Come with me to three Il Volo concerts: Florence – Summer tour 2024, Prague – Tutti per uno tour 2024, Florence – Ad Astra tour 2025
Dear Flight Crew members and readers,
You don’t know me because I have never commented or interacted with anyone here, but I have been visiting this site for some time … I found this amazing site because I was looking for a translation of an article. And since then, I’m frequently coming here and checking how well (or not) I understood an article, an interview, or a video in Italian.
My name is Klára, I’m from the Czech Republic and live with my cat, Mr. Paw, in a small town near Pilsen – the city of beer. I’m a translator, I translate mostly from German into Czech and vice versa. I love reading, travelling, cats, figure skating and, of course, Il Volo.
I heard about Il Volo first when I was listening to a song by Andrea Bocelli on YouTube and the next suggested video was his message to Gianluca in Ti lascio una canzone. That was maybe eight years ago; I googled and found out that Gianluca was part of a musical group. Then I listened to some songs, read some interviews… My interest sparked again around 2020 when Italian pair skaters Rebecca Ghilardi and Philippo Ambrosini skated their free program to Grande Amore. And since then, I wanted to attend a concert in person.
Happy in Milano
As everyone here, I also love reading all the wonderful recaps and summaries of concerts and reports from people who were there in person. And even though it’s not really the most recent event, I thought that you might be interested in reading about three Il Volo concerts I have attended.
I want to share my excitement, recount some memories from the travels (from the point of view of someone who’s learning Italian) and I hope this article conveys how much I like Italy and Il Volo.
I’d like to take you with me back in time to Florence, Prague and to Florence again and show you the three concerts I have attended; show you the places, tell you how adventurous or not it was to get there, which songs stood out for me, which solos I loved the most, what happened at the soundcheck etc.
I have to admit I don’t have many photos of the concerts… But we could read here amazing reviews of the concerts with many videos and photos attached already, so I hope you won’t mind that this text contains so few pictures.
How it started
It all started last year in spring.
Before that I had watched Il Volo in videos on the internet from time to time… Then I had bought a ticket for the concert in Prague in 2023 (their first concert in the Czech Republic) but in the end I couldn’t go because my grandpa was ill. Fortunately, the guys decided to return in October 2024, I bought a ticket early in spring… and then, as I said, it started!
In anticipation of the concert in Prague, I was watching a lot of videos from earlier concerts and bits of interviews and realized (which wasn’t that big of a big discovery) that in Prague the guys were going to speak English – and that’s great because it’s certainly the language most people there would understand… But I’m a translator, love languages, challenges, and above all, I love Italy. At that time, I had been learning Italian for a while and just urgently felt that I needed to see the boys in Italy, in their home country, speaking their native language even though my Italian was quite basic.
And once you decide to do something, you find more and more reasons why you absolutely have to do it, right? 😉
Apart from Italian and Italy, my main reason was that I also wanted to hear Gianluca sing La cura and was a bit worried he wouldn’t sing it outside Italy. So, I spontaneously bought a ticket for a concert in Florence (Pratolino) for July 2024… And then I was hooked. 😊
Florence/Pratolino: At home under the moon (22nd July 2024)
The whole trip was a 100% Italian experience. It was so hot – 38°C! A friend of mine very kindly invited me to stay with her for a few days before going to Florence for the concert… I hopped on a bus in Prague and about 20 hours later I met my friend. We went to the sea, visited the San Galgano monastery and Siena, cooked pasta with home-made basil pesto, screamed Il Mondo and Grande Amore while she was driving and I was trying to read the map, and the day before the concert we went to the theatre in Siena for Donizetti’s opera Don Pasquale, sort of a starter before the main course. 😉 And then, finally, I went to Florence.
Siena, sea, opera in Siena, San Galgano
Place: Florence/Pratolino
The summer concert in Florence was part of the Musart festival that was for the first time in its nine-year old history taking place in Parco Mediceo di Pratolino. I bought a ticket for the concert in Florence and then was very surprised when all pieces of information were talking about Pratolino. ‘What’s that? What’s going on?’ I thought as I repeatedly received emails about limited parking possibilities and instructions on how to get there by car. (As if I had an. 😉) And so, I discovered that Pratolino is about fifteen kilometres away from the city centre of Florence and that it was possible to get there by public transport. But going back? There was no public transport that late in the evening.
Fortunately, I visited the website of the festival and learned what ‘navetta’ meant. Shuttle buses! Indeed, there was a special train going from Florence to Vaglia and from there shuttle buses were going to Pratolino.
In reality, it was a bit more complicated, as the shuttle buses weren’t waiting directly at the train station… Fortunately, there was a lady travelling in the train who had attended a concert in Pratolino the day before, so she safely guided us to the buses.
When we arrived at Pratolino, there were carabinieri everywhere managing the traffic, signalling for the cars which temporary car park they should use, guiding the buses through… And I thought: If I were one of the boys and saw this chaos, I’d fall unconscious and would be unable to sing! At this moment I truly realized how famous Il Volo was.
We got off the bus and there was about one kilometer walk through the park waiting for us and then, finally, I saw the stage!
The park is a lovely place and it’s getting gradually reconstructed. There are statues, a beautiful Villa Demidoff and a chapel that was open for the concert visitors.
I’d say there were about five thousand people of all ages, and from the snippets of conversation my impression was that for many of them it wasn’t their first Il Volo concert.
Park Pratolino
The Florence vs. Pratolino thing made even Piero confused 😉 Here’s what he asked at the beginning of the concert.
Piero: I don’t want to offend anyone so what’s correct? Florence or Pratolino? Audience: Florence! Piero: Good, because I said at home that I was going to sing in Florence.
The concert
The concert started at 9:30 p.m.; it was already dark and still so warm…
It was my first time hearing the boys live and this is a part of the message I immediately sent to my friend. It just sums up my impressions:
And I can’t even describe the singing. What Ignazio can do 🤯🤯 And hearing Piero singing the arias live 😮 And Gianluca such a soothing voice 🥰🥰🥰 And the best was going back to the bus and just hearing bits of conversation of the many fans and all of them were so excited.
The boys were so relaxed, natural, warm and friendly, they talked about the songs a lot, joked, and didn’t rush. I have to say I was quite proud of myself because I understood more or less everything they said in Italian.
Songs that stood out and solos
The boys came on the stage and immediately started singing Nelle tue mani, it was such a powerful beginning; Caruso was very moving… I love the Ad Astra album and was so happy that they sang about half of the songs from it: Succede, Il mondo all’incontrario, Capolavoro and especially Frammenti di universe, I love the part where Gianluca’s and Ignazio’s voices interact with each other.
The concert also contained six solos. As I said, La cura was one of the main reasons I travelled to Italy, and I got everything I wanted and more. My friend told me that La cura is often sung at weddings because of the lyrics. Whenever Gianluca sings “Perché sei un essere speciale“(because you are a special human being) I always add in my mind: yes, you, Gianluca, you are a special human being.
I was equally enchanted by Piero’s E lucevan le stelle. And then Ignazio’s Almeno tu nell’universo…, you have to listen to it, it cannot be described. From the first second you understand that this song has a deeply personal and special meaning for Ignazio, and he makes you feel it, too.
We also heard Ovunque sarai, Amor vida de mi vida and Can’t help falling in love.
The public was so energetic and warm, applauding, cheering and very often singing with the boys; everyone knew the lyrics of Capolavoro, and of Ignazio’s solos.
And then came one of the best experiences of my life: the guys invited everyone to stand up, come closer to the stage and join them in singing the last song. And so, together with about five thousand people, I was singing/screaming Grande Amore at the top of my lungs, standing on my feet, clapping my hands. It was such an exciting ending of the whole concert.
All of us on our feet, singing Grande amore
Fun
The concert was a perfect mix of brilliant singing, relaxed atmosphere and some fun.
When the guys started talking about the song Ad Astra, they said: “We were in Mexico” and a whole row of people waved, so they interrupted the introduction of the song and greeted Mexico and the Mexican fans who were there.
Then Gianluca started listing countries, asking if there was someone from the US, Canada etc. etc. and people were waving and raising their hands.
Ignazio: That’s a lot of people. Is there even anyone from Tuscany? (the region around Florence) Gianluca immediately: And from Abruzzo?
Then there was another very funny moment, and I haven’t seen any video of it so here’s a summary.
Piero: There’s somewhere a friend of mine in the audience. He’s a waiter. Can you get up? We met a month ago when we were doing a press conference here. And he’s the best waiter in the world. He prepared breakfast for me. And if I remember correctly, it’s Massimo’s birthday today.
Meanwhile, the man got up.
Il Volo started singing and the whole audience stood up and joined the guys in singing Tanti auguri(Happy birthday).
When they finished, Gianluca heard something and then said: What? Your name is not Massimo? It’s Tomasso!! Piero: Well, the breakfast was at 6.30 a.m…. but I did remember the birthday correctly. Gianluca asking Tomasso: I still don’t understand. But why did you get up when he said Massimo? Tomasso: He also said that I was a waiter which is correct.
Then the guys were about to introduce another song, Se from Ennio Morricone.
Ignazio to Piero: No, you don’t say his name.
Kindness
It was a funny moment, but it also shows how kind and friendly Piero, Gianluca and Ignazio are. And kindness doesn’t stop with them, also all the volunteers were very nice, not to speak about all the people who organized the transport to Pratolino. There may not have been that many pieces of information, and being in a foreign country, the journey felt like an adventure at the beginning, but everything worked out.
I was a bit worried whether the buses were going to wait for everyone after the end of the concert but then I convinced myself that there were worse things than waiting at the station for some early train in the morning, especially as the evening and night were so warm. Of course, the buses waited.
And then while sitting back in the train, well past midnight, suddenly an applause erupted there – it could rival the standing ovations the boys received just an hour ago – the train staff decided that the train wasn’t going to terminate at the Campo Marte station but was going to continue to the main train station in the city center! For many people it was much more convenient.
Booklet
We were given a 50-page long booklet containing the programme and introduction of the Musart festival, the individual artists, the Demidoff villa…
Here is a translation of the part about Il Volo:
(translated by me, revision done by my Italian friend)
Since forever, flying or the flight (il volo) has been one of the biggest dreams of humankind. Not only in the physical sense but also in the metaphorical one.
Flying (il volo) represents liberty, surpassing the limits, and the aspirations to reach something higher.
Flying (il volo) is not only a matter of wings or motors but also of soul and desire. Paulo Coelho once said: “The man has an inner greatness that moves him to fly, even though his wings are invisible.” These words reflect the truth about every dreamer: flying (il volo) is, first of all, an act of believing in oneself.
Music, like flying, lifts us up and transports us in unexpected places. It’s by means of our voice that we reach the highest, farthest goals, breath-taking and alienating, while communicating through one of our most profound senses.
It’s incredible how much freedom may lie in those few lines that represent the stave. The voice flies, soars, contorts itself into the various notes, adjusts to the tonality and communicates its feelings through the minor and major chords.
Flying (il volo) is the utmost representation of the human desire to rise above the circumstances of everyday life and reach something sublime. In every note, in every melody, in every word, we can find a piece of sky. And thus, we join the choir, soaring high, guided by the art and the beauty of the flight.
And Il Volo(now with the capital letter) is also the beautiful story of these boys – young men now – who with harmony and on the sound of high notes perform all over the world and shortly they will be welcomed in the park of the Demidoff villa. I share with them the experience of participating at the San Remo festival. I also was part of a trio but that wasn’t a long-term project but only a brief intermezzo. And also, we didn’t have such a beautiful and inspiring name!
Luca Canonici, opera singer
Prague: Warm encounter with old friends (12th October 2024)
The “old friends” in the title refer to the songs, as Il Volo was celebrating 15 years of career, and the guys sang there all the important songs of their journey… and “old friends” also refer to the European capitals as Il Volo had had much success there in previous tours.
Prague was more of a “standard” concert I’d say – no more open air but a huge modern arena.
The public was very appreciative, but I missed a bit the spontaneity of the predominantly Italian public from Florence and their readiness to join the boys in singing various songs.
Place
O2 Arena, before the concert, from my seat
The O2 arena in Prague is modern, spacious, with a subway station nearby… The capacity of the arena is about 18.000 (though at first, the organizers weren’t selling tickets for the second gallery seats, so the number of spectators was lower).
This is off topic but next year, the World figure skating championship will take place there and given the Olympics are in Italy I expect a lot of skaters to choose Italian music next season, maybe even from Il Volo.
Prague is a beautiful city, though as I didn’t have to make such an effort to get there, the concerts in Florence feel – subjectively – even more special to me.
I was very happy when Gianluca shared pictures from the National Gallery in Prague. And then he also posted a picture of a statue and even though I lived in Prague for two years, at first, I didn’t know where it was! The guys discovered more places in Prague in two days than me in two years 😉
Gianluca’s photo of the Kafka statue
Soundcheck
I wholeheartedly recommend going to the soundcheck if you have the chance. On one hand it’s much less expensive than meet and greet and on the other hand wherever you sit then during the concert you’ll still have this unique experience of sitting in the first or second row and seeing Il Volo from close.
You can see a bit of what is going on behind the scenes, you see the guys in casual clothes, leaning on the piano, scrolling on the phone while waiting for something, discussing details with the technicians…
This was my first time attending a soundcheck and I was amazed! We quietly walked into semi-darkness, and suddenly we heard The Sound of Silence. It was so clear and loud and absolutely mesmerizing. Meanwhile we sat down and then the boys sang Opera – arguing good-naturedly about the lyrics, Piero suggested trying the ending of Hallelujah and then he did a solo. And afterwards they sang with the guest, Elina Nechayeva, and were so sweet and attentive to her.
Concert: Songs that stood out and solos
The song that stood out for me was definitely The Sound of Silence.
The boys stand in a semi-circle close together, they start singing, it’s almost dark on the stage and you can hear only their voices. And if you haven’t thought about it before, now you realize that this is all they need. They don’t need crazy costumes and hairdos, dancers or aerial artists on the stage, flashy lights; just with their voices and personality they make the show.
Un amore così grande made me, literally, cry; then there was the playful La donna è mobile that made me smile. And the cherry on the top was Opera. Again, it’s dark, and suddenly you hear Opera! Opera! Opera! loud and decisive reverberating in the whole arena.
The Estonian singer Elina Nechayeva joined Il Volo for Libiamo ne’ lieti calici and she also proposed a toast in Czech! During the brief pause in the song she danced with Piero and Ignazio and danced with Gianluca 😉
There was one song I had been looking forward to so much – The Music of the Night – hoping Gianluca would sing it. And he did. He sang so beautifully; his voice was soft and yet powerful. The lyrics are, in my opinion, so complex and difficult and yet Gianluca’s pronunciation is so clear (clearer than of many native speakers I dare say) and you can understand every word.
Then came a big surprise. I was expecting maybe Can’t Help Falling in Love but instead, Gianluca gifted us Bridge Over Troubled Water. And because it was so unexpected I think I enjoyed the song even more.
Piero received thunderous applause for both E lucevan le stelle and Amor vida de mi vida and Ignazio sang Memory.
Kindness
In Prague there were some people holding posters saying they were from Molise (which is a region neighbouring Gianluca’s Abruzzo) so he switched to Italian and thanked them for coming to the concert. Then, back in English, Ignazio explained that Gianluca greets friends everywhere and that during the summer tour in Italy he had friends in every city.
After that the guys remembered that their friend from Mexico was also at the concert, so they switched to Spanish and greeted him, too.
It’s just one gesture but I think it really sums up so well what makes the guys so special. They genuinely care for their fans; they don’t see us as consumers of their music. And they are also able to spontaneously communicate with the public, in three languages no less!
After this concert in October, I wanted to write an article summarizing the concerts in Florence and Prague. This was supposed to be the end of the article:
The only thing to decide is: where to go for the next concert? Italy in January (because night bus rides through the Alps in winter are truly magical), Tutti per uno concert in May (because this way I’d get to know more about other Italian artists) or Germany/Austria in November (because it’s always nice to visit the neighbouring country) 😉.
I didn’t finish the article at that time, instead I did buy bus tickets to Italy again and a ticket for the concert on 15th January in Florence as I couldn’t miss the opportunity to hear more songs from the brilliant Ad Astra album. (And I might have bought a ticket for Tutti per uno in Mantua, too.)
Florence Ad Astra tour: Reaching new horizons (15th January 2025)
The January tour was dedicated to new songs from the Ad Astra album and what an amazing idea it was! Personally, I love all these songs, would choose them over any other and love discovering new words in Italian and the feeling that the more I’m listening to them the more I understand.
With the visuals and themes of planets, universe, and stars it was a perfect opportunity to use abstract images on five big screens, changing colours, lights and laser lights resulting in a unique show. To add a bit of a dramatic touch the boys start singing Chiaro di luna while hidden in a drapery that, after a few lines, falls down.
I said earlier that the boys didn’t need any “tricks” or dramatic shows, but they wanted to try something new, and it was great indeed. (Though I have to admit that while all the laser lights and huge screens looked amazing in the photos, I enjoyed it a bit less in person. However, I think it was caused by the placement of my seat, either from further away or from closer it would probably look better. I was in the 29th row and while concentrating hard on just seeing the boys on the stage I didn’t have enough time to appreciate the light show properly.)
The concert lasted two and a half hours! The boys sang an incredible number of songs, compared to the summer concert they didn’t talk that much, there simply wasn’t any time for longer conversations!
The light show as seen from my seat
Place
This concert in Florence took place really in Florence, in the Nelson Mandela stadium, and, coincidently, quite close to the hostel I was staying in so I could just go there on foot.
The capacity of the stadium is about 8,000 seats; it was full, and the spectators were very enthusiastic, knowing all the lyrics of the songs.
Nelson Mandela stadium
This time, I didn’t see anything else in Florence, I came really just for one afternoon, though I spent the following day with my friend in Bologna.
Bologna
Soundcheck
First, the boys sang Saturno e venere and then it wasn’t a soundcheck anymore but rather Ignazio’s show. 😉 He was in a really good mood. Piero wanted to do his solo E lucevan le stelle and while he was singing Ignazio was accompanying him with ballet moves, then Ignazio sang E lucevan le stelle as a solo, too. It was amazing! And then Ignazio sang Un amore così grande on Il mondo music and tried to convince Piero to join him, finally he sang all three parts of Il mondo imitating Gianluca and Piero. Gianluca was observing all this from the auditorium with his brother.
The concert: Songs that stood out and solos
Cecille was a guest and sort of an opening act in Florence. When the curtains were still closed, without the live orchestra, she sang two songs, A Natural Woman and her own song Solamente farfalle. I really liked them, especially the Italian one (another artist to add to the library on Spotify 😊). Later she joined the boys and sang E più ti penso with them.
I absolutely cannot pick just a few songs that stood out for me in Florence because I love the whole Ad Astra album. And out of the ten original songs we got nine! Including the instrumental Per Aspera that the orchestra played before the guys appeared on the podium and including Saturno e venere with the boys also singing Irama’s part. (The only song left out was L’infinito.☹) Hearing Tra le onde and Se/Nuovo cinema paradiso live was also very special.
I was fortunate enough to hear La cura live for the second time. Gianluca congratulated his mom on her birthday and dedicated this song to her.
And then another surprise from Gianluca! Eleanor Rigby. I fell in love with this song while watching the Tutti per uno concerts and especially listening to Gianluca’s introduction of the song.
Piero doesn’t change a winning team. 😉 He sang E lucevan le stelle again and it was amazing again. And his second solo was No puede ser.
Ignazio sang The Show Must GoOn and what a show it was! And then rocker Ignazio disappeared, and we got a tender E penso a te with many spectators knowing the lyrics and joining him. Ignazio’s versatility is truly breathtaking.
Some more interesting bits and pieces
After the soundcheck we had to leave the stadium. I remained waiting near the gate and slowly, people who had tickets only for the concert started gathering there, too. The gate was still closed, though, as it was really early.
Then I noticed a beautiful lady in an elegant coat standing nearby. ‘She looks like Veronica Berti, Andrea Bocelli’s wife’ crossed my mind. ‘But that can’t be her, that’s crazy, right?’ I thought. Curious, I checked Veronica Berti’s Instagram and saw a picture from Miami published two days ago and concluded that this lady was just a bit similar to her and “the real Veronica” and Andrea Bocelli were probably still in the US.
However, after a few minutes at least five people came to the gate, opened it just for this lady and accompanied her inside. And I had some doubts again…
After the concert I looked at Veronica Berti’s Instagram again and saw a story! There was a photo of the boys. She was at the concert indeed!
Here’s what she wrote: Two hours and a half of music flew by… how amazing it is to listen to you. Thank you for the beautiful evening.
Veronica Berti’s Instagram story
What an amazing coincidence that I caught the three or five minutes when she was waiting in front of the gate.
They are stars but also much more
I’m sure we all share this feeling: The guys are stars. And we, the spectators, admire them, of course. I think though that the guys don’t want the spectators to leave the concerts “only” with admiration but want the people to be happy. They are making us feel happy during the concerts and for days to come. They joke, walk through the crowd, accept gifts while on the stage, adjust the set list to the place where they are performing…
It’s also so considerate of them that when they leave the stage and sing among the public, they don’t stop in the first rows but really sing in the middle of the people, going through the whole arena so that as many people as possible can see them up close.
And it’s amazing that they communicate with the public so much and do so in three languages! They joked in Prague in English as much as they did in Florence in Italian.
I really liked the moments when they talked about the individual songs and introduced them. And on all three occasions I loved listening to bits and pieces of conversations while leaving the venue. Everyone was happy and praised Il Volo!
Front row?
We usually get stories from fans in the first rows, but I’d like to assure you that the seat is not that important. Wherever you sit you won’t be disappointed. In Pratolino I sat in row fifteen, it was great. In Prague I was far away – in the gallery across the whole ground floor. And yet, during Here’s to you Gianluca came all the way through the whole ground floor and waved to the people sitting in the gallery. And in Florence I sat in row twenty-nine on the ground floor. (There was a big screen but only on the other side of the arena.) During the Vicinissimo mix Piero passed by half a meter from me! So really, there are no bad seats.
Alone?
Even if you don’t have anyone to go with, don’t worry about it! I was alone at all three concerts, but you are never really alone, there’s a friendly atmosphere, you smile at one person, hear this remark, reply to that remark… In the train to Pratolino, I said literally one word in Italian and was already pulled into a conversation and ended up having a nice chat in English-Italian about Prague with a fellow fan. And because there were so many people at the concerts, I felt safe even walking to the hostel at 1 a.m.
Italian
I’m sure I’m not the only one learning Italian (mainly to understand the lyrics and the interviews). And I know I said that during the July concert in Florence I understood more or less everything the guys said. But let’s be honest, it’s because I’ve seen a lot of videos from previous concerts and also because you can kind of know what to expect. The guys (most) certainly won’t talk about physics or mineralogy… So, my Italian wasn’t put to the test there that much… But a guided tour? That’s a different story.
When we visited Bologna, my friend and I booked a two-hour long guided city tour. It was in January, so there were very few tourists and no possibility to book the tour in English. Even for the Italian one there were only four other people beside us. I was a bit worried.
Because in July last year when we visited the San Galgano monastery, I tuned out the Italian guide after twenty minutes… I understood quite a lot of words, yet I couldn’t get the meaning of the whole speech, and he was talking in Tuscan dialect which didn’t help…
Guess what happened six months later in Bologna? While listening to the guide, I laughed when the Italians laughed, I was surprised when the Italians were surprised, I exclaimed “oh no” when the Italians did… I understood the guide!
The boys and their songs are a great motivation to continue studying and I hope that I’ve motivated some of you with this story.
In case you want to compare, here’s a list of songs the guys sang at the concerts…
List of songs Florence, summer tour:
New:Capolavoro, Ad Astra, Frammenti di universo, Il mondo all’incontrario, Succede
Covers + older songs:Who Wants to Live Forever, Grande amore, Un amore così grande, Nessun dorma, Nelle tue mani, Hallelujah, Se, Miserere, Il Mondo, Caruso, Here’s to You, Ecstasy of Gold, Se telefonando
Solos:E lucevan le stelle, Can’t Help Falling in Love, Ovunque sarai, Amor vida de mi vida, La cura, Almeno tu nell’universo
List of songs in Prague:
New: Opera, Capolavoro, Ad astra
Covers + older songs:Who Wants to Live Forever, Grande Amore, The Sound of Silence, My Way, Un amore così grande, Nessun dorma, Nelle tue mani, Hallelujah, Se, Miserere, Il Mondo, Caruso, Funiculì funiculà, La donna è mobile, Libiamo with Elina, Here’s to You, O sole mio
Solos: E lucevan le stelle, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Memory, Amor vida de mi vida, Phantom of the Opera
List of songs in Florence Ad astra tour:
New:Per Aspera, Chiaro di luna + Opera, Capolavoro, Frammenti di universo, Ad astra, Tra le onde, Saturno e venere, Succede, Il mondo all’incontrario
Covers + older songs:Who Wants to Live Forever, E più ti penso with Cecille, Grande Amore, The Sound of Silence, My Way, L’amore si muove + Vicinissimo + Musica che resta + Per te ci sarò, Un amore così grande, Nessun dorma, Nelle tue mani, Hallelujah, Se, Miserere, Il Mondo, Se telefonando
Solos:E lucevan le stelle, Eleanor Rigby, The Show Must Go On, No puede ser, La cura, E penso a te
It seems we blinked our eyes, and a year has passed. It’s almost impossible to believe. For the fans who have followed the guys from the beginning, the loss of Vito Boschetto on February 28th, 2021, was a great loss. Vito was a very important part of the Il Volo family.
In the beginning when the guys were still underage, they traveled with their families and so no concert was complete without the parents.
For the new fans, many of you who just started following this past year, Vito is unknown to you. So today I decided to remember Vito and let you read the memorial I did for him on his passing. I think it says it all because Vito was a…..
A SIMPLE, HUMBLE MAN
(Published March 2, 2021)
Often, I write about Ignazio and all his wonderful achievements but, today I have to write about something that is so very sad.
On Monday, we all heard the news about the sudden death of Ignazio’s father, Vito Boschetto. Each of us stopped to think about Ignazio and, how he must be feeling. There are no words that we can express to comfort the family. We can only say they are in our hearts and in our prayers!
I write about Ignazio so often that I feel a special closeness to him and, my heart aches for him. I know how sensitive he is and, I think he must be hurting a lot right now.
Today I want to write, not about Ignazio but, about his family. What I know about them and how they made Ignazio who he is today
Over the years, as we watched Ignazio grow into a fine, young men, we grew to understand that it was his parents’ guidance that made him who he is. They are a very proud family. Hard working people. This is a trait we see in Ignazio.
They gave Ignazio such exceptional values that it only made sense he would become the good, kind and compassionate person he is.
When Ignazio speaks about his family he speaks with a passion. The deep bond this family has is exceptional. Even as a very young child Ignazio said his family shared everything. No matter what happened it was discussed with the whole family. Ignazio has said that he admires his parents for their openness with him and Nina.
This is what Ignazio had to say about his parents. “Is it the same if the images that I will never forget are …. the memories of my parents? It’s not that I’m crazy or strange, it’s right that my story would never have existed without my parents …. Of sacrifices they have made many and, big for me and for my sister but, more so for me. I do not spend a day when I do not think about how proud I am of them.”
Mr. Boschetto was a man who worked very hard for his family. He was a mason, a brick layer. He worked at this job right up to the last days of his life. Ignazio would tell you that his mom and dad had worked at many jobs, and they tried to learn any trade, just to earn some extra money for the family.
In 1990 when work was scarce in Marsala, it became necessary to find work elsewhere. Vito heard about work in Buonconvento, in the province of Siena and he moved his family there. At the time only Nina was born.
In 1992 it became apparent that this was not working. They could not earn enough to sustain the family and so, after hearing from an old friend about work in San Martino in Argine, near Bologna, Vito moved his family there. This was an excellent decision because the family began to prosper with this move. They decided it was time to move into a home of their own and, so, they moved into a house in the hamlet of Guarda di Molinella. This is the house where Ignazio was born.
You will recall that Ignazio’s mother became ill with cancer and many of Ignazio’s young years were spent alone with his sister, Nina. For Ignazio, Nina is a second mother.
After Caterina’s successful treatment, she returned to work and finally everything was normal.
Vito and Caterina knew they would return to Marsala one day and, that is what they worked towards.
In July 2004 the family moved back to Marsala. Caterina’s dream was to open a pizzeria and Vito’s dream was to have Caterina’s dream come true.
Every day for one year, when Vito returned from worked, he built the pizzeria. He built it right in front of their house. Every free moment Ignazio had, he worked alongside his father so that his mother could realize her dream. A year later the pizzeria was completed.
Ignazio’s memories of this time bring him to a very important moment in his life. He always says, “If there had not been the pizzeria, perhaps I would never have started singing seriously. Because, in the meantime, while the pizzeria grew, into me grew more and more the passion for electronics and music. I had started to be part of the elementary school choir and my dad, who was more passionate about electronics than me, had bought me a mixer, a microphone and two speakers, with which we started doing the easiest thing that could be done with that: karaoke.”
Much of this story you already know. After Caterina’s customer heard Ignazio sing, he suggested he meet with a singing teacher and the rest is history. But, before the history there were many obstacles to overcome.
Lessons, many, many lessons. Lessons took money. Lots and lots of money. And so, Vito and Caterina did everything they could to get the money that was needed for the lessons. It took a lot of hard work but, for Vito and Caterina, it was necessary so Ignazio could have his dream.
Finally, the day arrived when the money ran out and Vito and Caterina were heartbroken. They tried everything possible but could not find the means for Ignazio to go on with his lessons.
Finally, they found a way. They decided to make a loan. And through the generosity of someone dear to them, the lessons continued. Yes, the sacrifices were great and, many but they were made with love!After Ti Lascio una Canzone, Il Volo came to be and a, new, sacrifice had to be made. Since Ignazio was underage, one of his parents had to travel with him on his world tours. The time was split between Vito and Caterina. This certainly disrupted their family life but, being the people they are, they managed to get through it. At that point the greatest sacrifice to be made was between Ignazio and Nina who would not see each other for very long periods of time. The world tours kept the family apart but, their love kept them together.
When Vito returned from the tour, he would return to his work. He never tried to make his life easy. What he did, he did for his children and would only accept their love in return.
Vito was a simple man! A humble man who taught his children to be kind and humble and to live lives that they could be proud of.
It is not every man that passes through this life that can say he was able to fulfill his son’s dream. A dream that would bring him fame.
Once Ignazio described his family as simple people. Yes, simple and loving and always ready to do whatever was necessary to help each other.
Ignazio, your father is gone but you will keep him alive in your memory. You’ll walk into a room and remember a beautiful moment. You’ll look at a picture and remember that wonderful smile that made a little boys tears go away. You’ll walk down a street and remember the first time you walked together and, he held your hand and made you understand that he would always be there for you. He will always be there for you! You will feel his presence! You will keep his memory alive with your stories of all the wonderful things you shared! But, above all, you will keep him alive because you are him! You are the best part of what he was! His unbounding love! This is the greatest legacy a man can leave for his family!
This song will always touch our hearts! The beauty of the song encompasses the beauty of the man who the guys sang it for at Sanremo just three days after his passing.
And we will never forget the dedication at Verona on June 5, 2021. The guys dedicated the event “to the people who didn’t make it (referring to COVID). Our thoughts go up there to them.” Piero then added: “This concert is dedicated to Vito who we miss so much and is watching us from up there.”
And in truth there would be no concerts if it wasn’t for the families of these three young men!We thank all the families for their great sacrifices!
On this first anniversary of Vito’s passing, I would like Caterina, Ignazio and Nina to know that we are Remembering Vito today and we are praying for all of you! The Il Volo family will never be able to replace the missing piece!
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
To read more Il Volo stories visit us at www.ilvoloflightcrw.com
Often, I write about Ignazio and all his wonderful achievements but, today I have to write about something that is so very sad.
On Monday, we all heard the news about the sudden death of Ignazio’s father, Vito Boschetto. Each of us stopped to think about Ignazio and, how he must be feeling. There are no words that we can express to comfort the family. We can only say they are in our hearts and in our prayers!
I write about Ignazio so often that I feel a special closeness to him and, my heart aches for him. I know how sensitive he is and, I think he must be hurting a lot right now.
Today I want to write, not about Ignazio but, about his family. What I know about them and how they made Ignazio who he is today.
Over the years, as we watched Ignazio grow into a fine, young men, we grew to understand that it was his parents’ guidance that made him who he is. They are a very proud family. Hard working people. This is a trait we see in Ignazio.
They gave Ignazio such exceptional values that it only made sense he would become the good, kind and compassionate person he is.
When Ignazio speaks about his family he speaks with a passion. The deep bond this family has is exceptional. Even as a very young child Ignazio said his family shared everything. No matter what happened it was discussed with the whole family. Ignazio has said that he admires his parents for their openness with him and Nina.
This is what Ignazio had to say about his parents. “Is it the same if the images that I will never forget are …. the memories of my parents? It’s not that I’m crazy or strange, it’s right that my story would never have existed without my parents …. Of sacrifices they have made many and, big for me and for my sister but, more so for me. I do not spend days when I do not think about how proud I am of them.”
Mr. Boschetto was a man who worked very hard for his family. He was a mason, a brick layer. He worked at this job right up to the last days of his life. Ignazio would tell you that his mom and dad had worked at many jobs, and they tried to learn any trade, just to earn some extra money for the family.
In 1990 when work was scarce in Marsala, it became necessary to find work elsewhere. Vito heard about work in Buonconvento, in the province of Siena and he moved his family there. At the time only Nina was born.
In 1992 it became apparent that this was not working. They could not earn enough to sustain the family and so, after hearing from an old friend about work in San Martino in Argine, near Bologna, Vito moved his family there. This was an excellent decision because the family began to prosper with this move. They decided it was time to move into a home of their own and, so, they moved into a house in the hamlet of Guarda di Molinella. This is the house where Ignazio was born.
You will recall that Ignazio’s mother became ill with cancer and many of Ignazio’s young years were spent alone with his sister, Nina. For Ignazio, Nina is a second mother.
After Caterina’s successful treatment, she returned to work and finally everything was normal.
Vito and Caterina knew they would return to Marsala one day and, that is what they worked towards.
In July 2004 the family moved back to Marsala. Caterina’s dream was to open a pizzeria and Vito’s dream was to have Caterina’s dream come true.
Every day for one year, when Vito returned from worked, he built the pizzeria. He built it right in front of their house. Every free moment Ignazio had, he worked alongside his father so that his mother could realize her dream. A year later the pizzeria was completed.
Ignazio’s memories of this time bring him to a very important moment in his life. He always says, “If there had not been the pizzeria, perhaps I would never have started singing seriously. Because, in the meantime, while the pizzeria grew, into me grew more and more the passion for electronics and music. I had started to be part of the elementary school choir and my dad, who was more passionate about electronics than me, had bought me a mixer, a microphone and two speakers, with which we started doing the easiest thing that could be done with that: karaoke.”
Much of this story you already know. After Caterina’s customer heard Ignazio sing, he suggested he meet with a singing teacher and the rest is history. But, before the history there were many obstacles to overcome.
Lessons, many, many lessons. Lessons took money. Lots and lots of money. And so, Vito and Caterina did everything they could to get the money that was needed for the lessons. It took a lot of hard work but, for Vito and Caterina, it was necessary so Ignazio could have his dream.
Finally, the day arrived when the money ran out and Vito and Caterina were heartbroken. They tried everything possible but could not find the means for Ignazio to go on with his lessons. Finally, they found a way. They decided to make a loan. And through the generosity of someone dear to them, the lessons continued. Yes, the sacrifices were great and, many but they were made with love!
After Ti Lascio una Canzone, Il Volo came to be and, a, new, sacrifice had to be made.
Since Ignazio was underage, one of his parents had to travel with him on his world tours. The time was split between Vito and Caterina. This certainly disrupted their family life but, being the people they are, they managed to get through it. At that point the greatest sacrifice to be made was between Ignazio and Nina who would not see each other for very long periods of time. The world tours kept the family apart but, their love kept them together.
When Vito returned from the tour, he would return to his work. He never tried to make his life easy. What he did, he did for his children and would only accept their love in return.
Vito was a simple man! A humble man who taught his children to be kind and humble and to live lives that they could be proud of.
It is not every man that passes through this life that can say he was able to fulfill his son’s dream. A dream that would bring him fame.
Once Ignazio described his family as simple people. Yes, simple and loving and always ready to do whatever was necessary to help each other.
Ignazio, your father is gone but you will keep him alive in your memory. You’ll walk into a room and remember a beautiful moment. You’ll look at a picture and remember that wonderful smile that made a little boys tears go away. You’ll walk down a street and remember the first time you walked together and, he held your hand and made you understand that he would always be there for you. He will always be there for you! You will feel his presence! You will keep his memory alive with your stories of all the wonderful things you shared! But, above all, you will keep him alive because you are him! You are the best part of what he was! His unbounding love! This is the greatest legacy a man can leave for his family!
Ignazio, please accept our deepest condolences! Know that we all are praying for you and your family.
Credit to owners of all photos.
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!