On March 19, at the Pirandello Theater in Agrigento, an event in favor of peace in Ukraine was held. It was called, SICILY FOR PEACE.
Piero Barone took part in this event.
The event was organized by Silvio Schembri, (journalist) and Lello Analfino (singer and producer), both friends of Piero.
When Piero was proposed to participate, he wasn’t sure if he would be in Sicily on those days, but then when he was sure he could be there, he surprised everyone by attending the event.
The video begins with Silvio Schembri coming down from the stage and arriving where Piero Barone is seated.
Silvio makes Piero get up and the people, recognizing him, applaud, then Silvio, imitating the voice of a woman who says:
“Did you see, I told you it was him,”😁😁
and then presents: “PIERO BARONE, there is no need for an introduction.”(applause)
Come with me. (Piero takes off his jacket) Make yourself comfortable.
PIERO: Tonight, I am really happy, honored, to be attending this event. I was fascinated by the Pirandello Theater, because I had never been inside the Pirandello Theater.
SILVIO: This is news that I discovered today, Piero Barone who sang on the most important stages in the world ……
MAN: You went directly to the Ariston (Sanremo stage) without going through the Pirandello Theater, we can say.
PIERO: I realized that it is something that I should have done for some time, because today I arrived 100 meters from the theater and I asked a woman for information:
“Madam, where is the Pirandello Theater?” and she replied:
“You are not Sicilian.”(laughter)😁
“Yes, but unfortunately I don’t know where it is.”
SILVIO: There was never an opportunity, but who knows, maybe this is the first of a long series of occasions.
(on the stairs of the stage)
And here we are, moreover you tour New York, Las Vegas, all parts of the world, but always in Naro, then you come back.
VOICE: (from the audience) Bravo, Naro in the heart !!❤
PIERO: A little while ago I was saying, while I was doing the interview with Silvio…. (There is the overview of the theater, but the interview returns in the backstage)
MAN: The truth is that you like Agrigento so much, when you can live it, we have seen you around, on the seafront, at the tennis club, in short, when you want, Agrigento is your life.
PIERO: Agrigento makes you feel protected, it is a fantastic city. I was born in this magnificent province, I was born in Naro, but I often frequent Agrigento in the summer, I bring all my friends and collaborators to Sicily, I make them all arrive.
(continues on the stairs)
In the city of Agrigento, I don’t know many people, because I frequented it (Agrigento) for the choir of S. Cecilia (as a child, before participating in Ti Lascio una Canzone), when I was a beginner, with Professor Bonfiglio, I spent my childhood there.
SILVIO: Then at 14 you decided to become famous … right? (laughter)😁
PIERO: But I spend my holidays in San Leone (a seaside resort near Agrigento), it’s great, I take all my friends, my colleagues, I don’t go anywhere, they arrive here in Sicily …
SILVIO: Every now and then you also come to Siculiana Marina … (another seaside resort of Agrigento) 😁
PIERO: Because the best thing is to feel yourself. Today I called Silvio, but not only for this event, but also to ask him where we are going tomorrow, because the first phone call I make when I come to Sicily is to call Silvio Schembri (Silvio gives him a kiss …. applause and laughter)
SILVIO: Because he knows that I always take him to eat well, that you understand!! 😁
PIERO: Two weeks ago, Lello (organizer of the event) sent me a message, and I was far away (he was in the US), and I didn’t know what to answer, I would have said yes right away, but I don’t want to give a word, and then invent an excuse if I have a sudden commitment, because unfortunately I am here physically almost never, and now I am overjoyed to give my contribution. I don’t sing, without my colleagues (Gian and Ignazio), for various reasons, so today I called Ignazio and Gianluca and I told them:
“Any video you will see from tomorrow on the internet, don’t worry, I’ll sing in a theater, don’t worry”, and I’ll sing, we call it a song…. I want to sing a prayer, because everyone can come here and sing any song, but for an evening like this, I want to sing something special, an Ave Maria (Hail Mary) and it’s the only one way, for my part, to express my closeness, in such a complex and particular moment. (applause)❤
(The Ave Maria begins.)
MAN: Thanks to both of you, thanks to Silvio Schembri, thanks to Piero Barone, for what you are giving this evening to the Pirandello Theater, for the solidarity operation you are carrying out and which is not the first time, I also remember when the pandemic broke out, you took an important step.
SILVIO: With the help of many people who are also here, like Lello Analfino and Piero, in the midst of the pandemic, in the first wave, we immediately activated, with many other friends, to find funds.
PIERO: The idea was born during our phone calls: “Oh Silvio, what do we do?”
SILVIO: At the beginning of the pandemic our talks were about how to cook bread and pizzas, then we said: “But what can we do? Are we doing something concrete?”
Thanks to all of you.
(video resumes on stage)
LELLO: Piero Barone (hug) You are my nephews. ❤❤
And here is the full video of Piero’s entire performance, published by the Pirandello Theater.
SILVIO: I’ve dreamed of it for a lifetime (to introduce Piero) and tonight I have to do it myself: On the piano Maestro Salvatore Galante(applause), sings Piero Barone. (Applause – the Ave Maria begins, at the end, long applause, Lello Analfino enters, very excited, long hugs)
LELLO: You are like my nephews.
SILVIO: Yes, uncle, leave us some money later. (laughter)😁(To Piero) We talked about it before, now the concerts start again, the travels, the theaters full …..
PIERO: Yes, we start again on June 2nd after two years, in Italy, we start from the Verona Arena, we will also sing in Taormina, June 11th and 12th and maybe …..
SILVIO: .…. also, in other parts of Sicily, so to speak. Taormina is a fixed stop for Il Volo, as if it were a tradition …
PIERO: He is happy, because when he comes to Taormina, then we go to the disco.
LELLO: I know, he (Silvio) tells me crazy things.
PIERO: The last photo of the concert in Taormina ….
SILVIO: Be careful what you say there are so many secrets …
PIERO: …… it is not a photo of Il Volo on the stage singing, with Etna behind and the sea, but it is a photo of Silvio Schembri in the disco, without a shirt ….😁😁
LELLO: But did you have a bow tie?
SILVIO: I’ll explain why. We were in this disco, after the Il Volo concert, and all the girls were saying: “a photo”, Piero lifts his shirt and shows his abs and I thought, I can do this too …. and then I said: “Come here a second and I too will take off my shirt and take the picture, and the (the girls) came”😁
But one of the most beautiful things in Taormina, we tell this and then we let you go, it is a fixed stop, when I can, I always go there, and one of the fixed stops when Il Volo sings in Taormina, is Saretto al Bambar where we eat granite there in Taormina.
And when Il Volo arrives in Taormina, you can’t imagine what’s there, it’s all full, with their fans who come from all over the world, you hear them speak in all languages, and go inside the Bambar to get the slushes, with all these people, it’s packed, and so I pull away for a moment and put myself behind to let the fans get closer.
I put myself in a trajectory between Il Volo and two elderly people who were there eating the granita…. (while he talks he sees a woman in the audience laughing) “You already know this story madam? Already laughing?”😁
At one point the man stops eating and calls the waiter and asks: “Excuse me, this whole brothel (crowd of people)”
“You know, there are those from Il Volo.”
This man turns around and the first person he sees is me, he turns around and says to his wife: “How much has this become of Il Volo?”(he means: how much fat has this of Il Volo become)😁
I swear to you! 😁😁😁 It’s a true story !!
LELLO: And don’t you know that since Silvio goes to Bambar, they have made seafood granita😁
SILVIO: Piero, I don’t know what to say, thank you, thank you in my name and in everyone’s name.
final greetings
It was a really good event and for a good cause.
In these days, Il Volo was live on a pop program of a Korean radio show. I saw them live and it was very strange, because that radio transmits very different music from the one Il Volo sings, but it was beautiful and also appreciated by the young presenter.
Here is the video of Il Volo’s participation.
Concert dates continue to be added here in Europe and also in Italy and it is with great joy that the date of BRESCIA has also been added. I couldn’t believe it, and the news came from OHIO (thanks Rose Marie). The concert will take place on September 2nd outdoors in the beautiful Piazza Loggia, the place where in 2015 I saw my first Il Volo concert.
I struggled a lot to get the tickets, something didn’t work in the presale, but in the end I made it, third row. I hope I can make some great videos for you, ideally I will take all of you with me!! It will be a great night.❤
Friendship, the true one, can move seas and mountains, and is recognized in times of need.
Piero and Gianluca are two true friends and right now they are demonstrating this. Ignazio, since his father’s funeral, has remained in Sicily, perhaps he did not want to leave his mother and sister alone and he needed a moment of rest.
But there is a project to be completed, the tribute for Morricone, time passes and the date, which for now remains confirmed, is approaching.
So, a couple of days ago Gianluca published a photo of him at the Rome airport, leaving, for where?
We all thought about a return to Bologna, to continue the registration for the tribute.
But it wasn’t like that, the three friends got together, but not in Bologna, but in Sicily, it was all planned ….. I don’t think so. I think that the events, which prompted Ignazio to return to Marsala and to take a rest period, made Piero and Gianluca decide to return with their friend, to support him and also be able to continue their projects.
This is a true friendship. ❤❤❤ And here they are, beautiful and united.
Can I interpret the feelings of all of us fans, seeing Ignazio Piero and Gianluca together again? A feeling of great affection invaded me on seeing their beautiful faces gathered together. So much gratitude to Piero and Gianluca who preferred to go back to their friend and companion of many moments, Ignazio.
But the works have to resume, and so here they are intent on rehearsing the songs, they nicely let us peek, small moments, some chords ……. to make us understand that everything is proceeding.
I glimpse between them Lello Analfino, the one who had written beautiful words for Piero and Ignazio, now he has also met Gianluca, it looks like a recording studio, perhaps Analfino is giving them advice, and they know how to listen to the advice of people who have experience!
Surely, the Sicilian landscape outside is gorgeous, by the admission of the guys themselves ….. “the best way to record music” …..
And then we go out together, as friends, return by car and…
….. to end the evening, a nice dinner all together, while watching a football match, good times with friends, to end the evening, after a day of rehearsals.
And tomorrow we start again, but always together, always united.
Because this is the meaning of friendship.
The friendship that makes Ignazio write a beautiful theme for a television drama, Màkari, but which he shares with his old friends: Piero and Gianluca.
(this photo is the fragment of Màkari’s opening theme where Ignazio and IL VOLO are credited for the song)
And in the recording studio MCN STUDIO 17, in Palermo, they work, record, but there are also satisfactions.
These beautiful words had just been published by the studio itself.
Days of friendship and a special love that only music can give, thanks Il Volo, because in addition to music you bring with you that healthy joy of life that makes every moment madly beautiful, after all, art is to transform into happiness, and to live every moment of what some commonly call work, in a light way and full of ideas to improve by improving, you have brought this into our studios.
PS: Silvio Schembri (Piero’s friend) brought the “cassata” (delicious Sicilian dessert) and isn’t that happiness too ??? 🤡
To the most demanding, rightly, we remind you that the people portrayed in the photo are all “buffered” (they performed the test for the virus), see the following photo, and despite this, during the working hours all the positions were maintained and used precautions to avoid contact.
The photo without masks is a need that concerns the affection you feel with friends, and also a desire to exorcise the moment with the hope of being able to return soon to hug and kiss without fear, because hugs and kisses are that code of body language that makes us men and women free to love each other, and we want for these young talents a good that goes beyond imagination.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
A couple of days ago, the page of Il Volo gave the official news of Vito’s passing with these beautiful and moving words.
A few years ago we titled one of our concerts “An Extraordinary Adventure”.
Well, all adventures contain moments of happiness and moments of sadness, the key thing is to face each of these moments together.
United, always.
Ciao Vito, we will miss you.
Better words could not be chosen, Vito will never be forgotten.
Always united, in happy and sad times, because that’s how true friendship works.
And what about the nice words used to our guys by the recording studio
What a joy to be able to see Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio, at work, rehearsing and recording, because they want the next event to be “perfect”, they want everyone to like it and be a worthy tribute to a “great composer”.
They will succeed, we are sure, and we will contribute to their success, with our affection and with our support.
Immediately before the beautiful performance in Sanremo, Il Volo made this small clip to congratulate Radio Subasio for 45 years of activity.
I propose it because in any case we see Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, quite serene.
As soon as the performance was over, Il Volo was interviewed by Radio Italia. Or rather, only Piero and Gianluca were present, because Ignazio, as soon as the performance was over, left immediately.
Perhaps not everyone has already seen this interview, as soon as I heard the first sentences, my heart was filled with gratitude for Piero ❤ and Gianluca ❤, for the beautiful words of affection towards Ignazio.
Mario Volanti = Two of Il Volo came to visit us …
Piero = Two thirds of Il Volo …
Gian = Happy to see you.
MV = We greet Ignazio who had to leave immediately …
Piero = Do we want to thank Ignazio because he has the strength of a lion? If we are here today it is thanks to him.
Gian = Our great life and travel companion.
MV = How long have you been traveling together, guys?
Piero = 12 years.
Gian = It all started in 2009, right here, in Sanremo, at the Ariston. Then a few things happened.
MV = Do you still feel Italian or have you become a bit globalized?
Piero = Imagine. Perhaps the thing we have suffered most in recent years has been to do concerts only abroad before 2015. After 2015, thanks to Sanremo, we started doing concerts in Italy. I must say that when concerts are held in Italy it is always more beautiful. You feel close to home and this is nice for us, who spend 8/9 months a year away from our home, from Italy. However, abroad, the public manages to appease this lack.
MV = What was it like to sing on the Ariston stage, without an audience and in those somewhat particular conditions?
Gian = It looks like a soundcheck. But you are aware that millions of people are watching you. We lose empathy with the public, but we have given our best, because we must always try to be impeccable. We are really happy with this performance, but above all to be able to pay homage to the great Maestro Ennio Morricone. We are working on a new musical project, a record, with all the Maestro’s soundtracks sung, in English and Italian, from Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, to Once Upon a Time in America, Sacco and Vanzetti, to the Ecstasy of Gold. We are working on a very nice project, we hope.
MV = I have to pull your ears though. At the Sanremo Festival you are extra-elegant. Then come to us, in Palermo, in front of 100 thousand people, with t-shirts and jeans. Why?
Piero = Can I give you a great answer? When we come to you we feel at home. We make ourselves comfortable.
You are here now with the jacket and pants, as soon as you get home, you put on your tracksuit or pajamas, right? You make yourself comfortable ….
MV = Do you mean that next time you come to me in your pajamas?
Piero = With you we feel at home, we make ourselves comfortable.
Gian = We don’t come in pajamas though.
MV = You are highly forgiven.
Do you remember Palermo? (beautiful outdoor show in front of thousands of guys).
Piero = And who forgets it.
MV = Crazy. An infinite crowd.
Gian = We will be back. Very early.
MV = As soon as possible.
Piero = Have you already thought about it?
MV = In 2020 we had already organized Palermo. Then what happened happened. And it jumped. You, you came in 2019, the last RADIO ITALIA LIVE – THE CONCERT in Palermo. You made 100,000 people sing.
Gian = We will soon be back to normal. Let’s be optimistic.
MV = Thanks anyway, it has always been nice to have you as our guests, and hearing you sing is always something exciting, and unique, you are good.
P + G = Thanks
MV = What happens in the near future?
Piero = We are in full registration phase. It is a very delicate phase. When an artist works on a new musical project, he has that doubt: “Will he like it or will he not like it?” We can say that the name of Ennio Morricone clearly helps us a lot. In June we will hold this concert-event, dedicated to Ennio Morricone, taken up by all the American, Japanese, South American televisions and, we hope, a tour will follow in 2022.
Gian = There will also be duets, musicians and international singers.
Piero = But if you give us the date of the Radio Italia concert …
Gian =… We already fix it and we won’t have any commitments.
MV = Promise?
Best wishes for your production. Goodbye, at the next RADIO ITALIA LIVE – THE CONCERT.
P + G = With the T-shirt
MV = No, I fly you in my pajamas !! Bye guys!
P + G = Bye
For those who want to review the performance of Il Volo at the Radio Italia Concert in Palermo, here is the video.
What a fantastic performance, and what a beautiful choral participation of all the many young people of Palermo. We hope that soon, these beautiful experiences can be made again.
I am positive and we will do them again soon.
Now look at this photo, it is from 2017.
There are Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca with Hauser, the famous cellist, who was then part of the 2CELLOS. They had promised then to do something together but the common commitments never allowed it, but in these days has been published this beautiful video, a “virtual meeting”.
Really nice work and the song acquires a different but very sweet sound.
Listen.
Now in addition, I want to offer you this beautiful statement, made by Lello Analfino, who is a good Sicilian singer-songwriter, his songs are true poems.
Education and Respect are values that cannot be studied, cannot be bought, handed down from parents to children, you cannot lose them, if you have them you will have them forever no matter what happens. I would like to congratulate Messrs Barone and Boschetto for having handed down these values to their children.
Today I had the privilege of being able to personally verify the human depth of these two guys, who were guests in my studio which is then my home, and who made me fall in love with their vitality and their music that they communicate not only with their beautiful voices, but also through that simple way of being great artists. Thank God I make music and I still manage to be moved and the world still manages to amaze me.
PS = the following photo shows the swabs we made before starting work, so please don’t criticize our selfie because today the only thing I missed is not being able to hug and hold tightly these two guys too good . ❤❤
Lello Analfino
When words like this are written, which come directly from the heart, but also from the deep intellectual honesty, which admires respect and education, in addition to the undeniable skill ….. what to say ….. I am ecstatic and proud, almost as if they were my children.
And I’m sure Analfino didn’t get to know Gianluca, otherwise the compliments would surely have been extended to him too.
How lucky we are to be fans of these three guys!
Daniela
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
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