the name of the newspaper.)
Gianluca, one day—in a public debate—your father, Ercole, moved the audience by telling how, while you tour the world, you never stop promoting Abruzzo.
(He smiles) “It’s true. It’s a matter of principle for me. One evening, at the Circus in New York, Woody Allen meets us and asks, ‘Where are you from?’ And my classmates, who never have these problems, reply, ‘Sicily!’”
And you?
“I always have to be resourceful, depending on who I’m talking to.”
In what sense?
“Woody Allen is a cultured man: when I say ‘Abruzzo’ to him, he’s almost disappointed; he suffers from not knowing where to place it. So, I say, ‘Near Rome.’ And he says, ‘Ah…’ But he’s perplexed; something’s missing.”
Have you given up?
“No! Never. I’ve played my last card.”
Do you have a last card to geolocate yourself?
“Of course. He asked, ‘Where is it?’ I replied, ‘In the land of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.’ And he immediately smiled at me: ‘Wow!’”
Miracle.
“Think about it. Winemaking is replacing geography. There’s a part of America that imagines Tuscany as a fine winery. For some, we’re just a wine by the glass, but we’re there.”
Ha ha ha.
“In dramatic cases, finally, I also have a last resort, you know?”
Which one?
“Cinema: for a younger audience.”
What do you mean?
“Where is Abruzzo? Answer: ‘In front of Game of Thrones.’ But don’t write that, it makes me suffer.”
Let’s start with the astonishing success of Il Volo: wherever you go, the theaters are full.
(He laughs) “For now, yes.”
Why do you say that?
“You see, a lot has changed in recent years. My friends, Piero and Ignazio, and I realize that part of our audience has grown up with us: today, on average, they’re in their forties. In South America, fortunately, there are also many thirty-year-olds. We go there often.”
Guys who know everything about you. You’re stars.
“If that’s the case, it’s also thanks to those who came before us: abroad, Nessun Dorma is by Luciano Pavarotti, just as Con te partirò is by Andrea Bocelli, and Bohemian Rhapsody is by Freddy Mercury.”
Give me a parameter.
“We did a concert with Bocelli in the Vatican, which aired on Disney Plus, and had 100 million views.”
It’s scary. But you managed to get Venditti to speak Abruzzese, there’s proof.
“No, there’s a backstory there. Antonello’s partner is from Francavilla.” (A city in Abruzzo)
And when you were with him, you took out your phone.
“Antonello does it all by himself and starts reciting: ‘Ass up, Gianlu! Don’t give a damn, you fella!’” (words in the Abruzzese dialect)
You even mentioned Abruzzo to Barbara Streisand!
“Oh, she’s a sure thing. I’ve enlisted her among my fans. But do you want to know the real secret?”
Of course.
“Except when we’re in concert, I never listen to or sing opera.”
You were born in February 1995, in Roseto degli Abruzzi.
“I grew up here: in Montepagano, a beautiful hamlet of Roseto. As a child, I played in the village pine forest.”
It seems like a century ago.
“I feel great nostalgia for the Abruzzo of my childhood: because everything has remained as it was, except me. I’m the one who left.”
Like the migrants of the turn of the century.
“But I was alone.”
And yet you’re very attached to your coming-of-age story.
“Because I always come home. Except physically, I’m convinced that all artists remain children: Pueri aeterni.” (it’s written in Latin and means eternal children)
It’s evocative, but who knows if it’s true.
“In my case, yes. The explanation is simple. If you stop being amazed, you can’t play anymore.”
Who influenced your education, who introduced you to music?
“My paternal grandfather, Ernesto. He was the artistic soul of the family; he played with the village band.”
Is he still alive?
“In great shape. He’s 91 years old and has a great musical sensibility. His band instrument was the alto horn.”
And your father?
“Well, my father was everything in this adventure.”
What do you mean?
“A companion, a parent, an accomplice: from an amateur, he became one of the greatest connoisseurs of Italian pop music, and not just Italian.”
What did he do for you?
“The greatest gift imaginable. He gave up his adult job to follow me and help me in my work as a boy.”
But it all started with Grandpa Ginoble.
“Another pillar is my mother. She used to drive me to school, and along the way I would hum the tunes my grandfather had taught me. She also followed me and supported me, even when it seemed crazy.”
You’re in eighth grade when the earthquake that changes your destiny arrives.
“The great opportunity of my life brings with it my greatest regret: I formally only studied until eighth grade. From then on, I learned entirely by myself.”
Like Jimi Hendrix and Leonardo Da Vinci.
“Don’t make fun of me. It’s serious.”
What happened in the spring of 2009?
“I was 14, I was participating in a children’s talent show, ‘Ti lascio una canzone’. There I made my stage debut and met my future traveling companions, Ignazio and Piero.”
The sliding door of your life.
“I was on television while my peers watched me from home.”
The first to bring you together were director Roberto Cenci and the host, Antonella Clerici. Then it was producer Michele Torpedine, the man who discovered Zucchero, who had the idea of forming a stable group.
“He put us together based on the model of the three Tenors. Three ‘little tenorists,’ they said, even though I—as you know—am not a tenor.”
You were talented, witty, and easygoing: you burst onto the screen with incredible ease.
“I have controversial memories of that period. You leave as a perfectly normal child, and you come back with everyone applauding you, looking for you, making you the center of attention.”
A mechanism that can be dangerous, and which has crushed many in the history of entertainment.
“Today I have achieved the detachment necessary to protect myself. To never fall, I must always watch myself from the outside.”
And back then?
“I was naive. Potentially more fragile, but perhaps it was precisely this light-heartedness that helped me.”
How did you protect yourself?
“Everything seemed like a game to me. And the fact that there were three of us was crucial: if you can share such an all-encompassing experience with others, it doesn’t seem crazy.”
You were also the youngest.
“Piero is two years older than me. Ignazio is one. We all three had unusual childhoods and adolescents.”
Which, however, had its positive aspects.
“I thought: ‘I’m part of a minority that has enormous opportunities: traveling the world, learning languages…”
Absolutely true. Were you that clear-headed?
“No, everything was happening so quickly. Even my memories today are so compressed that I struggle to distinguish them, to date them exactly… After three months, we’re in Los Angeles signing a contract with Geffen Records, one of the most important American majors in the world. We’re told we’re the first Italians to do so.”
It was true.
“At that age, you’re a sponge; you learn English almost without realizing it. But then you have to go back to Roseto to take your middle school exams as a private student, and you go back. It’s like being on a roller coaster.”
And then back to the world of fairy tales.
“Recording our first album, leaving for South America with Tony Renis, building our first repertoire of Italian classics for concerts night after night.”
And then?
“Finding ourselves guests of Jay Leno on his Tonight Show.”
The sacred monster of American talk shows.
“Ha ha ha. Everyone was excited except us, who until a few days before hadn’t even known who he was.”
But you knew Gerard Butler.
“Yes, we met him in Oslo when we were special guests at the Nobel Peace Prize.”
Not to mention Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler of the rock band Aerosmith, who said of you, after your performance on the TV show American Idol, that you had touched the heart of America.
You grew up twice as fast as your peers.
“You know, I’m wondering about that now.”
Why?
“In terms of experiences, certainly. But being part of a group doesn’t mean discovering your true identity.”
Do you mean your formative experience wasn’t always about individual growth?
“No, think about it. Each of us was always 33% of what the world loved in Il Volo. And then…
What?
“It was like always being on a school trip, but without the school.”
Every kid’s dream.
“A land of toys, Collodi (he is the author of Pinocchio) would say. Imagine, while my beloved brother, Ernesto, was at school, I was singing for the Pope at the youth festival in Panama.”
And so, you have a unique memory of him.
“It’s the first time we sang with an altar as a stage. Just inches away from him.”
But the relationship with Pope Francis was a unique one, reiterated over time. In this case, I envy you.
“Something clicked, beyond the role-based relationship between a pontiff and artists.”
Two private meetings.
“We brought him a record with an Ave Maria recorded for the Pope. And he posted a photo of himself with our vinyl on Pontifex’s social media. We didn’t want to believe it: he liked us, he saw us as kids.”
And then you met him again.
“In 2022, we sang in the Vatican for World Family Day. I treasure a beautiful selfie.”
He was charismatic.
“Think about it. At that time, I was very skeptical; I didn’t feel tied to any religious idea. I was experiencing my own inner reflection, alone.”
And during World Family Day?
“When I saw him in that wheelchair, with the oxygen cannula in his nose, apparently weakened compared to when he was healthy, but almost euphoric: I realized his power. The charisma he exuded.”
Explain it.
“He communicated passion, energy. The exact opposite of his physical appearance. Stripped of his body, he overwhelmed you with the energy of his soul.”
You were lucky.
“This image of contrast that Bergoglio conveyed, I carry within me like a gift.”
Let’s return to the theme of the symbiotic relationship in Il Volo: you mentioned both the pros and cons.
“The greatness of what we built lies in the simplicity with which we lived our years between twenties and thirties.”
You had an ugly name at the beginning.
“We were born as a trio; the provisional name was: the Tryo.”
Then you draw on Domenico Modugno. (Volare = Il Volo)
“We needed a less descriptive, more metaphorical concept: flying was perfect as a tribute to Nel blu dipinto di blu.”
But…
“We couldn’t be a copy, clones. And so Volare became Il Volo. Simpler, more powerful.”
The first fairytale concert you remember?
“When we sang for Queen Rania of Jordan. I began to feel this magic that loved beyond us.”
I saw you have a curious photomontage in your gallery.
“There’s me—the one today—embracing myself as a child. Emotionally, I’m still that child.”
Actually, I sense that you feel older than your age.
“Because of the things I’ve done, perhaps. On an experiential level, as I told you, but not on an emotional and formative level. I’m starting to think that being an adult means becoming your own father and mother.”
So, very few succeed.
“In fact, there are plenty of people who think they’re adults but aren’t, even in our world. I can immediately recognize someone who seeks attention.”
Between 2011 and 2015, you did everything: two albums, singing the American national anthem in the most important baseball final, collaborating with the biggest stars. And then in Italy there was Sanremo. Almost a minor event.
“For us, however, it was a milestone. We had been there, but as guests, introduced by Clerici. Now they were coming back as adults. As competitors.”
And coming in first, with 39% of the votes.
“A unique, unrepeatable moment. Us on stage, and inside the Ariston everyone on their feet for the standing ovation.”
And you?
“I turned twenty in front of the cameras, in prime time.”
What’s it like to have won everything at 25?
“The answer I give you now is: the child in me is always there. I watch myself act. I can enjoy everything. But…”
What?
“Careers are long journeys. There are times when—incredibly—practicing gratitude is difficult.”
What do you mean?
“Days when I was always complaining about the things I didn’t have. Success? Yes, abroad, but not in Italy. Sanremo? Yeah, but we never won it. Asia? Let’s go to China, come on. And then we actually did all of this.”
Luckily, Piero and Ignazio are more pragmatic.
“Here, 33 percent is an advantage. When I believe in a project, I let it happen. Then the answers come, and I can be more at peace.”
The Beatles had George Martin, you have Michele Torpedine. Much more than a producer.
“He still has a gift today: vision. We all know that if we found ourselves together, it’s thanks to him. And if we’re still together, it’s always thanks to him.”
Tell me the first funny thing you remember about your relationship.
“We were kids, and he took us to the boutique of a very famous brand. He filled our walk-in closet with clothes and said, ‘Now you choose!’ We had no stylist. Just us and him.”
How does he treat you?
“Like three sons.”
And you?
“We all think we’ve lived Michele’s life.”
What do you mean?
“I remember, as if it were an episode of my own life, the story of Michele bringing the demo of Bocelli’s Miserere to Pavarotti, because he wanted to play it for him in Philadelphia. On an audio cassette.”
They still existed.
“The tape is rolling. They both listen, in silence. Michele is anxious.”
And then?
The recording ends and Pavarotti says, “I won’t sing it. He has to sing it.” Michele is taken aback. Pavarotti says, -”It’s one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard.”- End.”
And what are you like as an artistic son?
“Michele and I are the only ones who have clashed.”
Why?
“In the role-playing game of our relationships, I’m the rebel, the black sheep.”
And him?
“He’s not afraid of confrontation. He always tells me: assert yourself. But in the end, before you decide, listen to me.”
Even in your trio, there are roles.
“I carve out the role of… creative. I plan ideas, the artistic part.”
And Piero?
“He’s a machine, always on the ball: we have to make this call, now, the contract must be closed under these conditions, immediately, we need to put together ten musicians… He’s the wizard of organization.”
And Ignazio?
“He’s the musical Art Director. Behind our sound, our choices, there’s his taste.”
A sticking point?
“We all three have the temperament of leaders. There was a time when each wanted to prevail. Tensions we’ve resolved over the years, with wisdom.”
You sound like Methuselah now.
“Imagine that in 2029—if I get there—I’ll be 33 years old together, and twenty years of career.”
Indeed.
“Do you realize we’re one of the longest-running Italian bands? We could beat Pooh.”
Oh my God, that’s impressive. Is it true that sooner or later you’ll try to do something solo?
“When you’ve achieved all the apparent goals, you feel like you have to find a deeper meaning.”
How?
“It’s not enough for me to just be a performer. This way I feel like I’m giving 60% of myself.”
Ouch! Doubts like this destroyed the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Genesis.
(He smiles) “I want to give you a clear answer: Il Volo will never break up. Because of everything I’ve told you. We’re too close. Too supportive. Too many things unite us, for better or for worse.”
What do you share?
“I identify with Il Volo: I know it’s the same for Ignazio and Piero.”
But what is the most powerful bond between you?
“We’re proud of what we do. The three of us are unbeatable.”
Indeed.
“Believe me. There’s a chemistry that’s palpable. We’re incredibly powerful when we get on stage together. We feel it.”
There may have been shadows, too. I don’t believe in an idyll.
“True. Precisely for this reason, we know how much it costs to get along without clashing.”
So, imagine a parallel experience of yours that doesn’t challenge the group.
“We are not one. There comes a time when everyone comes to terms with themselves.”
And yours?
“It will be about exploring the masks I wear.”
Why are you an artist?
(He laughs) “Because I’ve been on stage since I was fourteen.”
And what do you want to understand now?
“When I strip myself of everything, who am I really? When you reach the end of every success, you feel the need for only one thing: the essential.”
What’s your relationship with your mother, Leonora?
“She’s my emotional archive. My great refuge. She knows how to listen to me like no other.”
Who have you taken most from?
“I can say I took from both sides.”
Even at school, they realized you had a beautiful voice.
“They asked me to sing; I’d stand behind the blackboard facing the wall.”
You’ve had analysis.
“A Lacanian method.”
And your brother?
“He’s the person I would have chosen if I had to find someone I could trust. He works with me. He’s six years younger than me, but sometimes he’s older than me.”
And your father?
“He saved my life twice. Imagine, the night of the avalanche I was supposed to be in Rigopiano. They even told me, ‘We’re coming to get you.’ My father got angry, looking at the sky: ‘You’re not going anywhere, okay? It’s going to snow.’ Angry.”
A premonition.
“He’s rarely this harsh. If I hadn’t listened to him, I would have died. We children are the extension of our parents.”
Your father agrees with this too.
“He’s completed his circle with me. Absolute solidarity. He experiences my success as if it were his own. And, luckily for him, with fewer doubts.”
The most beautiful memory your grandfather Ernesto passed on to you?
“The emotion of being welcomed into homes, when he toured the villages of Abruzzo with his band.”
Beautiful.
“One time, which he couldn’t forget, at a humble table, out of a sense of hospitality, they offered him the last piece of meat left. My grandfather thinks about it. But he takes it. It was 1954. This too, if only I had lived it.”
A steely ninety-year-old.
“Yesterday I went looking for him; he wasn’t home. I found him at the bar playing cards. Grandpa is always with me.”
When you travel the world.
“His voice accompanies me when he tells me: ‘I worked hard, even in the factory, in Switzerland, saving penny after penny to return to Roseto.’ This voice always helps me, in difficult times.”
Does your grandfather’s life lesson apply to you too?
“Yes. It reminds me that the best is yet to come.”
Gianluca and Luca Telese.
The newspaper’s paper masthead with the interview.
Gianluca also released a brief comment for Rete 8.
WOMAN’S VOICE = Your music takes Abruzzo to the whole world. Do you feel like an ambassador for Abruzzo in the world?
GIANLUCA = I’m very proud of my homeland, my roots, and I always make a point of mentioning Abruzzo and our land wherever I go, so I’m honored by this nomination, if I may say so. I must admit that with two Sicilians, it’s not easy, but I try to give my best.
WOMAN = And how is Abruzzo perceived around the world?
GIANLUCA = It’s certainly a land of great culture. In short, our history speaks for itself. Obviously, it also has a great musical and cultural culture, with D’Annunzio (poet and writer), but also great musicians like Ivan Graziani, and so many other great figures who have helped bring our land to fame, not only nationally but internationally. With Il Volo, we try to show that there’s so much more, especially me, of course, and I’m very proud of this.
WOMAN = Do you remember the first time you sang in public, that you took the microphone?
GIANLUCA = Yes, it was in church at my confirmation, so from there I somewhat overcome the barrier of shyness that had accompanied me for many years. But through that first performance, I managed to create a deep connection with the audience, and then I made it a profession, and today I can’t live without it.
WOMAN = Today, thanks to social media, there are so many emerging singers, a small shortcut to getting noticed. Do you believe in this path?
GIANLUCA = Let’s say that my beliefs are tied to my way of seeing things. We all have conflicting opinions on this matter. We certainly shouldn’t be slaves to this extreme production of music that ultimately lacks quality. However, there are many artists, there are voices that want to be heard, but there is a risk of consumerism that can in some way undermine the quality but also the mental health of many young people who are promised the world, when in reality success is achieved through sacrifice, through determination, even obsession, because excellence can only be achieved through sacrifice.
WOMAN = You’re thirty, you’ve been in the spotlight for many years, but what has success given you and what has it taken away from you, if it has taken anything away from you?
GIANLUCA = Perhaps identifying with the mask of success can be dangerous, especially when it happens at the age of 14. I am not my success, I am not the public, I have to try to build a strong personality that will allow me to be strong if I were to lose at any moment everything life has given me, certainly achieved with sacrifice, but I believe that beyond everything you have to really work on yourself to strengthen yourself as a person, then whatever comes… will come.
WOMAN = But when you’re in the car, stuck in traffic on the highway, what music do you listen to?
GIANLUCA = Lately Battiato, but also, say, Bruno Mars. I really listen to all kinds of music. I’m a music lover, especially Italian singer-songwriters, but also Bob Dylan, because it’s important to know all music, and everything comes from classical music. We know this. The scores are written in Italian, so we should be proud. Italians probably invented music!
Gianluca, as always, you amaze us and leave us speechless.
You are a cultured, refined, and kind man.
This award is a perfect fit for you; no one is a better ambassador for Abruzzo than you.
Congratulations, Gianluca, you are a special man!!
So, I wanted to summarize separately all the events our guys attended but in family form and I would say to start with the wedding event of Piero’s brother, Francesco.
The wedding between Francesco and Rita took place on June 12th in Naro, here is a nice summary video.
At the beginning of the video the bride’s friend asks if Francesco will cry at the wedding and Piero responds like this:
PIERO= But Francesco doesn’t cry… (and we see the moment of the bride’s entrance into the church and Francesco who instead gets emotional)
RITA= But at least a tear, two…
PIERO= I’ve never seen him cry, I struggle to imagine him.
…….and instead Francesco gets emotional, indeed, because you know Piero, emotion plays bad tricks and you can’t control your heart….❤️
And here is Piero singing the Ave Maria and then signing the register as a witness to the marriage. 😍
Torpedine and the entire Ginoble family, including Claudia, were present at the wedding.
In the following video, there is the wait for the bride and groom to leave the church and you can clearly see Claudia turning and giving Gianluca a kiss.😍
As you may have understood, Ignazio and his family were not present at the wedding.
Piero and Gianluca singing MY WAY during the wedding party.
But even in the Boschetto household there was a reason to celebrate, in fact on June 15th Michelle turned 31, here she is while receiving a beautiful bouquet of red roses sent by Ignazio, I would say that Michelle is in great shape and her belly is now visible!!
I end the moment dedicated to Ignazio with these two short reviews dedicated to him.
In the first short video a vocal coach writes comments on Ignazio’s performance of Mia Martini’s song.
Ignazio Il Volo, Mia Martini sings, vocal coach Aldo Sabatini. “Ignazio Boschetto sings Mia Martini’s song E NON FINISCE MICA IL CIELO in an exemplary way, he manages to reach challenging notes with great confidence, projection and adding local distortions in line with the style of the song.
Sound projection and dynamics, top, top!
A challenging song that lingers several times on A4 and touches Bb4, he manages to get there in different ways, sometimes adding controlled vocal distortions and in line with the characteristic style of the song.
The confidence, projection and use of vibrato are synonymous with excellent vocal management and control.
Also from an interpretative point of view, in my opinion, he hits the song’s intention very well.”
In this second video, the same vocal coach analyses how Ignazio manages to reach certain notes, the song is THE SHOW MUST GO ON.
How did Ignazio Boschetto reach those notes in the original key on the Queen song?
“How did Ignazio reach the notes with that sound? Yesterday we saw the singer who performed on the TV show LIKE A STAR was unable to do this same passage.
It is absolutely not a comparison or a confrontation between the two, I take this episode to explain something that could be useful to singers.
The reasons why Ignazio can do those notes are:
1-Vocal texture, this does not mean that if you are a baritone you cannot do those notes, but reaching them with that sound is not easy.
2- Ignazio did not think of bringing the chest voice up there, but he used mechanism one with consonances of mechanism two, therefore a sort of mix belt.
3- That sound is the result of talent, musical intelligence, training and technique, because that sound requires a certain muscular athleticism, therefore that sound, on that note is not for everyone, but if you understand how to lighten, channel the sound and project it or in any case get there without lowering the tone you can succeed.”
Well, what can I say, he made some beautiful compliments on Ignazio’s skills, what do you think?
Now I dedicate myself to Gianluca.
After the wedding in Naro, Gianluca and Claudia took advantage of it, since they were in Sicily to go to Taormina where the Film Festival was taking place.
Of course. Gianluca and Claudia also enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere in Taormina.
Here is Gianluca with a local group of musicians.
And here Claudia and Gianluca at the inevitable Bambar.
I would say that the Gianluca Claudia couple is working really well and I’m happy for them.😍
In June there was also a nice interview with Ercole Ginoble who proudly talks about his son Gianluca, here it is.
Gianluca Ginoble, pride of father Ercole: My son is an ambassador of Abruzzo
Interviewed by Domenico Ranieri at the Centro party in Roseto degli Abruzzi, he talked about the strong bond between the tenor of “Il Volo” and his homeland
“We show off our merchandise.” With these ironic words Ercole Ginoble, father of the famous tenor Gianluca of the trio “Il Volo”, talks about the indissoluble bond between his son and his Roseto. Originally from the hamlet of Montepagano, where he still lives with his family, Gianluca Ginoble is promoting Abruzzo in every corner of the world through his singing talent. His father Ercole himself proudly underlined this during the interview given to the editor-in-chief of the Center, Domenico Ranieri: “Gianluca is very attached to Roseto and Abruzzo and, through his activity as a musician, he makes our beautiful territory known throughout the world,” he said.
A commitment that is also reflected in the many television appearances on national networks, where the tenor never misses an opportunity to reiterate his origins: “Piero and Ignazio, the other two members of Il Volo, are Sicilian, a region much better known, for various reasons, than ours,” added Ginoble, “this is also because Abruzzo is not sold well, it is not promoted as it deserves.”
It is for this very reason that Gianluca chose to be an ambassador for his region. His father Ercole then told an anecdote: during a dinner in a restaurant in New York, where director Woody Allen was also present, Gianluca, when asked where he came from, referred to Montepulciano wine: “I am originally from Abruzzo, the region where Montepulciano is produced,” a product much appreciated by Americans.
Gianluca’s talent, his father always said during the interview, emerged from an early age: “I noticed that he was particularly in tune around the age of three, he repeated cartoon songs. Growing up, it was Andrea Bocelli’s music that captivated him: in the car he wanted to listen to it continuously.” At eight years old Gianluca joined a small choir in Roseto and began performing in summer recitals on the seafront or in evenings at the municipal villa. The turning point came with his participation in the Rai Uno talent show hosted by Antonella Clerici. From there, an extraordinary career began which, despite his young age, already boasts collaborations with artists of the caliber of Barbara Streisand and Sting.
Back to Piero, because June 24th was his birthday, Piero turned 32.
BUON COMPLEANNO PIERO!!!🎊🎂🎉❤️
Piero you are a charming, serious, intelligent man, an artist of excellent qualities and a good son.
You are strong, we love you!! ❤️
It was a nice roundup of events related to Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca and their families.
I want to assure you that no privacy has been violated, because what I have reported to you has been published on countless fan pages and also highlighted by the newspapers.
And now I hope that they have a restful July, here in Italy it is really very hot and the three of them deserve to relax their body and mind, recharge their batteries and dedicate themselves to their families.
Daniela 🤗
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
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