And last night, we were able to see the entire duration of the Il Volo performance in La Notte della Taranta.

Here is the video and what was said:

Click image below to view the video.

On stage there are the musicians and Albano who leads the evening.

From behind the stage the voices of Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca can be heard shouting, almost singing, a phrase in the Apulian dialect (they ask who has olives to sell).

ALBANO = What a beautiful song!

PIERO = Hello Master. Good evening

ALBANO = I am still a student and I want to stay that way.

GIANLUCA = Good evening everyone.

IGNAZIO = (asks ALBANO) What do this phrase remind you of: (pronounce the phrase “who sells olives?”)

ALBANO = (I remind you that Albano was born and lives in Puglia) 

Meanwhile it reminds me of the autumn song, I called it, the November song.

It was the period of olives, of the olive harvest, a man always passed with a cart and shouted (he sings the phrase in Apulian dialect together with Ignazio)

IGNAZIO = Yes, I remember (Ignazio jokes, he was not yet born)

ALBANO = For non-Apulians, this sentence must be translated: “Who has olives, I have to buy them”, this was the message, and whoever had olives in the house, went and sold them, and that way, people got some money, of course. (peasant people always had at least one olive tree near home, in Puglia, the olive tree is very widespread, and when this man of the cart passed by, people sold him the olives they had picked from their tree)

But the beautiful thing was when I listened to Modugno (he wrote Volare) on the radio, on national radio, and finally he sang in the language, he finally sang in our language (Apulian), and there the pride exploded with all its violence, with all its beauty.

IGNAZIO = So let’s hope, with this next song we will sing, to make you even more proud of your land.

ALBANO = You know that I am proud to have you here beside …..

GIANLUCA = …. and we are happy ….

ALBANO = …. simply because I baptized these two (it refers to Ignazio and Piero, and by saying baptized it means that he has already had the opportunity to sing in pairs with them, during Ti Lascio Una Canzone) and to you (Gianluca) you I baptize this evening.

GIANLUCA = One day, sooner or later, we will sing you and I together.

But it is nice, I can say, that these events make it possible to spread a musical culture like this of the Taranta, and it is right that young people are attached to the roots of these great events.

But we must not lose this desire to carry on traditions, we too, as young people, are proud to be here tonight. (applause)

ALBANO = Do you sing now?

IGNAZIO = Now!

ALBANO = And I listen to you now !!

(Calinitta begins, beautiful song in Grico dialect, mixed between Greek and Apulian)

I found a text translated into Italian by Calinitta (Buonasera), and then, I translated it into English for you, to make you understand the meaning of the beautiful and sweet words sung by our boys with such ardor.

How sweet this night is, how beautiful it is
and I don’t sleep thinking about you
and here behind your window, my love,
of my heart I open my pains to you.

larilò larilò lallero …..

I always think of you,
because you, my soul, I love
and wherever I go, I will wander, I will stay
I will always carry you in my heart.

larilò larilò lallero …..

Yet you never loved me, beautiful,
nor did you ever have pity on me;
you never opened your beautiful lips
to tell me sweet words of love!

larilò larilò lallero …..

The stars from above are watching me
and with the moon they whisper in secret
and they laugh and tell me: “to the wind
throw the songs, they are lost .”

larilò larilò lallero …..

Good night! I leave you and run away
you sleep that I left sad
But wherever I go, I will wander, I will stay,
I will always carry you in my heart.

larilò larilò lallero …..

Really very good Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca to interpret this beautiful song.

Elegant in Dolce & Gabbana suits. I know well that many of you do not approve of sneakers, but you must understand, that here in Italy, Il Volo is accused of always dressing too much in a formal way and therefore sneakers are needed to give a youthful touch.

Ignazio has a long beard, I am not in favor of a beard in general, I prefer a barely hinted beard.

Their voices, that is, always magnificent.

Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero were then interviewed by the official page of La Notte della Taranta.

Here they are :

WOMAN = Let’s start from the basics, how do you say goodnight in Greek?

PIERO = Calinitta

GIANLUCA = Calinitta.

WOMAN = And then, how does this song go on ??? (Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero sing a verse from the song)

GIANLUCA = Right?

WOMAN = Quite right !!

GIANLUCA = So you (inhabitants of Puglia) all speak Grico?

WOMAN = In Greece-Salento yes!

IGNAZIO =(explains to Piero) When the Greeks come here on vacation, the local elders understand them, because the older ones still speak the Grico dialect.

PIERO = Great.

WOMAN = What do you think of La Notte della Taranta?

IGNAZIO = It is certainly one of the most important cultural events in Italy, and welcome, because I always say that Italy is a nation full of different cultures and traditions and certainly these events give space to make known their own traditions and culture, and therefore we are honored to be part of it, alongside ALBANO, an Apulian DOC, which has never forgotten its origins and there is also MADAME (young singer) who is a young woman, like us.

Hence the importance of carrying the roots, ALWAYS, in any situation, in any place.

WOMAN = It will be a rock Calinitta, according to Melozzi (the orchestra master)

GIANLUCA= It is a symphonic rock, which is also the secret of Queen (rock group), if we want to talk also musically about the history of the great artists who have always brought symphonic rock all over the world.

IGNAZIO = Calinitta Queeniana.

GIANLUCA = Melozzi is a great musician, moreover from Abruzzo, I am also from Abruzzo, I always speak of my land, sorry, and therefore it is nice that there is also a little of Abruzzo in this Taranta and I am proud of it.

WOMAN = Calinitta !!

PIERO = Ah, Calinitta ciao everyone!

GIANLUCA = Calinitta.

Only one song, unfortunately, but really beautiful and full of meaning and our young people gave a very beautiful and traditional version.

Furthermore, Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca certainly do not hide their attachment to traditions and origins. Well done.

But we have to run, let’s leave Puglia, Venice is waiting for us !!

Daniela

Credit to owners of all photos and videos.