‘Twas three weeks before Christmas when all through the house, Not a creature was stirring not even my Spouse! The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that Il Volo would soon be there!
That pretty much sums up what we all want for Christmas! Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca! Dream on, that’s not happening!
What I want for Christmas this year is for the guys to spend more time in the States!
When I was watching the lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockerfeller Center last week, I was thinking about 2012 when our guys were there! It made me think that maybe it would be nice to relive someChristmas Memories!
Let’s go back to 2011 where we find the first Christmas presentation….
Christmas 2011 ~ The Tonight Show with Jay Leno “Christmas Song”
Those were the days when we could turn on our TV and see Il Volo on one of the night shows! The night shows the guys did were amazing! Why? These were three Italian kids who came to America and stole the hearts of the American people! American groups don’t get the opportunity to go on these shows. But again, they are not Il Volo! Amazing!
And let’s not forget the Christmas Tree lighting in LA!
Il Volo performs with Pia Toscano at the LA Live Tree Lighting
How absolutely amazing is this performance? I think Pia Toscano was in awe of those three teenagers!
Christmas 2012 ~ Lighting the Christmas Tree at Rockerfeller Center
This is by far was one of the best Christmas Tree lightings at Rockerfeller Center! They stole the show! Hopefully they will be invited back to light the tree again!
Christmas 2013 ~ Home and Family Holiday Show 2013
One of the things I miss about the guys not being in the States is their appearances on Home & Family Show. The guys cooked and sang and brought us much joy! One of the greatest shows was the 2013 Holiday Show. Guest stars on that show were Il Volo. They sang such beautiful Christmas Carols!
Christmas 2013 ~ Concert at the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
I had a hard time deciding whether to use the Home & Family Show video or the Assisi video. So, I decided let’s use both!
Christmas 2014 ~ Concerto di Natale 2014 at the Italian Senate
Before I tell you what the guys had to say about this concert, I want to tell you that this is the most amazing Christmas concert you will see this year! The guys and the kids are phenomenal! They brought me to tears! And, I must say Pietro Grasso enjoyed it, especially all the old Neapolitan songs. I thought he was going to get up and sing with the guys! Reactions like this is why the classical Neapolitan songs never die! They stay in our hearts forever! A good time was had by all!
In their book, Ignazio speaking for the guys explained how it felt to sing at the Senate.
We want to talk about the thrill of singing in front of the highest office of state! What twenty-year-old boy has something like that happen? It happened to us, and it seems to me a beautiful result, an honor.
The concert was on December 21st. You cannot imagine the emotional feeling to be called “guests of honor” inside the Senate.
The fantastic Filarmonia Orchestra Veneta conducted by Diego Basso. Half the beauty of the song is in the orchestra.
We start with Christmas classics such as Adeste Fideles and White Christmas, but then there was also Caruso, Mattinata, No Puede Ser, Memory and of course our classic ‘O Sole Mio.
The most exciting moments? Every one! But the hymn of Mameli was the heart-pounding one, the first song, singing in that place, with everyone singing along with us, including Giorgio Napolitano, (President) and Pietro Grasso (President of the Senate). It is one thing that I cannot explain.
And then, of course, the pleasure of shaking hands with the President of the Republic and of feeling that he knows Marsala, he has been there.
Christmas 2015 ~ Santa Claus is Coming to Town!!
Alright so you don’t have a sense of humor! I couldn’t find a Christmas video for 2015. Let’s face it the guys were a little busy that year! Remember Sanremo and Eurovision
Christmas 2016 ~ Il Volo & Jackie Evancho sing “Little Drummer Boy” on the Today Show
And those were the days when we could turn on the morning shows and find Il Volo! This is singer and former “America’s Got Talent” contestant Jackie Evancho. She teamed up with our guys to perform “The Little Drummer Boy” live on the TODAY Show.
Christmas 2017 ~ Adeste Fideles (O come all ye faithful)
Ok! So, I cheated. This is actually January 2017. But isn’t it spectacular!
Christmas 2018 ~ “Voci di Natale” Líbano 2018
In 2018 the guys went to Lebanon to spend Christmas with the troops! What beautiful hearts they have! There are some very touching moments in this video! It warms my heart!
This story was so beautiful that I decided to include the link to the original translation of the video by Daniela Perani. It is so worth reading! Thank you, Daniela!
Christmas 2019 ~ O Holy Night (Especial Navidad Azteca)
This was a TV Special Navidad Azteca, of the Azteca Uno Channel of Mexico, recorded during the guys visit in November 2019.
Christmas 2020 ~ Piazza Pio XII at St. Peter’s Square
That was the year that was!What a wonderful way to take a year that we all want to forget about and turn it into an absolutely amazing moment. An event that will never happen again. One of the things I love in this video is Gianluca looking back at the light in the window of the Holy Fathers apartment! He knew he was listening to them!
This event was a prelude to the Tribute to Ennio Morricone that was planned for June 2021. It never took place at Piazza Pio XII but, it did take place at the ancient Arena of Verona. And what an unforgettable event that was! Let’s pray that the guys will have an opportunity to have a concert in Piazza Pio XII when we are finished with this awful business!
This one was my personal favorite! In a year when we really needed it, they made all of our Christmases bright!
Thank you, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca for all the wonderful moments you share with us!
So, I hope you enjoyed reliving the guys’Christmas Memories!
Let me leave you with the lyrics to another Christmas song!
I don’t want a lot for Christmas! There is just one thing I need! I don’t care about the presents, Underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own, More than you could ever know, Make my wish come true, All I want for Christmas is Il Volo!
Perhaps ask Santa for their album, “Il Volo Sings Morricone,” or a ticket to one of the many concerts on the World Tour!
One final thought! In the United States the Christmas season starts on the first Sunday after Thanksgiving, the first day of Advent! In Italy the Christmas season starts on December 8th the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception. On that day the streets of Italy come to life with beautiful lights and decorations and wonderful street festivals. So, I would like to wish my Italian family, friends and fans a joyful Christmas Season!
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
I thought this was interesting, it’s from “The Huffington Post”.
Donald Trump Makes Dubious Claim About Inauguration Singer Jackie Evancho
Here is part of that article:
“Only Trump’s claims that Evancho’s “album sales have skyrocketed after announcing her inauguration performance” are being called into question. Especially in cause and effect.
Here is the entire article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-jackie-evancho_us_586e2001e4b0c56eb4b727d8
***
Forget the politics…Another article says the shelves had to be stocked twice with her album. Several of us were watching when Jackie made the announcement on the Today Show that day. Humm….I wonder if there might have been another reason for her rise in sales the day she sang with IL Volo?
December 14 we heard Il Volo on the Today Show partner with Jackie Evancho, past winner of “America’s got Talent“. She is a classically trained singer that does opera, Broadway, romantic pop music and some other types. Her voice is getting more and more developed as she gets older (only 16 yrs old) and I keep thinking that we Il Volo fans have been here before. When Il Volo started here in the United States for their first trip Gianluca was 16 (Ignazio was 17 and Piero was 18) . However, his voice was already more developed for that same age. That is not a complaint against Jackie – just nature. Now they have joined together to record some music and on the Today Show they did the Christmas song: “Little Drummer Boy”.
First comment I have is this is the best female partner they have partnered with (except for Barbara Streisand) – the best voice, the best trained and the best suited to their singing style. I hope they do more things together.
What you will note in this performance is that the boys’ voices – the pure instruments – are much larger and have a bigger sound (more training and they are older). That is aside from singing louder or softer. When they sing soft it is a larger sound than Jackie singing soft. But on Today the boys showed the true musicianship they have by regulating their sound to blend well with her. They could very easily have drown her out – TOTALLY. As you go through the song please note how each guy has a duet line with her and that each guy adjusts to her so beautifully.
The song was well done and the boys work very nicely with Jackie. I would like to see them together again sometime.
I would also like to see the boys on more US TV shows like the Tonight Show, Late Show, Jimmy Kimmel, Live with Kelly, The View, Ellen, etc. etc.
As we have all heard, Italy was struck, yet again, with another earthquake, near where the last one was back in August. So far, through various news media, I have not seen anything of any casualties – thank God!I posted on Jane’s FB if she was ok and where were they? She posted back that they were out of the earthquake area and ok. Just minutes ago, I got an email from Marie, stating, that indeed, they were safe! 🙂
Here is what she said:“Hello, please let our readers know that we are fine! I am getting emails asking. We picked up our rental car in Perugia, the epicenter, as we left Assisi the other day. We are now in Naro, south of any trouble and will drive to Palermo this morning and fly to Naples for the night. Tomorrow we will begin our journey, by train, up the west coast toward Portofino. We should be ok to go. The quake happened in the night and like most of Italy, we are waiting to see the final results when daylight arrives. it is now almost 7 am.”
I asked if she had heard that Gianluca mentioned the Flight Crew in the interview the other day, she said, “Yes!”along with this:
Jana, reporting live, from my green leather chair in chilly Dearborn!
The Christmas album “Someday at Christmas” by Jackie Evancho features a Duet with Il Volo. Ready for release on Friday, October 28. Available on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble for $10.79.
Jackie in 2011:
And in 2016:
Our Guys 2011:
And in 2016:
Yeah, she’s pretty lucky. ~Marie
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!
