On March 19, at the Pirandello Theater in Agrigento, an event in favor of peace in Ukraine was held. It was called, SICILY FOR PEACE.

Piero Barone took part in this event.

The event was organized by Silvio Schembri, (journalist) and Lello Analfino (singer and producer), both friends of Piero.

When Piero was proposed to participate, he wasn’t sure if he would be in Sicily on those days, but then when he was sure he could be there, he surprised everyone by attending the event.

The video begins with Silvio Schembri coming down from the stage and arriving where Piero Barone is seated.

Silvio makes Piero get up and the people, recognizing him, applaud, then Silvio, imitating the voice of a woman who says:

“Did you see, I told you it was him,”😁😁

and then presents:  “PIERO BARONE, there is no need for an introduction.”(applause)

Come with me. (Piero takes off his jacket) Make yourself comfortable.

PIERO: Tonight, I am really happy, honored, to be attending this event. I was fascinated by the Pirandello Theater, because I had never been inside the Pirandello Theater.

SILVIO: This is news that I discovered today, Piero Barone who sang on the most important stages in the world ……

MAN: You went directly to the Ariston (Sanremo stage) without going through the Pirandello Theater, we can say.

PIERO: I realized that it is something that I should have done for some time, because today I arrived 100 meters from the theater and I asked a woman for information:

“Madam, where is the Pirandello Theater?” and she replied:

“You are not Sicilian.” (laughter)😁

“Yes, but unfortunately I don’t know where it is.”

SILVIO: There was never an opportunity, but who knows, maybe this is the first of a long series of occasions.

(on the stairs of the stage)

And here we are, moreover you tour New York, Las Vegas, all parts of the world, but always in Naro, then you come back.

VOICE: (from the audience) Bravo, Naro in the heart !!❤

PIERO: A little while ago I was saying, while I was doing the interview with Silvio…. (There is the overview of the theater, but the interview returns in the backstage)

MAN: The truth is that you like Agrigento so much, when you can live it, we have seen you around, on the seafront, at the tennis club, in short, when you want, Agrigento is your life.

PIERO: Agrigento makes you feel protected, it is a fantastic city. I was born in this magnificent province, I was born in Naro, but I often frequent Agrigento in the summer, I bring all my friends and collaborators to Sicily, I make them all arrive.

(continues on the stairs)

In the city of Agrigento, I don’t know many people, because I frequented it (Agrigento) for the choir of S. Cecilia (as a child, before participating in Ti Lascio una Canzone), when I was a beginner, with Professor Bonfiglio, I spent my childhood there.

SILVIO: Then at 14 you decided to become famous … right? (laughter)😁

PIERO: But I spend my holidays in San Leone (a seaside resort near Agrigento), it’s great, I take all my friends, my colleagues, I don’t go anywhere, they arrive here in Sicily …

SILVIO: Every now and then you also come to Siculiana Marina … (another seaside resort of Agrigento) 😁

PIERO: Because the best thing is to feel yourself. Today I called Silvio, but not only for this event, but also to ask him where we are going tomorrow, because the first phone call I make when I come to Sicily is to call Silvio Schembri (Silvio gives him a kiss …. applause and laughter)

SILVIO: Because he knows that I always take him to eat well, that you understand!! 😁

PIERO: Two weeks ago, Lello (organizer of the event) sent me a message, and I was far away (he was in the US), and I didn’t know what to answer, I would have said yes right away, but I don’t want to give a word, and then invent an excuse if I have a sudden commitment, because unfortunately I am here physically almost never, and now I am overjoyed to give my contribution. I don’t sing, without my colleagues (Gian and Ignazio), for various reasons, so today I called Ignazio and Gianluca and I told them:

“Any video you will see from tomorrow on the internet, don’t worry, I’ll sing in a theater, don’t worry”, and I’ll sing, we call it a song…. I want to sing a prayer, because everyone can come here and sing any song, but for an evening like this, I want to sing something special, an Ave Maria (Hail Mary) and it’s the only one way, for my part, to express my closeness, in such a complex and particular moment. (applause)❤

(The Ave Maria begins.)

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MAN: Thanks to both of you, thanks to Silvio Schembri, thanks to Piero Barone, for what you are giving this evening to the Pirandello Theater, for the solidarity operation you are carrying out and which is not the first time, I also remember when the pandemic broke out, you took an important step. 

SILVIO: With the help of many people who are also here, like Lello Analfino and Piero, in the midst of the pandemic, in the first wave, we immediately activated, with many other friends, to find funds.

PIERO: The idea was born during our phone calls: “Oh Silvio, what do we do?”

SILVIO: At the beginning of the pandemic our talks were about how to cook bread and pizzas, then we said: “But what can we do? Are we doing something concrete?”

Thanks to all of you.

(video resumes on stage)

LELLO: Piero Barone (hug) You are my nephews. ❤❤

And here is the full video of Piero’s entire performance, published by the Pirandello Theater.

SILVIO: I’ve dreamed of it for a lifetime (to introduce Piero) and tonight I have to do it myself: On the piano Maestro Salvatore Galante (applause), sings Piero Barone. (Applause – the Ave Maria begins, at the end, long applause, Lello Analfino enters, very excited, long hugs)

LELLO: You are like my nephews.

SILVIO: Yes, uncle, leave us some money later. (laughter)😁(To Piero) We talked about it before, now the concerts start again, the travels, the theaters full …..

PIERO: Yes, we start again on June 2^nd after two years, in Italy, we start from the Verona Arena, we will also sing in Taormina, June 11^th and 12^th and maybe …..

SILVIO: .…. also, in other parts of Sicily, so to speak. Taormina is a fixed stop for Il Volo, as if it were a tradition …

PIERO: He is happy, because when he comes to Taormina, then we go to the disco.

LELLO: I know, he (Silvio) tells me crazy things.

PIERO: The last photo of the concert in Taormina ….

SILVIO: Be careful what you say there are so many secrets …

PIERO: …… it is not a photo of Il Volo on the stage singing, with Etna behind and the sea, but it is a photo of Silvio Schembri in the disco, without a shirt ….😁😁

LELLO: But did you have a bow tie?

SILVIO: I’ll explain why. We were in this disco, after the Il Volo concert, and all the girls were saying: “a photo”, Piero lifts his shirt and shows his abs and I thought, I can do this too …. and then I said: “Come here a second and I too will take off my shirt and take the picture, and the (the girls) came”😁

But one of the most beautiful things in Taormina, we tell this and then we let you go, it is a fixed stop, when I can, I always go there, and one of the fixed stops when Il Volo sings in Taormina, is Saretto al Bambar where we eat granite there in Taormina.

And when Il Volo arrives in Taormina, you can’t imagine what’s there, it’s all full, with their fans who come from all over the world, you hear them speak in all languages, and go inside the Bambar to get the slushes, with all these people, it’s packed, and so I pull away for a moment and put myself behind to let the fans get closer.

I put myself in a trajectory between Il Volo and two elderly people who were there eating the granita…. (while he talks he sees a woman in the audience laughing) “You already know this story madam? Already laughing?”😁

At one point the man stops eating and calls the waiter and asks: “Excuse me, this whole brothel (crowd of people)”

“You know, there are those from Il Volo.”

This man turns around and the first person he sees is me, he turns around and says to his wife: “How much has this become of Il Volo?”(he means: how much fat has this of Il Volo become)😁

I swear to you! 😁😁😁 It’s a true story !!

LELLO: And don’t you know that since Silvio goes to Bambar, they have made seafood granita😁

SILVIO: Piero, I don’t know what to say, thank you, thank you in my name and in everyone’s name.

final greetings

It was a really good event and for a good cause.

In these days, Il Volo was live on a pop program of a Korean radio show. I saw them live and it was very strange, because that radio transmits very different music from the one Il Volo sings, but it was beautiful and also appreciated by the young presenter.

Here is the video of Il Volo’s participation.

Concert dates continue to be added here in Europe and also in Italy and it is with great joy that the date of BRESCIA has also been added. I couldn’t believe it, and the news came from OHIO (thanks Rose Marie). The concert will take place on September 2^nd outdoors in the beautiful Piazza Loggia, the place where in 2015 I saw my first Il Volo concert.

I struggled a lot to get the tickets, something didn’t work in the presale, but in the end I made it, third row.  I hope I can make some great videos for you, ideally I will take all of you with me!! It will be a great night.❤

Daniela