Back in March, when the guys were on the Michelle Huzinker show, “Michelle Impossible,” Michelle asked the guys this question….
Michelle: Ok, a little more gossip. Who happened to find his autograph on the calf of a Vololover??
Ignazio: On the calf!
Piero:We were in the United States, the morning of the concert I go on the treadmill to run and while I was running, I saw this lady next to me, we say hello, I run with earphones, I see it and I think I know that signature there, it was my autograph, here, tattooed like this (and he marks at the end of the calf).
Michelle: Crazy, incredible!
Piero says it was his signature, in reality was written IL VOLO.
For those of you who don’t know who Piero was talking about, it is Marie Crider who is one of the founders of the Flight Crew!
As we celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of Flight Crew, I thought it would be nice to talk about one of the founders. Since Marie had this beautiful experience with Piero, I thought what better way to honor her than by publishing her incredible story. Marie is now retired, but her story is a classic and her experience with Piero is incredible because he is incredible! Marie would call him sweet, and I agree and you will too after reading her story!
In 2014, when Marie Crider wrote about her meeting with Piero, she started her story with these words, “You know, the whole day before your life changes forever, it’s just an ordinary day.”
She goes on to say, “Here is what started that next day.”
Marie suggests we grab a cup of tea and pull up a chair. This is going to take a while.
Settle in and together we will hear the story about Marie’s Day With Piero.
After seeing that hotel room view (and realizing the guys were at the same hotel as she was.) and thinking there was a possibility that The Boys really were just above me, I noticed the gym was merely 10 steps from my door. I took that as an omen. I know the Boys work out mornings.
I got up at 6:30 a.m., threw on a t-shirt, sweat shorts and tennis shoes (no makeup – hair, well bad) and headed for the gym. No one there – Left.
7:00 – no one in the gym. 7:30 – no one in the gym. 8:00 – Two guys in the corner. Neither looked familiar.
I figured The Boys took off the night before if they were ever really there at all. I had been either sitting in a car or sitting at a concert for the better part of two weeks. At home I walk every day. I was stiff and crampy, so I hopped on a treadmill. Within five minutes someone jumped on the one beside mine. IT WAS PIERO!
Even writing that made my heart thump!
I took a deep breath and wondered why, since the place was almost empty and there were plenty of machines, he hopped on one less than six inches away. I vowed not to do a fan thing and just kept walking. He immediately said, ‘I see you.’ I said, ‘Yeah? Well, I saw you too.’ He laughed. I made Piero laugh! I will never forget that exchange! At this point I was walking to the pace of, Oh Boy, Oh Boy, pause. Oh Boy, Oh Boy.
Later, when I got back to my room I immediately wrote down everything I could remember.
Michele made me run it all by her, word for word, in case I remembered more. Thanks Michele! I wrote a few more notes on a couple of envelopes in my purse in the car.
Here’s what I remember:
I told him I enjoyed the concert last night. He must have been in a chatty mood ’cause he kept talking. He asked what my favorite part of the concert was. I told him ‘Everything’ (My momma didn’t raise no fool!). I did say that I really liked the solos and the new Caruso arrangement.
I asked him what his favorite part was. He said the big orchestra and the really nice indoor theater.
He asked what I didn’t like. I told him the only thing I didn’t like was not being able to take pictures. He said that it was not their request, it was a rule of the theater. I asked him what he didn’t like. He honestly told me a few things. Think I’ll keep them to myself.
I had an easier time remaining sane than you might think. My nervous energy was lessened by the fact that I was on a treadmill the entire time. However, about this time I had a thought, ‘I can’t believe you’re walking beside me talking like a normal person when last night 4,000 people were screaming your name.’That made me pretty nervous, and I tried not to think those thoughts again!
I asked him if there were sound problems last night. I said I thought I saw Ignazio giving hand signals to the sound guy. He agreed and said that it was only in the beginning of the show.
I told him I thought I saw him drinking more water than usual during the performance. He said, ‘Not really. When I do this a lot. I need much water.’ It’s hard to describe what he did, but he opened his mouth and made a hard whooshing sound out of his mouth and nose at the same time. I don’t think the average person could do this with such amazing force! He showed me this several times in a row. I said that I could see how it would make his mouth and throat dry. He said it did. He then told me that his solo ‘No Puede Ser’ was the hardest song he ever sang.
Piero said he was glad they had two days off and could get some ‘good sleep.’ I told him I thought his voice was sounding a little tired this morning. He said, ‘No, I always sound like Barry White in the morning?’ Wouldn’t you love for me to say he serenaded me with a Barry White tune right then and there? He didn’t. Hey, a girl can only get so lucky, and I was currently thanking my lucky stars, God, my parents, his parents, the treadmill manufacturer and everyone and everything within a hundred-mile radius! All I said was, ‘that’s not a very bad thing, Piero.’ He laughed again!
He asked how many concerts I had been to. I told him four. He asked which ones. I said Vienna, Virginia first. He said, ‘Oh yes, rain at first.’ We talked a little about Sterling Heights and Elgin, but I don’t recall what was said. I know he talked about them being outdoors. I told him that last night was my last concert. He said he had 3 more concerts in the U.S. and Canada. I asked if he then would get to go home. He said no, they will leave the U.S. and go to… He has a heavy Italian accent you know, and I had trouble understanding the word ‘Cannes.’ At one point I said, ‘Canada?’ He said, ‘No Cannes. Kah-inn-zzz.’ I got it. I asked when he would get home. He said not until July 6th or 8th. I had another thought here. ‘I’m awake, right? No one is going to believe this. Not even me!’
He asked where I lived. I told him Ohio. He said, ‘I know Ohio,’ but looked doubtful. I said, ‘You’ve been to Cleveland Ohio.’ He said, ‘Oh Yes.’ I could see the light go on in his eyes.
Keep in mind we were side by side this whole time. I’m still walking, and he’s started some serious running. I wanted a brief full body view, so I slid back a little on the treadmill. My sneaker hit the side and made a squeaking noise. He grabbed my upper arm and said, ‘be very careful.’ I said, ‘Thank you. I can’t believe you’re running so fast and still talking.’ He said, ‘I run like this every morning.’
I noted the timer on my treadmill said 30.58 minutes.
Piero soon stopped running and talking (darn). He got on some leg machine behind me. I was still walking and trying hard to remember every word of our conversation. Pretty soon I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked around and it was Piero. He said, ‘Will you stop please?’ (WHAT?!!) ‘Sure.’ Of course, I couldn’t find the off switch and I pulled that plug people use to attach themselves to the machine (Michele is still laughing about that). He said, ‘Can I take a picture of your tattoo?’ Ok, right then I thought I might get sick. He knew who I was! He could not have read the small tattoo on my ankle while I was walking on the treadmill! Now was my chance for proof of our meeting! I said, ‘Sure, if I can get my camera and take one of you.’ He said, ‘sure.’ He got down and took a couple of pictures. I flew to my room got my camera and called Michele.
When I returned he was back on the leg machine. He got up and asked me to join him in the picture. No make-up and dripping with sweat, I refused. He grabbed a barbel and posed for these:
After I took those two pictures do you know what he said? ‘Is that enough?’ What a man! Then I said, ‘Piero, I’m with the Flight Crew.’ He said, ‘I know.’ (Oh yes he did!) I said, ‘then you know I will probably write about this.’ He said, ‘Yes, certainly.’
I got back on the treadmill. Pretty soon, tap-tap again! (Swear to God!) This time I was sure he was going to invite me aboard that big black bus headed for Italy. I know there’s water. I would paddle! I pulled the plug (stop it Michele) and got down. He took my right hand in both of his and said, ‘I’m happy you enjoyed the concerts. I hope I see you again next year.’ I said, ‘Oh, you will!’
He put his towel around his neck, picked up his water bottle and went out the door. I don’t know how long I stood there staring at the door wearing a t-shirt that I hoped was wet from sweat and not drool or tears.
My Dear Piero,
If by chance you’re reading this and I now think there’s a good chance you are, I tried to tell this as accurately as I could. I hope you agree.
You are not only in possession of one of the three greatest voices alive, but you are one of the nicest people I’ve met anywhere. You have surely raised my expectations of you. Next year and the year after that and ten years after that, after you receive much more deserved notoriety, I expect you to be as honest and real with as much kindness and grace as you showed me on that most unforgettable morning.
Sincerely, Marie
Yeah, the day before was so ordinary.
This was a fun story full of lots of Marie’s humor!
But this is not the end of Marie’s story. On July 6, 2015, Marie was invited to an Il Volo Wine & Dine at Detroit Public TV. Marie wrote….
Dreams do come true, and Fairytales are real! Here is my story of an evening with those Three Italian Sweethearts.
This, not being my first Il Volo rodeo of extreme fans, I had either met or recognized about half of the 50 people there. Hello to all of you, especially Emilia, (wait until I tell you about Emilia!) from whom I received three hugs. My most proud moment at the dinner table was when one woman pointed my way and said, ‘That’s Marie Crider.’ I turned around to tell Marie how unusual it was that we would have the same name, but no one was there. The other woman looked confused until the first one said, ‘Flight Crew.’ I could see the light go on. She said, ‘Oh, I’ve read that.’ another woman sitting next to the first one, not to be outdone, said, ‘I get their emails every day.’ I politely thanked them all, but on the inside I was trying to decide if the Queen’s wave was the one from just the wrist. I am happy to tell you that there were several people who came up to meet me because I was a member of The Flight Crew! Never forget your Flight Crew Badge!
Michelle Gaisser, Mgr. Member Engagement, Detroit Public TV, (to whom I am forever grateful for my invitation to the event) brought James Lewis over to my table. He asked to join The Flight Crew. Jim, if you’re reading this I’m sorry I forgot your title with DPTV (marketing?) I was probably distracted by your good looks. Welcome!
Marie and Michelle
Everyone was having a nice time and trying to act calm until the first spotting of that Dimpled One and 50 people erupted like there were 500.
The Guys did not eat with us. Meet & Greet was next:
Marie and the Guys
I watched as Jana was anointed by Ignazio. He is so sweet! I didn’t know if I wanted to pinch his cheek or genuflect. Then it was my turn!!! Being second to last I wasn’t hurried. I told them how happy and proud I was for them for becoming so successful at home. You can only guess which one makes me stutter the most, so I tend to speak to him the least. I hugged him (he hugged back!) then I kissed those dimples. I try to be fair to them both and do really good, yet equal, kisses on each dimple.
Jim Lewis had my camera and got me sneaking this extra one before the photographer took our group picture. Hey, a girls gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. I had heard our Gianluca was ill and had a fever. Sure enough he had to step aside and use a tissue several times. As I was kissing cheeks I lingered on his to see if I could tell if he had a fever. (Well, my mom used to do that!) I think he did. I also whispered a secret in his ear. He smiled. I was kinda hoping I would catch his cold. Didn’t. They all signed my Sanremo DVD insert. I can’t tell you what else was said, it’s a total blank. Did you ever see a dog rub his back in the grass in ecstasy? That’s pretty much how I felt so, no chance to remember mere words. I was just trying not to smile like a fool. As you can see in the picture, I failed that goal. When I got to Piero I asked him to sign a picture Mary’s daughter took of he and I in 2013 when he jumped in our cab. He remembered! He told me when and where it was. He signed it, ‘With Love. Grande Amore, Piero.’ Then he looked at me and tilted his head. Was he trying to remember me from our conversation last year? or did he just notice my really bad hair day? Then Security thought I had had enough time. OK, but not before I get my hug!
Emilia greeting Gianluca. Look at Ignazio’s face. How do they stay so ‘normal?’
Now to Emilia. I had met sweet Emilia before. They call her ‘cupcake’ not only because she makes them, but because she is so cute and sweet! She’s around 18. She was immediately behind me at the meet and greet. Emilia went directly to Piero and said, ‘I wanted you to dance with me at my prom.’ That Prince of Princes, that gentle man of gentlemen pulled her to him, started singing and waltzed with Emilia tucked snugly into his chest! I wish all of you could have seen her face. I wish I had taken a picture, but I just stood there reveling in the moment. She has a treasured video of that dance on FB. (Sorry couldn’t find it!) I hope you get to see it!
I know this is long. It will be here. You can finish later if you like. I’ll mark the spot.
⇐ HERE ⇒
We went back to the dining room for dessert. Dessert? Like Jane said in her story, the ‘real dessert of the evening’ was yet to come! I had chocolate covered strawberries. The Boys were in hair and makeup.
The Studio:
Shortly, we were ushered into the studio. The Guys also came in. You have to know how astonished and elated I was to realize that we would be spending the next few hours in a small studio with THEM! Oh, Joy of Joys! First of all I have to tell you that our Angels did not act like angels all the time off the air! They played like three young brothers. They filmed some. They went live-on-air some. They spent time with us during filming breaks. They played three stooges with each other. Remember the night before last they were singing for 60,000 people at a free concert in Napoli and then spent yesterday waiting for a delayed flight that didn’t get to Detroit until after 10 pm. They were tired and probably a little slap-happy, but they had fun!!! And, OH MY GOSH! So did we! Here are just a few of their antics besides dancing and singing silly songs. Sorry that some are blurry, but they were swift in their play and hard to catch.
These are our Guys. These are our Guys with Security. Do you see the really big guy beside Ignazio? Nice Guy! He and I had several long conversations. Went something like this: Him: ‘Ma’am, you can’t go in there’ Me: ‘Yes, Sir.’ Him: Ma’am, please move on. Me: ‘Yes, Sir.’ Him: ‘Ma’am, Please stop texting. The sound is being picked-up by the microphones.’ Me: (oops) ‘Yes, Sir.’ Him: ‘Put HIM down!’ Me: ‘Nope.’ Only that last one is a lie.
Jana! Pledge Phone Volunteer Extraordinaire.
I was able to step back and have a brief conversation with Barb Vitali. We’re women. We talked about weight. We spoke just a few minutes longer then we had to get to our seats and be quiet again for another taping session. Luckily we were allowed to take pictures the whole time if we didn’t use flash.
If I had half a brain, I would stop my story here by telling you how much I enjoyed our Il Volo Gentlemen and the wonderful men and women with whom I shared the experience. But no… Some of you may never read this site again….
While Ignazio was wandering through the audience the people in front of me asked him to take a selfie with them. So, he bent over directly in front of my face, not a foot away there it was! What could I do? I poked it! I looked at Jane and said, ‘Oh no! I touched his butt!’ When I looked up there he was looking down at me with one eyebrow up to his hairline! He tried to give me a stern look. Didn’t last long and he broke out in a gorgeous smile and said ‘oooo.’ Whew! I had just traumatized myself and have no idea if he said anything else. I only know I did not have another conversation with Big Security Guy. Should have. It would have kept Allene on my left and Jane on my right from trying to rip off their Flight Crew Badges while crawling under their chairs a few minutes later.
The people in front of me did not learn their lesson. I blame them. So, when Piero came walking by they asked for a selfie with him too. Only in his compliance he bent over even further than Ignazio had. To my astonishment I saw two claw-like hands, reach up and… Oh No!…They were my hands! Of course he jumped! He turned around and to my great relief said, “Oh, Thank You!”. I’ll bet you think I sat there in complete humiliation. I didn’t. Jane and Allene did. I was smiling. I am still smiling. It was soft, yet muscular and I’m not sorry I know that.
But what happened to Marie?
I March of 2020, Jana challenged Marie to come out of semi-retirement and write something for us. She figured she was getting bored looking at palm trees, sunshine and sandy beaches! This is what she quipped…
Something’s Wrong With Me ~ Marie Crider
With the world in a sad and humbled state right now I thought you might like a little something on the lighter side:
~I just listened to an hour interview. It was all in Italian. I don’t understand Italian.
~I can’t lay in the sun without humming “O Sole Mio.”
~I go to concerts with a camera on my lap, but I’m afraid to use it in case I miss something.
~When in the front row at a concert and a security guy walks in front of me I want to shout, ‘How dare you come between me and THEM!?’ What does he think I might do, jump up on the stage? Ok…I might jump on the stage, but I’ve got Leelee, my concert buddy, holding me down. Oh, I could get past security anyway. He doesn’t have a club big enough to pry me off Ignazio’s leg.
~All Il Volo CDs in my car are copies of the originals. Just in case someone should steal my car.
~When St. Mark’s Basilica started flooding, I panicked. I wanted to book a flight, grab a bucket and go.
~Piero neglected to ask me if he could change the color of his glasses. (I may never get over that one.)
~The only pictures on my dresser are my Mom, my Dad and Gianluca.
~I have a strong urge to confess to the murder of someone named Delilah. Just to keep the heat off the Boys.
~I want to stand on a balcony in Italy and sing my heart out. It wouldn’t matter that I can’t leave my hotel room…the air is Italian and that’s good enough for me.
~I have 17 Il Volo t-shirts (actually 16 plus one nightshirt thanks to Jana) but I can’t wear them. Cause…well, what if one should get a stain on it… or fade…or get lost with luggage at an airport…or destroyed by a rabid dog…or snagged on a barbed wire fence? Makes me sick thinking about the horrible things that could possibly happen to one of them.
~I have “Il Volo” tattooed on my left ankle and an “Il Volo” license plate on my car.
Yep, something is definitely wrong with me. I may need professional help.
Jana thanked Marie for sharing her thoughts with us and coming out of semi-retirement! I’m sure we all feel the same in many ways! But, just one question, why is Gianluca on your dresser and not Ignazio??
The answer: It is an autographed picture of Gianluca!
Thank you, Marie, for sharing your story. I can think of at least 20 people who would die to have been in your place in that gym. Marie’s Day With Piero was one of the happiest days of Marie’s life, certainly the day when everything changed!
Happy 10th Anniversary Flight Crew!
On August 8, 2013, Flight Crew was founded. These were the founders, Owners/Administrators and Contributors….
Founders:
Kelly Aitch ~ Michele Azzara ~ Linda Snyder
Marie Crider ~ Elaine Tse
Owners/Administrators:
Kelly Aitch
Marie Crider
Jana VandeLaare
Contributors:
Patricia Ward
Lisa Joy –News& Videos
Myron Heaton – “Myron’s Music Notes”
Gina (Regina Hanna) – Bits & Pieces
Danielle Ciarelli – “Danielle’s Diaries”
Daniela Perani – Contributing Author & Translator
Jane Ceminsky – “Personally Speaking”
The Administrators and Contributors Today….
Daniela Perani
Danielle Ciarelli
Jo Ann Tischler
Jana VandeLaare
Mary Jane Ceminsky
Kelly Aitch
Lisa Joy
Myron Heaton
Patricia Ward
Susan De Bartoli ~ “Through the Fields of My Mind”
For you listening pleasure ~ The full concert from Verona September 23, 2015
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
If you would like to share a story with me, please email: susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com
A few days ago this new and beautiful event was announced, LA NOTTE DELLE STELLE (THE NIGHT OF THE STARS), a concert with Placido Domingo, the soprano Daria Rybak and Il Volo. This beautiful event is held in the beautiful REGGIA DI CASERTA.
I don’t know how many of you know this magnificent Palace, and so I want to give you an introduction and a little bit of history, but believe me, it’s worth it.
I present to you the Royal Palace of Caserta.
King Charles of Bourbon, entrusted the construction of this Royal Palace to the brilliant architect Luigi Vanvitelli. It began on January 20, 1752 and took 20 years to be finished.
The Royal Palace of Caserta is truly immense, covering more than 61,000 square meters (about 73,000 yards), with 4 internal courtyards.
It has the shape of a rectangle 250 meters long and 200 meters wide, and is a very high building, more than 40 meters and spread over 5 floors. It has more than 1000 rooms including rooms, halls, theaters and 1 private chapel.
There are 1742 windows, 1026 chimneys, 34 stairs and more than 1000 doors and 2 large basements, a titanic work, in fact it is the largest royal residence in the world.
After the entrance, you enter a majestic gallery that crosses the entire palace and allows, right from the entrance, to see the magnificent park that surrounds it. It is a studied perspective effect, because the pools of the park and the fountains are all aligned with the gallery, a telescope effect which was very fashionable in late 18th century architecture and which made nature the protagonist of the architecture.
I have visited this Royal Palace three times, the last one being 15 years ago, and it is truly magnificent.
And here, it’s my husband and I in the gardens of the Royal Palace of Caserta exactly 15 years ago.
The stage was set up in one of the square courtyards of the Reggia.
And here we are at the afternoon rehearsal.
Before the show, Placido Domingo and Piero are interviewed by Radio Montecarlo.
Here’s the interview.
PIERO= We are at the Royal Palace of Caserta because tonight we will share the stage with the greatest. can we say the greatest?
SPEAKER= “His Majesty” Placido Domingo, thank you master for being here with us live on Radio.
DOMINGO= We are so happy to be together, we have known each other for a few years. My nephew discovered them (Il Volo)….
SPEAKER= Great, great! We are framing it here in front of the workstation and as you can imagine there is a huge crowd of people, in short, a really great emotion.
DOMINGO= Piero always wore glasses (reds) and then my nephew wore them too.
SPEAKER= ….he too (laughs) How does Piero sing with “His Majesty” Placido Domingo tonight?
PIERO= With the master and with all his family, there is a great friendship, a great respect. A great like Placido Domingo, who gives the opportunity to realize such a great dream of sharing the stage with him, I believe that beyond the great artist there is a great person.
SPEAKER= (the speaker addresses the audience)
He (Domingo) exudes charisma guys, you have no idea. Maestro, you have trod the most important stages, you have had huge crowds in front of you, acclaimed in a thousand ways and rightly so. How exciting will it be tonight to be on the stage of UN’ESTATE DA RE right here at the Royal Palace of Caserta?
DOMINGO= First of all, this place is extraordinary, I’ve seen it, I’ve had time to visit room after room and be together, working together (at Il Volo) is really a great joy. We hope we will have a nice evening…
SPEAKER= It sure will be…
DOMINGO= We have to try again to fix everything.
SPEAKER= Can we ask one last thing? A memory of Luciano Pavarotti, from when you were three tenors, I know that the only clash, between so much fun, was about the football teams.
DOMINGO= Oh yes, that was the only thing we didn’t get along on, because he was for IUVE, Josè Carreras for Barcelona and I for Real Madrid.
PIERO= It’s clear!!
SPEAKER= So, we have to let them go, thanks for this gift Piero and obviously thanks to “His Majesty” Placido Domingo, this evening, right here at UN’ ESTATE DA RE at the Royal Palace of Caserta and thanks also to us at Radiomontecarlo who have the possibility to tell you everything that happens.
At the beginning of the video, you see a short fragment of a photo with Piero, Placido Domingo and I believe that among them is Placido’s nephew who made Il Volo known.
And here we are at the magical evening. It’s sold out.
Numerous videos received and shot by fans.
MATTINATA
TORNA A SURRIENTO
MY WAY – Il Volo with Placido Domingo
NON TI SCORDAR DI ME
AU FOND DU TEMPLE SAINT– the beautiful duet with Placido Domingo and Piero Barone
LIBIAM NE LIETI CALICI – Il Volo con Placido Domingo and Daria Rybak
And after the concert, a nice dinner with the whole Domingo family, including children and grandchildren.
We waited a few days to publish this event, but it was worth it, because now, whoever wants can watch the entire concert, here it is!
What a magnificent event in a truly unique location.
A night of stars, and the stars shone very much, as well as our Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, who can hold their own even in a classical music environment.
Their voices, incredible and unique. Three brilliant stars.
Daniela❤❤❤
I want to close this article, with a beautiful writing by my friend, Luce Blu. ☺
This morning while I was having breakfast, wandering my curious finger around the screen in search of a “Night of the Stars”, at a certain point I found myself sitting in a semi-illuminated corner with a stage in front of it and a Palace behind it, an imposing witness to the splendor of an era now distant… I physically abstracted there, but present with all my soul, I observed and listened to what belonged to yesterday but will remain in my memory, together with the history of that enchanting place.
Scrolling through each expression, the memory of a “Magical Night” in Piazza Santa Croce leapt to my mind, on stage three boys still and closed in their blue jackets in front of microphones that put tension and that cost a lot of sacrifice … and in the trembling heart so much hope for a homage that would have either made them fall or carried them up, up, to the steps of Olympus. Next to them one of those three the Sacred Monsters (the three tenors) to pay homage to, who confidently guided them. That Piazza, that evening, despite the fears, literally exploded.
What happened yesterday evening, like that evening, moved me and at the same time made me rejoice like never before because on that stage I found those guys with the same heart, but a totally different awareness, with that Sacred Monster still next to them, this time not there to guide them but to sing with them, together with a soprano who tinged those powerful notes with roses. They were there rulers, not of a summer, but of an era of bel canto that we long to return again and again and give rhythm to the soul of this world. Our extraordinary tenor, with a dream that came true even before he knew it. Our eclectic artist, who manages to play with those notes with unique ease and mastery. Our “no, this genre is not for me”… and imagine if it were for him… And this happened only yesterday… And yesterday, like this morning and like always and forever, proud and proud of our incomparable and unique trio!
And what about the duet between Piero and Maestro Placido Domingo?….. Domingo carries our Piero on the palm of one hand, sang happy and proud to have him by his side and turned to him with eyes of profound admiration every time Piero rose in one of those impeccable, powerful and decisive high notes. In the moments in which our extraordinary tenor sang, or rather enchanted, his expression was transformed, that incredulous and excited smile disappeared and that imposing and intense soul shined through, which only shows when the notes of that genre start… a genre that he has been wearing for always and that he managed to bring out with all his passion and his sacrifice. Keeping that promise to himself and to a loving grandfather who will always watch over him from above.
A duet that brought tears to our eyes and filled our hearts with joy and pride, aware of knowing that our Piero has his feet on the threshold of a dream that has now opened its “curtain” to reality.
There seemed to be a moment of calm until August 3rd, but a good interview with Il Volo was published in the weekly magazine OGGI.
A nice article written by Dea Verna, in which I appreciated some questions and beautiful photos, and the possibility for our boys to remove some “pebbles from their shoes”. I will translate for you.
They joke with each other, make fun of each other, tease each other.
“Gianluca and I always talk, Ignazio on the other hand is the one who disappears”, says Piero Barone. “I’m like this, I need to pull the plug, I’m hurt,” explains Boschetto.
The three guys from Il Volo will celebrate 15 years of their career in 2024. “We spent half a life together, think how lucky”.
It all started on 25 April 2009 when very young competitors of Ti Lascio una Canzone conducted by Antonella Clerici, were put together to sing O SOLE MIO.
Now, after conquering the world, having sold out several times at Radio City Music Hall in New York, winning the Sanremo festival in 2015, they are giving themselves a whim in Italy.
For the first time they bring their show, ALL FOR ONE, to a theater, at the Arcimboldi in Milan, on 2,3,4,6,8,9 September.
“We wanted an intimate atmosphere, to have the audience close,” they say.
“We used to sing together and it was almost impossible to tell one from the other. Now we’ve grown up, there are solo moments, we want to surprise the audience and expand it.”
What’s your life like when you’re not on tour?
PIERO= Simple, I live in Sicily, in the province of Agrigento. I wake up at 05:30AM, I go out on the boat with a friend, we go fishing. Then I run, I’m preparing for the New York Marathon, or I play tennis. After sport, a nice gin and tonic with friends.
GIANLUCA= I live in Roseto degli Abruzzi. I wake up early, work out at the gym, have lunch with my grandpa, hang out with family and friends. Of the three, I am the only boyfriend.
IGNAZIO= (He lives in Bologna) Before, I used to go to sleep very late, I did nothing except stay closed in a studio with video games. Now I wake up early and go play tennis.
Then there’s your Hollywood life. The best meeting?
PIERO= Placido Domingo, who came to do vocals in our dressing room before the New York concert, José Carreras. We met Woody Allen in a New York restaurant, and we started singing together. He told us his favorite wine is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.
GIANLUCA= As teenagers we sang with Barbra Streisand, a privilege. I was thrilled when I met John Meyers in Malibu, who is considered the new Eric Clapton.
And Pope Francis?
GIANLUCA= We met him three times. The first time in 2014, when I was just over 18, I greeted him by saying “Hello” to the Pope……but he remained calm and replied: “Hello”.
The madness of a fan?
PIERO= One day I was in Austin, Texas, running on a treadmill. I see the woman next to me has something on her left ankle that looks familiar. She had my autograph tattooed on her.”
Has this extraordinary career that began at the age of 14 taken anything away from you?
GIANLUCA= The possibility of going to school. Ten years ago my peers read the DIVINE COMEDY, perhaps reluctantly, I regret not having done so. I’m recovering.”
IGNAZIO= I’ve missed the bullshit you do as a kid, like riding a moped with friends until four in the morning. We grew up quickly, with many responsibilities.
You challenged prejudices about your musical genre, loved by the public, less by the critics.
GIANLUCA= Every artist should be the first critic of himself. What can you expect from three 15-year-old boys? We could not have the depth of De Andrè or Guccini, who we listen to and love.
Now we want to build a repertoire that is not only based on virtuosity.
PIERO= There is a difference between criticism and offense. Why rage against three guys who love what they do?
There is nothing built in us, otherwise we wouldn’t still be here after almost 15 years.
In 2019 in Sanremo, some journalists in the press room insulted you.
IGNAZIO= As long as they take it out on us, as long as they say we make music for old men, amen.
But Sanremo was an offense to music, to those who make it and those who love it, to the public.
Meanwhile, you and the Maneskin are our export groups.
IGNAZIO= Look, let’s make two genres that were considered extinct. Rock had been forgotten in the 2000s. And no one does bel canto anymore, only Bocelli and us.
We have a female prime minister. Does it make you proud?
PIERO= Sure. There are more and more women leaders, the patriarchy is weakening.
IGNAZIO= The bad thing is being surprised, it should be normal.
What do you think of Meloni (Giorgia Meloni as our Prime Minister)
PIERO= She is a woman who is working, bringing results. Let’s hope everything goes well. We hope that those who represent us, who have been elected by the pool, do a good job.
What should the government do?
PIERO= Investing in culture, education, school. Trust young people, encourage them.
GIANLUCA= It’s a society in which television and social media give importance to wealth, to perfection, but it’s crap. Only culture can save us.
As you may have noticed, one of the photos was taken in the Vatican, exactly in the Sistine Chapel, Gianluca Ignazio and Piero with the background of Michelangelo’s “Universal Flood”, wonderful photo!!
This second shot is also very nice, which shows us our loved ones in their current maturity.
But that’s not all, there is a beautiful video, a nice surprise made to a fan of Gianluca, here is the video, it will touch your heart! ❤
This fan comes from Calabria, her dream was to meet Gianluca, a dream fulfilled, the emotion of the girl who can’tsay anything at the beginning from the emotion is palpable. Great Gianluca who allowed this dream to come true.
At the beginning of the video, you can clearly see the alley of Montepagano where Gianluca lives, he comes out exactly from his house to greet Martina.
Thanks Gianluca, once again we could see your kind and good soul.
The friend Donatella Merlotti, florist in Roseto degli Abruzzi, acted as a bridge to be able to realize the meeting between Martina and Gianluca.
She posted the video with these words: “Martina’s dream was to meet Gianluca Ginoble. In her condition it wasn’t easy, but when love and goodwill come together, nothing is impossible. From Calabria, to Piedmont and then to Abruzzo. A heartfelt thanks to Gianluca for his availability and kindness. I am happy to have contributed to Martina’s happiness, together with her parents and my sister.”
I found the same video with the original audio and I translated the few words said:
(You must have an Instagram account to view these video stories.)
GIANLUCA= Hello, how are you, are you all right? (Gianluca embraces and squeezes Martina who is very excited and unable to speak)
DONATELLA= For her it is a historic moment.
GIANLUCA= Wait, you dropped your phone. You brought me flowers, thank you, thank you very much, are you happy?
DONATELLA= She can’t speak! (for the emotion)
GIANLUCA= Thank you, thank you!
DONATELLA= But thanks to you Gianluca for being so kind, a really great gift.
GIANLUCA= But this is the minimum, you think, for so little, thank you, thank you (Gianluca takes the flowers). Usually it’s the gentlemen who bring the flowers and you brought them to me.
DONATELLA= And you give them back to her.
GIANLUCA = Hello, how are you? (Gianluca greets Martina’s parents) ,
DONATELLA= (turning to Martina) Love, let’s put us in the shade that there is a strong sun.
MARTINA’S MOM = Good morning,….. sorry…..
GIANLUCA= Where are you from?
MARTINA’S FATHER = Calabrian.
GIANLUCA= Ah, from Calabria! Shall we go for a coffee?
MARTINA’S MOM = Thank you, we don’t want to disturb you.
GIANLUCA= It’s not a nuisance.
(now they are at the bar) …… no, here in Abruzzo.
MARTINA= Unfortunately we are leaving now.
MARTINA’ S MOM= We will arrive home tonight.
Well, I’d say there’s not much to add, words are useless, we all enjoyed this nice gesture, not just Martina. ❤
Just one last thing, I remind you that on August 3 Il Volo will sing with Placido Domingo at the REGGIA DI CASERTA.
We understood why Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero chose the name Il Volo, (The Flight) because they are always traveling by plane, they move here and there, from one continent to another, who knows how many hours of travel they will have accumulated, really a lot.
And in fact, the photo posted on Instagram by Gianluca tells us that they are flying to Brazil.
But what are they going to do in Brazil? There has been talk of a private event, but surely they also participated in a TV show: São Paulo with Patricia Poeta where they promoted the new dates of the 2023 South American tour.
In the first video, Patricia presents Il Volo and they perform a song from Il Mondo a capella.
In this second video, Patricia tells the story of Il Volo, how they met in a talent show, she says they are two tenors and a baritone and they sing pop-opera.
It is almost always Ignazio who replies in Portuguese, he says that it is a great responsibility for them to sing their musical genre because they want to make it known to the new generations who may not know it, and Ignazio explains that they try not to lose the music of the tradition that is part of Italian culture.
Patricia compliments Ignazio who speaks Portuguese.
Gianluca greets Paula Fernandes, with whom they recorded GRANDE AMORE, then they talk about the 4 tour dates that will be done in Brazil in 2023 and at the end they sing GRANDE AMORE.
In this video Il Volo and Paula Fernandes :GRANDE AMORE.
And here are the four dates announced during the show:
March 8 and 9 – Sao Paulo
March 11 – Rio De Janeiro
March 17 – Porte Alegre
March 18 – Curitiba
A couple of photos taken in Brazil.
In the meantime, the dates of the book signing events have been confirmed here in Italy, here they are:
A book to read and listen… with the heart 🎵
🚀 The guys from Il Volo meet the fans for the presentation of the book “Il Volo. What I Carry in my Heart”, published by #RaiLibri
⏰ December 14 Feltrinelli Turin, Piazza CLN, 5.30 pm, Turin ⏰ 16 December Mondadori Megastore, 5.30 pm, Milan ⏰ 21 December Librerie.coop, 7.30 pm, Bologna ⏰ December 22 New Europe Library I Granai, 5 pm, Rome
………..and I will be in Milan!!!!☺☺☺
In addition, this nice and fun interview has been published which I translate for you.
Il Volo: Our selfies with Lady Gaga. Sharon Stone a true friend. The fans who try? Many
Who is it of the three who said “Hello!” to the Pope? Name out.
Piero:Who do you think did it? Huh?”
Gianluca:Okay, I confess it. But in 2014 I had just come of age, emotion betrayed me. However, His Holiness answered me “Hello”, as if nothing had happened. At the third meeting, in Panama, in 2019, I even asked him for a photo together. Done”.
Piero:I swear that in a few years I will write a book about our embarrassing moments .There are also those who, at the hearing in St. Peter’s Square, fell asleep behind sunglasses, next to Lewis Hamilton… right Ignazio?
Ignazio:“I woke up at 3 and a half in the morning to arrive in Rome at 7, I was destroyed, and my eyelids closed.”
A chat for four voices with Piero Barone (29), Ignazio Boschetto (28) and Gianluca Ginoble (27), or the three tenors (better, two tenors and a baritone) of Il Volo, a group born in 2009 in a talent show for children (Ti Lascio una canzone ). After that, with a victory at Sanremo 2015 in his curriculum vitae — adored or snubbed, with no middle ground — quickly enrolled in the “international star” category with guaranteed sold outs, in perpetual travel around the world: only in the last few months a frenetic tour between Canada, USA, Japan and Australia. To close with a trio of Italian dates (December 15th in Turin, 17th in Milan, 23rd in Rome) and with the Christmas concert from Jerusalem (Magical place), on the 24th in prime time on Canale 5.
On your phone you have a barrage of selfies with Lady Gaga.
Piero:Here we are, see? It must have happened five years ago, in the kitchens of a hotel in Washington.
And how did you end up in the kitchen?
Piero:There was a charity event with the Italian-American community. Outside people were going crazy, to be safe we hid in there with her. Gianluca and I, because Ignazio was sleeping as usual. Lady Gaga was very nice.”
And you’re very, very good friends with…
Piero: The great Placido Domingo, just met in New York. We always keep in touch with Laura Pausini.
Ignazio:And Sharon Stone. We met her in Montecarlo, we feel it all the time.
And one day in 2012, at the hair salon on Canyon Drive, Los Angeles…
Piero:We were on tour with Barbra Streisand. While they fixed my hair, I made conversation with a beautiful lady next to me. “You know, we sing at the Hollywood Bowl tomorrow.” “Congratulations, you are very good”. The hairdresser leaned over and whispered in my ear: “You know who it is, don’t you? Did you recognize her? It’s Priscilla Presley!” I returned the compliments immediately. And we invited her to the concert. From that moment, whenever she can, Priscilla comes to listen to us, a great friendship was born.
Do you like Elvis?
Piero: What questions: yessss.
Quick self-portrait of you as a child.
Piero: Very lively, too good, I hated solfeggio (voice practice) but now I thank those lessons. I deafened my brother who was trying to study.
Ignazio: I sang pretending that the curtain knob was a microphone.
Gianluca: At the age of 10 I was already asking myself existential questions. Who I am? Why was I born? What meaning will my life have? I found an answer to the latter: the meaning was given to him by music.
Three teenagers who meet overnight in America, under contract with Universal Music. Imagine if you had disliked each other.
Piero: Ignazio and I bonded immediately, between Sicilians. Then with Gianluca, it came naturally.
Gianluca:Everything went very fast, we didn’t even realize it so much. On the plane to Miami I looked out the window and I couldn’t believe it, total euphoria”.
Ignazio:The next day I had them take me to Mel’s Diner for an American breakfast.
Piero: I lived two parallel lives. There the parties with Beyoncé and Quincy Jones. Back in Italy, I didn’t tell anyone anything, for fear of sounding crazy, but I was terrified it would end.
In 2013 sold out Radio City Music Hall.
Ignazio: Only a year and a half before, standing in front of the entrance to the theatre, we dreamed, one day, of going up on that stage.
Gianluca: The important thing is to always go forward, to keep up with the times, otherwise it’s easy to end up like Nikka Costa. (famous child singer which was never heard from again)
Victory in Sanremo with “Grande Amore”.
Gianluca: Until then we were only well known abroad, not here in Italy, difficult to accept. It was the perfect opportunity, the revenge of bel canto which hadn’t had success at the Festival since the days of Bocelli.
Piero: An absolute joy. In Catania, many were waiting for me with placards, it was a beautiful party. Going home every now and then helps me find balance, makes me feel like the most normal person on the planet. In the summer I always go fishing with my friend Enzo, we go out by boat at five in the morning, I love to see the sunrise. Last time I caught a 5 kilo sea bass.
The Volovers, i.e. your wildest admirers, how far of madness have they reached?
Gianluca: There is someone who tattoos our names and surnames on his skin. Who follows us in every stage of the tour around the world. And who is waiting for us at home for hours.
Piero: One day, in the gym in Phoenix, I was running on the treadmill. Next to me was a girl who was training. Half past seven in the morning, I was still sleepy. Suddenly I focus on an inscription on her ankle. “It looks just like my autograph.” It was,” (if I’m not mistaken he’s talking about Marie)
Do they try?
Ignazio: “Avoglia…. (certainly..).” Who of the three hooks up the most?
Gianluca: We can’t say it ourselves.
Do they knock on the door in the hotel?
Ignazio: If I don’t know her I won’t open. And then I took a vow of chastity. (laughs)
Quarrels between you have we collected?
Gianluca: It happens in times of stress. But we have learned to control ourselves, before it happened more often.
Piero: In Santo Domingo, we were in the car, I didn’t feel well, I was sweaty. “Gianluca, come on, close that window, the draft is hitting me”. And he did, but then, a minute later he lowered it again, I would have killed him.
Gianluca: Yes, but it was 40 degrees outside and we didn’t have air conditioning.
Ignazio: I always eat last, these two often leave me nothing, not even rice. They are thin, but they eat anything.”
You have lost 34 kilos. How?
Ignazio: I closed my mouth.
Piero: We were at the breakfast buffet in New Zealand and… “
Ignazio: “No, in Kuala Lumpur».
Piero: Oh well, in any case Ignazio suddenly said to me: “I want to lose weight”. “Bravo, then come with me to the gym, train, work hard. And from that day on he became a sex symbol….
Ignazio: Now I’ve started training again after two years, I’ve put on 13 kilos again. Waivers? No. We eat healthy. Piero is intolerant to pork, so we don’t eat it either. And all three of us can’t stand dairy products.
It takes a beastly physique.
Piero: Travelling a lot, discovering the world is a privilege. I love running, wherever I go I ask the concierge and get advice on the best routes. Once Ignazio also came and I almost had to carry him back on my back».
Ignazio: In Matera, it was terribly hot, 7 and a half km of ups and downs.
Gianluca: I train in the gym and walk, I don’t run.
The worst flaw of the other two.
Gianluca: Piero is too rational, Ignazio too instinctive. Both touchy.”
Ignazio: Me? It is not true! Gianluca is too perfectionist, Piero stubborn.
Piero: Gianluca is long-winded, when he gets fixated on something he doesn’t stop talking until he’s convinced you, the next day I’m terrified of meeting him at breakfast and that he’ll start over.
Ignazio, on the other hand, keeps everything inside and at the last moment he explodes and says things in your face. It would be better if he spoke clearly from the start. And then he is late, forgets his appointments, falls asleep.
Ignazio: No, you’re a big pain in the ass.”
Mishaps on stage?
Gianluca: Ignazio fell and so did I, tripping over a folding chair.
Ignazio: It happened to me to go out on stage holding a cell phone instead of a microphone.
Piero: In Budapest, the twelfth piece Ave Maria, I start to sing but my voice does not come out. Ignazio looks at me wrong. He thought you were joking. I had caught a cold snap from a big fan that shot freezing air. We had to interrupt for about twenty minutes, the time to take some Bentelan. (medicinal)
Neither rapper nor trapper. Critics say that you make “old men’s music”.
Gianluca: It’s right to respect every opinion, criticism is good. But we go on doing what we like most, which makes us and millions of people happy.
Piero: Before, negative comments made us nervous, they were hard to digest, now they’re good for us. But there is a subtle difference between criticism and offense.
Fear that one of the three decides to break away and continue his career alone?
Gianluca: We are not a classic band with a frontman. But three singers, three leaders.
Piero: We know very well that our strength is the group. People want to hear all three together. And even if, during the concerts, everyone has their own space, we too know that united we are something else.
BREAKING NEWS:
Il Volo will be a guest on the TV show VERISSIMO with the sweet Silvia Toffanin, Sunday on Canale 5 at 4 pm. It will certainly be a nice and kind interview.
And finally, enjoy this promo video, which advertises the “Christmas in Jerusalem” event, it will be fantastic!!
This episode of Porta a Porta was supposed to air in February, but due to the war in Ukraine it has always been postponed.
Last week, with no ads and no announcements, it aired after midnight. Here is the episode and what has been said.
Please click on the photo below to view the video.
VESPA = We are approaching Eurovision, in Turin, the great music festival, and we are going there, remembering Il Volo, the boys of Il Volo, which we baptized here more than 10 years ago.
Let’s open this segment with the guys from Il Volo who will come here, in the studio, with us, and with this clip, Il Volo introduces itself.
(begins a video that traces many moments of Il Volo’s career. Immediately after, Il Volo, in the studio, sings “SE”).
Il Volo, celebrates more than 10 years of success at Porta a Porta. Piero Barone, 29 years old, Ignazio Boschetto, 28 years old, and the plague, Gianluca Ginoble, the worst of all, who runs away, cannot be found, is undisciplined, messy😁(he says it in a benevolent tone), but he is only 27 years old that we have to do??
GIANLUCA= I’m the youngest, by the way I just turned 27, just last week.
IGNAZIO= He is the smallest! (Maybe he also says it in a double sense, he also means height) 😁
PIERO = So, I’m the oldest at the table.
VESPA = Madonna, how old are you.
IGNAZIO = Can we sit down?
VESPA = Sure.
PIERO = Bruno, what did I tell you a little while ago?
VESPA + PIERO = The promises are kept. (They had promised to return soon to Porta a Porta)
VESPA = Look, I know it takes a long time . We love you so much, you love us so much, we have brought each other luck ….
PIERO = This program brings good luck, you were the first to invite us and tell everything we were doing outside (means outside Italy).
IGNAZIO = I can say that your program and you were the first person and the first (Italian) program who believed in us, and never took us for granted. We always have Porta a Porta and you in our hearts.
VESPA = Thanks, thanks, thanks.
After two years of hiatus due to the pandemic, who would have said it would last that long, seven thousand people sent home to Los Angeles (he refers to the canceled concerts) and now, go home and then in June ….
PIERO = Exactly, we will start in May from Japan (they didn’t go, I remind you that this episode was recorded in February), in June there will be concerts in Italy, we start from the Arena di Verona, 3 and 4 and maybe … . (implies that there might have been another date) ….
IGNAZIO = Yes, because we have been postponing it for two years
PIERO = Two years, and it seems that we are finally leaving…
VESPA = How many concerts in Italy?
PIERO = In Italy, there will be more or less 15 concerts, I don’t know exactly it’s all in the planning phase.
VESPA = And then instead in autumn: United States …..
PIERO = Autumn: September US, South America will follow and we will return to Japan, then concerts in Europe, we have to recover two years of work.
VESPA = There are many people waiting for you.
Well, we first heard “SE”, taken from the movie “Nuovo Cinema Paradiso”, now we listen to “Ecstasy of Gold” beautiful music by Morricone …
IGNAZIO = Then we also have Clint Eastwood here in the studio (he jokes referring to Gianluca, applause)
GIANLUCA = You two are targeting me, I understand.
VESPA = You have to go straight (a way of saying to be good)
GIANLUCA = I’m going straight, I’m the most restless one, right?
VESPA = Let’s hear these guys (Ecstasy of gold video starts).
This splendid video was filmed in Sardinia, “Il Volo Sings Morricone”, released on November 5th and distributed all over the world. But now we have to go back nine years, you are celebrating 10 years.
IGNAZIO = Yes, we have been celebrating this for two years now (laughter).😁
GIANLUCA = The celebrations never stopped.
VESPA = But you were just out, remember, we took you that you were in swaddling clothes, very small.
GIANLUCA = We have always been a little kids, now almost men.
VESPA = You were kids on December 17, 2013.
PIERO = We were here.
VESPA = Here, at Porta a Porta, let’s see. (a video of Porta a Porta starts and the boys sing “Un Amore così Grande”)
You were really little, and you had already been to America, however, you came from America.
IGNAZIO = We came from America. I remember.
PIERO = What is 2017?
VESPA + IGNAZIO = 2013
VESPA = (Turning to Piero) You looked the youngest, you looked really small, small …
PIERO = I didn’t have a beard, that tuft, a little restyling was done.
GIANLUCA = Before, when we were a little younger, people liked us , because we were child prodigies, in short, who sang with a different voice than our peers, we dressed a little like “grown-ups”.
Today it’s the other way around, see? (touches his beardless face) Today one takes off his beard and wants to look younger.
IGNAZIO = You take off your beard because you want to look younger. 😁
PIERO = He must always speak in the plural.😁
GIANLUCA = As a child you want to look older, do you see how we were dressed? We were dressed in our thirties there.
VESPA = Can I tell you something? Only once in my life did I feel old … who knows why at 27, at your age (talk to Gianluca)
GIANLUCA = Is it true?
VESPA = You saw, we had the same feeling, and now you are rejuvenated.
GIANLUCA = You can see that at 27 we Abruzzo feel “old”.
VESPA = At 27 we hear it and then we don’t !!
PIERO = The crisis of the 27th year.
VESPA = Yes, the 27th year crisis. (laughter) 😁
So, you then moved on to the theme songs of the television novels.
PIERO = For this you have to talk to Ignazio.
VESPA = Ignazio !
IGNAZIO = But I’ve always had a passion for writing music, I was in Sicily, and I remember I was sitting on the veranda, and the melody came out. So I carried it on and Makari was born.
VESPA = But during Covid?
IGNAZIO = Yes, it was that summer that seemed ….
VESPA = …. that things would return to normal?
IGNAZIO = Yes, like baby candy, right?😁
VESPA = Exactly.
IGNAZIO = And then I found myself writing this melody, and then, with Danilo Ciotti, our collaborator, we presented this song to the Palomar family, who are the producers of Makari, and so it all started.
VESPA = And it went well, let’s hear it. (begins the video of the song Makari)
And good Ignazio!
IGNAZIO = Thanks.
VESPA = Five million viewers!
IGNAZIO = Oh yes.
VESPA = It went really well. What did you three do during the two years of Covid?
(he turns to Gianluca) What have you done?
IGNAZIO = He took off his beard! 😁
GIANLUCA = But no! We decided not to live them passively, trying to stimulate creativity. I learned a little to play the piano, I accompanied me while I sang, it was my wish.
Then I studied acting a little. We reinvented ourselves, we thought of new projects. Morricone’s project was born thanks to two years of silence.
VESPA = (he turns to Ignazio) And what about you?
IGNAZIO= You think, I lost weight in the pandemic, and then I gained weight, when everything was sorted out (I think he meant that he had lost weight around the time of his father’s passing away).
I found love.❤ I studied a lot in the studio, and I improved.
VESPA = Did love distract you a lot?
IGNAZIO = Absolutely not!
VESPA = Did the love train you? Has it invigorated you?
It makes you dream, breathe ….
IGNAZIO = Love is beautiful when it makes you feel good, I’m fine. 😘
GIANLUCA = (to Vespa) You know it’s nice to see you in this role, I don’t see you asking about Meloni’s love (she is a political representative)(Gianluca means that: Porta a Porta is a program that deals with many topics, even political ones, often guests are politicians and they are not asked about their loves, of course) 😁
VESPA = You rather, you sentimentally, how are you doing?
GIANLUCA = I’m in love, I found love too last year, on the red carpet of the Venice Film Festival, think, what a story, like a fairy tale, do you realize? ❤
VESPA = Mamma mia! (and then turns to Piero)
IGNAZIO = Piero never talks (about the subject of love)
VESPA = I don’t want to invade privacy
PIERO = I like privacy, I prefer to live it for myself.
VESPA = …. live it for yourself, so is there a story? ….
PIERO = I mean my private life, for me my private life remains private ….
IGNAZIO = (he comes to his friend’s rescue by trying to change the subject) Morricone was a great project, we worked hard 😁😁😁
VESPA = Look at these (Ignazio and Gianluca) talking. What happened during Morricone?
IGNAZIO = Look, I’m perhaps the wrong person if you want to know something, I have a concrete stomach.
PIERO = About what?
IGNAZIO = On private lives, our gossips.
PIERO = In these two years we have had more time at our disposal, we have always had a hectic life, we have committed all our energies to Ennio Morricone’s project because you know, facing this world requires a lot of study, a lot of research and many thanks to the family of Ennio Morricone.
We have to thank his son, Andrea Morricone, also a great conductor, we had great support from him, he was like our compass, the world of Ennio Morricone is infinite and thanks to our producers and our team we have created Il Volo Sings Morricone, we also gave you vinyl for Christmas….
VESPA = Beautiful, beautiful, thank you!
PIERO = ….. we are delighted to have given voice to Morricone’s melodies, hoping that people are satisfied.
IGNAZIO = Can I add a little thing? At the beginning, perhaps we did not have a great knowledge of Ennio Morricone’s culture.
Once we thought about carrying on this thought, this idea, we immediately began to study, to understand who Morricone really was, because we had the opportunity to meet him in 2010, when we recorded our first album, and we had the opportunity to share the stage with him in 2011, but now we were more interested in understanding who he was and when we entered his world it was like taking a dip in a pool full of culture and emotions, full of feelings who always have something in store for you, it’s hard to explain!
VESPA = Now let’s see a video about who the three guys from Il Volo are all the way through. Come on.
IGNAZIO = Help! (part of a video with images of Il Volo a Porta a Porta)
In the video:
WOMAN’S VOICE = It’s been 10 years since Ignazio Boschetto, Piero Barone and Gianluca Ginoble came to visit us for the first time in Porta a Porta, at the dawn of their success.
Ten years in which Il Volo reached unimaginable heights, first, the enormous success in the US, with the invitation of Quincy Jones at the concert for Haiti, with stars of the caliber of Barbra Streisand, Bono and Lady Gaga, the transmission of Hellen De Generes and the lighting of the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center.
Then the consecration in Italy with the victory at the Sanremo Festival in 2015, a real triumph, so much so that Grande Amore, reaches 110 million views worldwide (now there are over 215 million views), and drags the trio to third place in the prestigious Eurovision Song Contest, where they are the most voted by the public.
That year we also accompanied them to New York, touching on their popularity, their kindness, their uncommon values, namely: bel canto, family, principles, sobriety, education and respect, especially among themselves, nothing that is taken for granted nowadays.
In the span of a decade they bring the Italian classics all over the world, modernizing them, without upsetting them, it is the boys in sneakers who sing Nessun Dorma and O Sole Mio, to use their words.
They also have the honor of singing in front of Pope Francis and over a million people in Panama on the occasion of World Youth Day.
Even during the health emergency, they continue to make all their fans feel the warmth, participating in the most important international streaming reviews, with a great sense of community and responsibility.
And now, as a sign of rebirth and hope, their world tour is about to start, 110 dates around the world, to celebrate their first 10 extraordinary years of career, an eagerly awaited reunion with the public, to continue to proudly bring Italy and its beauty around the world.
VESPA = We have taken the baton from Aunt Antonella, Antonella Clerici, (Ti Lascio Una Canzone).
GIANLUCA = We greet you with great affection.
VESPA = With great affection. But you, when did you get together?
IGNAZIO = We met on that TV show, (Ti Lascio Una Canzone), we didn’t know each other before ….
VESPA = Where did you go to sing separately ….
IGNAZIO = We met for the auditions in Rome, in via dei Gracchi.
VESPA = Via dei Gracchi, but each one had gone on his own.
IGNAZIO = Yes, yes! Then in Sanremo, which was where the broadcast took place, we met and in the fourth episode we sang together for the first time (25/04/2009).
PIERO = …. O Sole Mio.
IGNAZIO = … yes, O Sole Mio.
PIERO = Excuse me.
IGNAZIO = But calculate that Gianluca, we couldn’t see him.
VESPA = Was Gianluca terrible?
IGNAZIO = Do you know when you create small groups at school of the normal ones, the quiet ones and the cool ones? 😁
He was part of the cool, but it showed (applause and laughter), then in the end he came in our way, understood!
VESPA = He has converted.
IGNAZIO = And so it all started from there.
VESPA = (to Gianluca) But why are they talking about you like that?
IGNAZIO = Because we love him after all, at the bottom, at the bottom …..😘
GIANLUCA = ….. but at the very bottom 😁.
But that was our strength right from the start, did you understand? (to be united). Not only artistically, it was the first time that children sang O Sole Mio.
But then I like to see these videos and remember those moments, because Bel Canto allows you to perform in unique places, but above all to support yourself in projects like Morricone, like in Placido Domingo, like the Maestro Vittorio Storaro who accompanied us on this adventure. We have the honor, at our age, to join these names in cinema and music.
VESPA = Then I will ask you to sing a piece of O Sole Mio, sitting here, so a cappella …
IGNAZIO = If Barone says yes, that’s fine !! 😁
VESPA = Is he the boss?
IGNAZIO = Yes yes, (he jokes) see how he is placed with his arms folded …..
PIERO = I’m listening!
I link to what you were saying, seeing these old videos is really exciting, but on a daily basis it is difficult to find the stimulus and clearly find ideas on what to do. We sang in front of the Pope ….. and now what do we do? And I must tell you that it is a team effort, especially with our manager Torpedine, Mr. Torpedine, he is the mind of this group, and now a little while ago we were looking at the images of last Christmas, we sang three songs in St. Peter’s Square , this year we did it from the Frasassi Caves, a magical place.
VESPA = You will go to Bethlehem.
PIERO = And next year, we are working, by now we are at a good point … (he looks at Torpedine to have approval of the news he is saying)
IGNAZIO = We are checking in.
PIERO = We will sing in front of the grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem and all this, we must say, also thanks to the support of the Undersecretary for Culture, for whom in November, we will sing in the world meeting of ministers of culture.
VESPA = Beautiful, very beautiful.
PIERO = Yes, I have to tell you that they are very beautiful things.
IGNAZIO = Can I say something? I want to reach out more to young people, to those who, like us, try to send their message. Nowadays it is very easy to arrive, with social networks, with the internet, it is very easy.
VESPA = The problem is to stay.
IGNAZIO = The problem is to stay, and in any case we always tell everything we have done, because we are very proud and grateful ….
PIERO = Do you have an itchy mustache?
IGNAZIO = No, it helps me to think. 😁
PIERO = Ah, ok !!
IGNAZIO = …… and we are very grateful for everything that has happened to us, but in recent years it has not been all roses and flowers, there are moments …..
VESPA = When was the most difficult moment?
IGNAZIO = There are moments in an artist’s career where difficulties come, in our case it was in 2014, when L’Universal did not …..
PIERO = Clearly there has been a change between one record company and another, and therefore there have been three or four months of “darkness”, but I remember that our manager was very good at hiding this from us, we didn’t live in that period of anxiety, he was: ”Yes, yes, don’t worry, everything is fine, tomorrow I have a meeting”. Instead there was nothing.
IGNAZIO = This is to make it clear that yes, today it is very easy to get there, but maintaining oneself, building oneself, sacrifices, is all very important …
VESPA = When you were little I used to tell you: “Guys down to earth”.
IGNAZIO = Absolutely ….
VESPA = Never mount your head, NEVER, when you think you are something more, already what you are is already a lot, always fly low low ….. (Vespa is referring to not being full of oneself)
IGNAZIO = I wanted to say it here.
VESPA = I don’t remember, what happened in Sanremo in 2015!
IGNAZIO = What happened?
VESPA = Bho! Let’s see for a moment! (the video of Grande Amore in Sanremo starts). (At some point the video loses audio due to a problem raised by the composer).
VESPA = (He turns to Ignazio). Now you do it again (the final note and Ignazio does it)
(Ring the bell, enter Vittorio Storaro on the show.)
VESPA = We have to greet a great person: Vittorio Storaro. Vittorio, it’s a great pleasure to have you here, thank you. Three Oscars, please take a seat. You can take off the mask.
STORARO = Now it can be done, respecting the distances, the rules and the possibility of being careful, not only with the vaccine, but also with the distances and the embrace of well-vaccinated friends.
IGNAZIO = But that’s why I’m away from Gianluca, for nothing else. 😁 (he jokes)
GIANLUCA = He (Ignazio) is angry with me, he is angry with me master …
STORARO = He (Gianluca) has a great energy, it is the energy that we have that usually brings the affections too. But be careful not to lose it, with the distance.
IGNAZIO = In what sense?
GIANLUCA = You have to be careful.
IGNAZIO = No, no, I am like a magnet for him, we attract the two of us.
VESPA = Vittorio Storaro won three Oscars (photography award), 1980 for Frencis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, 1982 for Beatty’s Reds and Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor in 1988.
Beyond these awards, even we reporters who have approached the cameras a few times, looking at the light of Vittorio Storaro, already looking at it, we have learned something.
We learned what is beautiful and what is ugly, and what is beautiful, you did it. And this was truly a great lesson.
STORARO = All this comes from the great studies of Hippocrates who studied the elements of life, the natural elements that arrived on our body, on our organism.
We see light, not only with the eyes, but with the whole body, we are a sensitive plate. Light is visible energy and therefore it reaches us with a certain frequency, and the more it touches us, the more it excites us.
VESPA = So ….. what do you have to do with Vittorio Storaro? What have you done together?
PIERO = The moment before I met Storaro, I wasn’t sure whether to give him the you, the her, or the you or theirs, I wanted to give theirs (he means that he was in awe of respect for Storaro), but we have one thing in common, we were born on the same day, different year, the 24th of June ….
STORARO = We are Cancer (zodiac sign).
PIERO = Maestro Storaro, before being a great artist is a great person, he transmitted so much, so much wisdom, and so much art to us and we have to thank him because, you know, sharing his experience, his art, his being, with three boys of 27 or 28 years, it is not obvious, it does not happen every day.
VESPA = You have put together Morricone’s music, the images of Storaro, Oscar winner …
IGNAZIO = Yes, because we have been trying to collaborate with Maestro Storaro for years and we never managed to find a just cause, deep and sincere, with great significance and this year, that is last year, that moment has come, it has come that idea.
VESPA = So let’s see this clip, Il Volo in the Caves …..
STORARO = Can I explain first a moment? Is useful.
VESPA = You’re welcome.
STORARO = It is true what Ignazio says, I had two Don Abbondio (he means two people who wanted to do this project … Don Abbondio is the character of the Promessi Sposi, a novel by Manzoni). Michele Torpedine called me, wrote to me every now and then to invite me to their concerts, he said, at least you know each other, it would be nice to make a video together.
While they were in Verona, I was in New York with Woody Allen, they went to New York, and I was always with Woody Allen in Spain or so on.
Then there was Maurizio Tosoroni who is the person in charge of the Frasassi Caves who asked me and Francesca (daughter of Storaro) who you know well, if we could conceive with modern technologies, and with a different creativity, that beautiful lighting they have the Frasassi Caves, which in this period of Covid were totally dark, totally closed and told me: “Why don’t we think about a project?”
The two Don Abbondio got together, they called me and I began to rehearse with lights, which we created together with Francesca related to the arts, because there was a phrase that struck me from our minister of culture, Dario Franceschini, that it is right to follow all the scientific warnings, medicines, vaccines, distances, masks, but if we add the energy, the creativity of the arts, maybe we can help so that everything can come back to life in a certain way.
VESPA = Of course, music and art give us hope, they help us to find the light.
STORARO = Do you understand? Also because we conceived the lights with Francesca, also linked to the muses, that is to the arts, and then I thought: “What can I do, with the trio Il Volo, inside the Frasassi Caves” and reminding me that they had told me that it was the fiftieth anniversary of the year in which three young speleologists descending from a hole with a rope, had discovered this incredible archaeological site among the best in the world, with the three of them (Il Volo) we reconstruct, not in a realistic way, but in a symbolic way, because they cannot go down with the suit and then sing, but in a tuxedo, and therefore in a symbolic way we have reconstructed the descent of the three , one at a time, first Gianluca, then Piero, then Ignazio, and little by little one descends, the light begins to rise …
VESPA = How wonderful! Let’s see it.
STORARO = Wait, I say one last thing. Only when Gianluca begins to sing, then Piero and then Ignazio, are together, they are like a seed that fertilizes mother earth and regenerates, and the trio becomes another trio, two trios, ten trios, one hundred trios, one thousand trios, none , one hundred thousand by Pirandello (Italian author). This was the creative energy of Il Volo.
VESPA = Well, let’s see it now. (The full video made in the Frasassi Caves begins.)
How wonderful!! Really what a treat !! Beautiful beautiful beautiful.
STORARO= Nothing is random. I have made 7 films with Ennio Morricone, and 10 films with Bernardo Bertolucci, and coincidentally this song comes from the film that the subject was written by Bernardo Bertolucci. I remember when I came here to say goodbye to Bernardo with you, and I told you about the possibility that I made him a promise, to restore and preserve all 10 films we made together, and I’m doing it now in the Cinecittà laboratory, with very modern technologies and with the possibility that these icons can last indefinitely.
VESPA = How wonderful! Bravo, bravo Vittorio, also for this.
GIANLUCA= I wanted to say that for us, our greatest goal is also to bring the beauties of our country. The Frasassi Caves, deserve to be, as they are already known all over the world, but even more so.
This was the perfect soundtrack, it was a wonderful experience in a magical place and living it with Maestro Storaro was even more so. It was truly an honor to be able to work together.
VESPA = Speaking of magical places, well, Santa Croce, in Florence (Notte Magica), but who would have thought it, direct by Placido Domingo.
PIERO = That was a great evening.
VESPA = Florence 2016 (The Magic Night video starts)
You didn’t have time to meet our friend Luciano Pavarotti.
IGNAZIO = Unfortunately not.
VESPA = In my opinion he would have put his hand on your shoulder, he was a person of absolute generosity who was really looking for, he was looking for new talents.
PIERO = This evening, the evening in Florence in Santa Croce, Tribute to the three Tenors, we had, in some way, the support from the three, because the maestro Placido Domingo directed the orchestra, but the Pavarotti foundation supported this idea because Nicoletta Mantovani (Pavarotti’s wife) gave the okay and said these very words: “The master would have liked this project”.
VESPA = Yes, absolutely yes.
VESPA = So, 2019, so these are the last things before Covid, at the Bolshoi Theater …
PIERO = To the Moscow Bolshoi
VESPA = La Traviata.
PIERO = Beautiful.
IGNAZIO = I was terribly ill, I had a fever that evening.
VESPA = Did you sing with a fever?
IGNAZIO = Yes, but I’m strong!
VESPA = Go, go. (The video of La Traviata starts)
So, (he turns to Piero) we went to New York together, we went to another big theater, the Metropolitan, do you remember?
PIERO = Yes.
VESPA = I don’t know if you remember, the room was empty, you and I were sitting next to you and I said to you: “But when you grow up, what do you want to do?” Was it your dream, does that still remain?
PIERO = Yes, in these two years, especially in the last 6 months I have studied a lot, I’m still studying, because you know very well how much study it takes. Just yesterday I did two and a half hours of lesson on Verdi, La Traviata.
VESPA = I have been to the Bolshoi with Riccardo Muti (well-known conductor), with the Friendship Concerts, and I assure you that if there is one who slaughters singers it was him.
PIERO = Mamma mia!
VESPA = Now it is no longer used, the masters have no desire or time, but before, a great singer always had his teacher who always kept him in the studio. You have to study a lot, every day.
IGNAZIO = I too, yesterday I did a two and a half hour session of the “tagliata (typical meat), I was very focused! (laughs) 😁😁😁
Sorry for the joke!
VESPA = He is always disheveled, undisciplined, the one who arrives late. Where is Gianluca!
GIANLUCA = This is what the two of them make you believe!
But it is nice that we are a group, but we continue to cultivate our passions, we respect and esteem each other, which is not obvious, as you know often groups are in competition …
VESPA = I know, you all never fight.!!
GIANLUCA = This is our great merit, because now 13 years together this is the beautiful thing.
Nice that Piero has his goals, for example, as I told you before, I am starting to approach the world of acting, trying to understand if one day, who knows, I would like to be an actor, but this enriches anyway, studying acting on stage , for a singer, it also helps you to express, to interpret songs better.
VESPA = So. (he turns to Piero) You say, we sang for the Pope, that’s enough, but no.
2019 Pope Francis, Panama (video of Panama starts)
In the video:
PIERO = His Holiness.
P + I + G = What a pleasure to see you again.
PIERO = This is our gift to you.
POPE = Thank you.
GIANLUCA = The dream and the desire to sing for him is coming true, we met in private audience last year and we sang for him an Ave Maria (Hail Mary) and here tonight we will sing it for him and for all the young people, we are truly honored.
POPE = Thank you.
PIERO = Can we take a picture?
POPE = Yes.
PIERO = A selfie like young people do. (The Pope gives a souvenir to Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca)
IGNAZIO = We are grateful to you. See you later.
GIANLUCA = As you know, the power of Italian and Neapolitan music has reached overseas, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, but also Elvis Presley himself …..
IGNAZIO = The Pope has just passed, sorry, the Pope comments, ….
PIERO = But what does Elvis Presley have to do with Pope Francis, can you explain to me?
GIANLUCA = Oh well, first let’s talk about the Pope and then we want to give you a small gift.
VESPA = A small gift?
GIANLUCA = Yes, yes, a little present.
VESPA = Wait, first now I want to ask you something, we want to dedicate to Vittorio Storaro, who represented Italian art in the world, one of the most popular songs in the world, like this, here a cappella. (O Sole mio)
GIANLUCA = This is why I said, the great Elvis Presley interpreted the song in English “It’s now or never”, do you remember that?
VESPA = Go !! (begins the a cappella song)
Well, we want to thank this magnificent group of romances, eight violinists, two cellists, thank you, thank you very much and congratulations, you are very good. And then (to Il Volo) I greet you now …
IGNAZIO = We leave you with a great masterpiece, you know the story of Sacco and Vanzetti well. We are truly honored to be able to tell it even to an audience that does not know this story, to an audience that is not Italian and perhaps has not known the injustices that can exist in life. We are very proud to sing this song.
GIANLUCA = We would like to thank you again, we also thank the Maestro Storaro.
VESPA = Thank you. (then he turns to Storaro) And what about you, beyond the restoration of Bertolucci’s films?
STORARO = Basically we’re still in the early stages, Woody sent me his fifth script to start, we had to do it first in New York, then we moved to France, now he’s looking to another country, Covid follows, depending on where it’s possible we’re going to do it.
VESPA = Good luck !!
PIERO = We would like to thank our audience for their love, support and support received over the years, thank you.
VESPA = And then: Sacco and Vanzetti! (start the song)
Really a nice chat between friends. You have noticed the masks and spacers, much more rigid in February than they are now.
Although it was not advertised, but was announced only by the tam-tam of the fans pages (incredible), this episode had very high ratings.
Congratulations as always, to Il Volo !!
But that of Porta a Porta was not the only appointment of Il Volo in this period, they were also in promotion Austria, on the TV show “Garden Party of the stars”.
Here they are.
Please click on the photo below to view the video.
Very nice this video shot in Austria in front of the beautiful Grillenstein castle.
And then, live, during the show, they sang Ecstasy of Gold.
Please click on the photo below to view the video.
Really a nice participation, let’s enjoy some pictures.
Then there was the announcement of the two Australian concert dates, finally !!
Reposted from @ilvolomusic :
Hello everyone, We are very happy to announce that ticket sales are now open for our Australian concerts in Melbourne (October 18) and Sydney (October 24).
And finally, on May 12, I remind you that Il Volo is taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest.
For those who cannot follow them on TV, I propose you to follow them on you tube on the official ESC channel: @eurovisionsongcontest.
Il Volo will sing GRANDE AMORE, but in a new version, which has just been heard.
The title is YOU ARE MY EVERYTHING and is in the English-Italian version and I find it beautiful !!
Here it is. ❤
What a thrill everything is ready, see you soon !!
Daniela
BREAKING NEWS!
Unfortunately, the news recently came that Gianluca is positive for Covid, so he will not be on the Eurovision stage. His voice will be recorded, only Ignazio and Gianluca will perform !!
I am very sorry for Gianluca, unfortunately you can never let your guard down with this Covid. Ignazio and Piero will do their best to represent Il Volo !!
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!
