Land of Sages and Fools ~ Made of Devils and Saints!
Sometimes I feel like I spend every day of my life writing about Ignazio! In the last year I wrote over fifty stories about the guys and, it seems as if half of them were about Ignazio’s projects. Because of all his projects I sometimes write two and three stories a week about him, wearing many different hats. Entertainer, Lyricist, Manager, Entrepreneur! The amazing thing about it is, I can’t get enough of him! Ignazio lives in mind. I have an emotional attachment to him. I guess it comes from writing all those stories. With fictional characters, the writer develops the character but, when you’re writing about real people, you come to a point where you are in their minds and, you feel their passions and emotions!
As usual, it was Daniela who made me aware that something new was going on. She sent me a video that said Màkari and I wondered what is this about? And then I clicked on it and heard Ignazio’s beautiful voice and I thought when did Ignazio record this? That’s when I realized it was a new series on Rai1 and Il Volo will be singing the theme song. And if that wasn’t enough, I learned Ignazio wrote the song. Ignazio, do you ever sleep?
Ignazio, last year, you told us you had many surprises for us. This obviously was the collaboration with Rai1 you were talking about. Unless we have another surprise in store! We can only hope!
Truthfully, who better to write a song about Sicily and the region of Trapani than a native child! No, Ignazio wasn’t born in Sicily but, for Italians, who your parents are is who you are so, in fact, Ignazio is Sicilian.
It amazes me that the young boy who went to Sicily kicking and screaming when he was ten, became the spokesman for Marsala, around the world, and now for the region of Trapani. Ignazio came to embrace the land of his parents and he loves all the wonders of Sicily.
Sicily is different than Italy. Yes, I know Sicily is Italy but, how the Sicilians live and, who they are is very different. Ignazio’s song invites us to take a better look at this other land in the south. It speaks of “a land of sages and a land of fools, made from devils and saints.” Yes, that’s what Sicily is! They honor their saints while keeping their superstitions!
Ignazio invites you to live a new reality through his eyes. He invites us to see a different side of Sicily through his beautiful theme song, Màkari.
Ignazio begins his video by explaining to us his experience of Sicily as seen through his eyes. “It is a Sicily as told by a twenty-five year old who lived Sicily through stories, through images!”
This song speaks volumes! Where did the words of this song come from? Ignazio’s heart! There is something very mysterious about the song. Besides the fact that it speaks of a land of sages and fools made from devils and saints. It also speaks of truth! The truth as seen through Ignazio’s eyes.
Ignazio’s words allow us to see Sicily through tradition, home and love!
In the video, Ignazio talks about the summers he spent in S. Vito Capo in the landscape of Màkari. What is it that draws him back year after year? Is it the “silence” of the land that screams for you to open your eyes and look around at the wonder of the landscape or, the traditions of the land that go deep into your soul? It seems to Ignazio, Màkari is joy and love and so he will never forget it! And what does that say! Simple! This is Ignazio’s story!!! His story of Sicily, the land he left to pursue his dream and the land he is drawn back to time and again.
Think about the words of the song! Is Ignazio talking about the writer who leaves his home and returns after a long period of time or the entertainer who travels the world? The similarities in his life and the life of the writer are striking, that’s why he was able to write such an emotional song! I feel like Ignazio wrote the song and then they made the show. His words are very enticing, they pull you into the story. They tell all there is to know and, Ignazio tells us a story, through the imagery of his words!
The mystery of it all is the relationship Ignazio has with this land! Having become a part of this land at the age of ten, it is amazing to me that Ignazio developed this great bond with Sicily. Yes, Bologna is his home but, Sicily is the place he comes home to!!!
Ignazio says, “it is an honor to talk about my Sicily through a fiction that tells the truth of this Sicily.” Ignazio loves that through all the mysteries and mystique of the program, the show speaks of love, which is something that he loves and, he loves that that love is combined with yellow (mysteries)!
Sicily is amazing for Ignazio because it’s different for him every time. He sees a Sicily that is always offering something new while being a part of something old. Always remembering what was while looking forward to what will be! This speaks to Ignazio’s soul!
Ignazio’s thoughts and emotions are everywhere in this song. In an interview on Sunday, with Inga and Claudio Gioè, the actor from Màkari, Ignazio reminds us of his words, in the song, about His Sicily. “Whoever comes to Sicily, cries twice,” (once when you arrive and, once when you leave). I think that sums up Ignazio’s feelings for Sicily.” I think the words of this song will be on the lips of everyone for many years to come! A Classic!
The final verse of the song is sung by Ignazio with a few beautiful words in Sicilian and he is accompanied by a classical guitar. “Sing louder but do it in silence because here no one hears us, sees us. This is a story a little curious, a little grumpy, it speaks to me of love. For traditions, for my roots, Màkari is home and my heart sings for you!” These are emotional words, very touching!
In the video, Gianluca and Piero expressed their feelings about the project. Gianluca said, I have anxiety waiting for this moment, so I renew my congratulations to everyone for this great project and we are delighted to be part of it. We, also, learned something very interesting in this video. We now know what everyone’s plans are for the future! Gianluca says, he would love to be an actor. I always thought he would be a model. He certainly has the body and looks for it! But who knows maybe he will show up in one of the episodes of Màkari? And Piero the sweetheart that he is, told us how proud he is of Ignazio and how happy he is to be a part of this project! Piero, all of us are very happy that all of you are embarking on this new adventure together!
One final thought! Ignazio’s words in the song call out to, many, people expressing his feelings on many matters! I would like to go back to those last words of the song so that you can listen very carefully to Ignazio words! “Sing louder but do it in silence because here no one hears, sees us.” Think about it!
Màkari we’ve been waiting for you!
What an amazing song! Ignazio as usual you took my breath away, not just with your voice but, with your beautiful words. No doubt they were from the heart. They truly hit home! They so speak of where you heart is! And from the bottom of my heart I say, thank you for the song and thank you guys for the beautiful delivery!
You know how many times I’d like to leave from this land of devils and saints but Màkari is home, it’s joy and pain this is my land.
Land of Wise Men and Land of Fools of people who take heart, take it and give it! Whoever comes to Sicily, cries twice! Màkari is my home.
This is a story a little curious, a little grumpy, it speaks to me of love. For traditions, for my roots, but Màkari is home, and the heart sings for you.
Sing louder, but do it in silence, because here no one hears us, sees us, but Makari is home, it is joy and pain, Màkari I do not forget, I forget no more.
This is a story a little curious, a little grumpy, it speaks to me of love. For traditions, for my roots, but Màkari is home and the heart sings for you.
Life is like a book, there are beautiful pages and less beautiful pages, and now we turn the page on the events that have just passed and we hope to always find positive pages.
In fact good news is coming and it’s called MÀKARI.
On the evening of Sanremo I was waiting impatiently for the arrival of Il Volo on TV, advertising promos were passing and one concerned an upcoming 4-episode television miniseries. I was not paying attention, but something immediately attracted me ….. the beautiful and unmistakable voice of Ignazio !!!
Immediately on the web, the rumors of other fans circulated who had the same thought and here it is, it is him, Ignazio.
But what is Màkari? Is the fiction in 4 episodes, deals with the works of Gaetano Savatteri(Sicilian writer) set between the Zingaro Nature Reserve and Baia Santa Margherita, (Trapani area)
Plot: The series of 4 yellow novels, stars Saverio Lamanna, writer by vocation and detective by chance. During the four evenings, Saverio engages in investigations into murders, disappearances and mysteries that bloody his land.
But here’s the promo that aired just before their performance in Sanremo.
And here is the explanation of MÀKARI from the voice of Il Volo, yes because the theme song will be sung by Il Volo, but the song is written by Ignazio.
This is the video of the remote press conference of Il Volo on the Màkari project.
IGNAZIO = Let’s say it is a Sicily told by a twenty-five year old who lived Sicily, through stories, through images. Màkari is a landscape that I experience every summer, because I have many friends in S. Vito lo Capo and every summer I take the opportunity to return to this land.
It is a song that tells about my Sicily, land of sages, land of fools, made of devils and saints, but I have also seen some images from the series and this series is also about love, which is something that I love, love combined with yellow (they are detective stories).
It is a song linked to traditions, from how it speaks, and for us, at least for me who wrote it, it is an honor to tell about my Sicily through a fiction that tells the truth of this Sicily.
In days it will be available on all platforms, for those who want to listen to it. Sony is working to make it available on all platforms.
GIANLUCA = I also have a great passion for acting, so, hoping one day to undertake this journey as well, I wanted to congratulate all the actors.
We got to see some small parts, so I was also happy to be able to preview some parts of this fiction that we will all watch. We can’t wait, I have anxiety waiting for this moment, so I renew my congratulations to everyone for this great project and we are delighted to be part of it.
PIERO = I am very happy, but all three of us are, to have married this project. In fact, Gianluca and I are very proud of Ignazio, of the work he did in this song, and it was exciting to record a song by Ignazio in the recording studio, to hear it in the commercial, every time it is exciting.
We wanted to thank Carlo degli Esposti, Marco Cingoli and Luigi Pinto for choosing us, it’s not something to be taken for granted. (a little taste of the fiction and the beautiful song follows,)
In the final piece of the video there is a small verse of the song, which is accompanied by a classical guitar. Ignazio sings.
The text is in Italian with a few words in Sicilian, here’s what it says:
“Sing louder but do it in silence, because no one here hears and sees us, but Makari is home is joy is love. I don’t forget Màkari anymore.
Chista è na storia nu pocu curiosa nu pocu scuntrusa mi parla di amuri (Sicilian dialect = This is the story a little curious, a little grumpy, it speaks to me of love.)
For the traditions, for my roots, Màkari is home and the heart sings for you.”
in the photo the two protagonists of Màkari
One more thing to be very proud of these guys.
A nice surprise, no one expected this gift.
Ignazio, you are fantastic, your talent as a composer has finally found the right launch, and it can be heard and tasted by many people, who will surely love it.
Once again I am very proud of you, once again you have shown that you are united and great.
Your talent knows no bounds.
I look forward to hearing the whole beautiful song.
So many enthusiastic comments on the translation of a speech between one song and another from IL Volo, during the concert in Taormina, that I looked for another video where there was a speech to be translated and I found it.
Enjoy yourselves!
GIAN = (Ignazio speaks to Piero) Anyway, opening the parenthesis, Gianluca told me the “cassate” (silly, meaningless phrases) that you say …. But do you realize? (many laughs)
GIAN = But I would never allow myself to say these things into the microphone.
IGNA = Saint Gianluca, who are you (referring to Gianluca), the fourteenth apostle?
PIERO = Could I please introduce the next piece?
GIAN = Maybe I’ll do it, also because you two will sing. I’ll be brief, I promise you.
IGNA = But why? Are you leaving?
GIAN = Yes.
IGNA = Ah, the Ave Maria is good for something! (applause and laughter)
GIAN = There are five thousand of you against me tonight, I’m the only one from Abruzzo, is there any Abruzzo here who gives me a hand? ….. Oh thank goodness!
IGNA = But we (meant the Sicilians) do not discriminate against anyone. It is I who discriminate against you.
GIAN = Indeed ….. but it’s not true, we love each other (and they shake their hands)
IGNA = Absolutely !! ❤
PIERO = (to Ignazio) But have you completely forgotten Italian tonight? (Ignazio speaks in Sicilian).
IGNA = I’m in Sicily (lots of laughter and applause) it takes a passport to come here. (Piero laughs a lot). It is since I moved to Bologna that this thing hasn’t turned out (the dialect of Bologna is very different from Sicilian).
You live here, you go to the baker and say “Will you give me half a kilo of bread?” (Ignazio says the sentence in Sicilian and then repeats the same sentence in Bolognese, the sentence is the same, but the sound result is very different), it’s not the same thing !!!
GIAN = No, it’s not the same …
IGNA = But it’s still beautiful!
GIAN = Come on, am I the presenter?
IGNA = Go!
GIAN = Ladies and Gentlemen, Piero Barone and Ignazio Boschetto, will sing only for you: “O Paese d’o sole” (applause)
These guys are really funny, and I like Ignazio a lot when he speaks the Sicilian dialect.
Gianluca does well the part of being rejected by Ignazio, but it is really clear that they love each other.
And what about this spectacular duet between Ignazio and Piero, this is one of my favorite Neapolitan songs, every time I get goosebumps.
Fantastic trio. ❤️❤️❤️
Daniela
Credit to Alicja L. for the photos, to the owners of the video and music “O paese d’o sole”.
We know that young Korean singers appreciate the music of Il Volo very much, in fact they often offer their songs, even in the Italian language.
It must be really difficult for them, a language so different from their own, but they have sensed that our boys’ songs are beautiful in their original language.
Yesterday, on Twitter, thanks to ItaGuyIV, the videos of two songs were published, don’t pay attention to the syncro, because the audio is not well synchronized with the video, ………. but you already have heard these songs ??
Yes, it is MUSICA CHE RESTA and VICINISSIMO, but what a strange impression to hear these sung like this. Anyway congratulations to these three Asian guys.
It seems to be a competition performance and seeing the reactions of the participating boys (all very young) it seems to me that this genre is very popular. It has a certain effect to think that the songs of Il Volo are taken as a model, analyzed and copied for a singing competition.
But I am proud of this.
Of course, they are still far from imitating the union of the voices of our three boys!!
While trying to find news about our three boys, there was this nice message from IL VOLO:
You have always been close to us with great affection, with your voices that accompanied ours during concerts, with your heart and with your words also through the many messages you send us. This time it is we who send you a message full of affection, we are here to gather around you in this particularly difficult period. We will come out stronger than before, together!
After the concert in Monte Carlo, and the party in Sicily, Piero Ignazio and Gianluca returned to their homes.
Sometimes, some fans have an unexpected meeting, and then publish the photos and so we too can see where our favorites are.
Ignazio was photographed in a barber shop in Milazzo, a Sicilian town.
Piero,visited the beautifulPalatine Chapel in Palermo.
The Palatine Chapel is located in the Norman Palace and is entirely covered with gold mosaics from the Byzantine era.
It is a Unesco heritage site.
Gianluca went to L’Aquila to see the PERDONANZA CELESTINIANA 2020.
If you remember, in 2019, a year ago, IL Volo did the concert for the Perdonanza Celestiniana and it was a great success.
In this photo, Gianluca with master Leonardo de Amicis, who directed Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero at TI LASCIO UNA CANZONE.
The photo was posted by Leonardo de Amicis with this dedication:
“Friendship, affection and esteem.”
The latest news is that Il Volo will participate in an event in the Arena in Verona, to support the “invisible” people (workers, electricians, audio technicians, etc.) who work for the concerts and that COVID19 has reduced without work.
There will be many singers including Il Volo. The event will be broadcast by RAI 1 on 5 September.
For now, that’s it.
Let me know what you think of Korean singers singing in Italian.
As for Piero Ignazio and Gianluca, even if it will be for one song only, I am really happy to see them on RAI1, in a few days.
All seats are now sold out for the concert at the Opéra Garnier in Monte-Carlo in honor of the ten-year career of the trio that has become the pride of Italian music
After postponing the Italian stages, Il Volo returns to perform in the Principality for an evening of Monegasque elegance. Tickets sold at 283 euros each are now all sold out. The Monte Carlo Opera House, which is located in the casino complex, was designed by Charles Garnier, the famous architect of the Opéra Garnier in Paris, and seats 524 people.
The Best of 10 Years!
The tour is entitled “Il Volo – The best of 10 years”. Indeed, in 2019 the group celebrated ten years of career. Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto and Gianluca Ginoble met in 2009 during the TV talent show “Ti lascio una canzone”. They will become a trio, nicknamed “the tenorini”, even if, while Boschetto and Barone are tenors, Ginoble is baritone.
It was in 2015 that they confirmed themselves as ambassadors of the Italian musical tradition when, after winning the Sanremo festival with the song “Grande Amore”, the same singing event that revealed, among others, Eros Ramazzotti and Laura Pausini.
To celebrate their ten-year career, the group released the album “The best of 10 years” in 2019, with which it is preparing to kick off the new world tour, which started in Japan, touched Europe, North and Latin America and will not fail to stop in Monte Carlo for a memorable evening!
There are rehearsals for the concert and our guys, like good professionals, are always there to optimize their performance.
As you can see from the next short video, the theater is really very small, a small chest, a treasure.
But here we are at the time of the concert.
Unfortunately,there are very few and incomplete videos, but even if we can see and hear very little, what we can get makes us understand that the boys are in excellent vocal and physical form!!
NESSUN DORMA – IL MONDO
MY WAY
IL MONDO – UN AMORE COSÌ GRANDE
Between one song and another, Piero Ignazio and Gianluca entertain the audience with some chat, but very nice things have also been said that I am now translating to you. Sorry I didn’t attach the video, but they can’t be viewed in the US.
Ignazio = We have always said that for us, singing for 10 thousand people or for 300 people is the same thing.
And today, now that we are OBLIGED to have smaller capacities (due to Covid19), we can really live what we said.
Piero = Because there is no such gap between audience and stage …
Ignazio = … it’s like we were in the family, (addresses the audience) and sometimes, you know, singing in front of a few people is more difficult than singing in front of a lot of people, the emotion is different.
Gianluca = Let’s say that, wearing masks, we don’t see your expressions, but we see your eyes, and we hope to fill you with joy. (applause)
GRANDE AMORE
Here they are arrived at Palermo airport, the voice on the loudspeaker recommends maintaining the interpersonal distance of at least 1 meter and wearing a mask ………. good guys, observe the rules!!
But why did all three boys return to Sicily?
What other news is there?
We see from the photos published Gian and Piero in Selinunte, places full of history, will it be only for vacation???
But then, we find Piero Ignazio and Gianluca in Polizzi Generosa, a Sicilian town, where the designer Domenico Dolce (D&G) was born.
Why are they in Polizzi Generosa?
On 13 August was Domenico Dolce’s birthday and today, 16 August in Polizzi Generosa, is a Sunday of celebration, there are stalls and tonight, the film by D&G Devotion will be screened in the square and at the end there will be the fireworks.
Our boys will easily be present at the film screening. It will be a good party, too bad not to be there!!
Here are some moments of the typical party in the streets of the small town. How many people, there is no social distancing, beware guys!!
Well done, you guys stay on Domenico Dolce’s balcony, away from the crowd.
What a great celebration, and the boys are so happy.
Il Volo and Domenico Dolce, Music and Fashion at a high level. 💜
(Click on each photo below for a close up view.)
Here is the promo of the film at Polizzi Generosa.
The fireworks at the end of the documentary film.
Your voices in Monte Carlo were perfect, and seeing you so happy in Sicily fills our hearts.
But we, who feel like yours, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, recommend you: “Stay safe.”
Daniela
It is true that in Sicily the infections have been very limited, but why risk it? The Italian government, seeing the trend of the last days of the people in Italy, has again imposed, from August 17, the closure of discos and the obligation of the mask, even on the street from 06:00 pm until 06:00 am.
This beautiful painting given to Domenico Dolce during his birthday party is made by Fabio Ingrassia.
Here’s what Fabio wrote on his fanpage:
“I made my first trousers when I was 6 with the help of tailors in my father’s tailor shop.”
This sentence was my starting point when they commissioned me a painting for Domenico Dolce.
I had to somehow represent a concept, stop for a moment, right where the magic was born, a child prodigy who for the first time discovered his world … those little hands sewed a dream that would soon become a fantastic reality!
Baroque and revolutionary like Caravaggio, traditionalist and elegant like Black and White. ❤️
THE CREATION oil on canvas 70×100
Thanks IL VOLO!
(Click on each photo below for a close up view.)
Wonderful work: Congratulations to Fabio Ingrassia! ❤️
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!
