Here is a comment I didn’t want you to miss.  It’s a nice wrap-up from our newest Flight Crew Member, Bernard Duffy. ~M

Thank you Lynn, Jane and Marie for such a warm welcome! I hope to post on the site from time-to-time.

2015 was such a great year for Il Volo.  During 2014, their accomplishments were coming more and more to the attention of the wider Italian population – thanks to certain TV presenters like Massimo Giletti (in his Sunday afternoon “magazine” show called “Domenica In”), Bruno Vespa (who presents the most important daily political and current affairs program, Porta-a-Porta, in the late evening) and of course, the incomparable Antonella Clerici, who was always available to praise the boys on any occasion. Then, there was Carlo Conti, who was given the task of organizing the Sanremo festival 2015 and persuaded the group to take part.

As everyone visiting this site already knows, “Grande Amore” really caught the imagination of a huge proportion of the Italian public – young and old, men and women – and the telephone vote made sure of their victory. It may not be clear to Americans, but Sanremo is a very “big deal” in Italy. The songs are performed in prime time all through the week from Tuesday to Saturday. Some are eliminated and some of those are then brought back under a process known as ripescaggio (which is the Italian translation of the French word “repechage”) and means literally “fished back” out of the elimination pool. It is a system that is also used in sport for giving losing competitors a second chance.

The grand final on Saturday evening is a great event in Italy’s cultural calendar. A number of other countries show it via the European Broadcasting Union, which also organizes the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC). On the Sunday, all of the most important programs on RAI Uno are broadcast live from Sanremo and there is endless analysis of the results, live performances of some of the songs, interviews with the prize-winners and speculation about whether the winners will take up their right to represent Italy at Eurovision. As you know, il Volo went to Vienna and were placed third in the ESC under the jury system; but, on the popular voting by telephone, they were a clear first with 100 points more than the second song! And, remember, no one living in Italy was able to vote for them. No telephone voter can vote for their own country’s song!

Their tour of Italy over the summer was sold out everywhere. Huge crowds turned out for personal appearances and promotional events at book and music stores. The tour culminated with the concert at the Arena of Verona. When introducing his aria – e lucevan le stelle – Piero called it, “the temple of opera” because of the summer season of opera performances that attract visitors from all over the world. During the broadcast of the concert on RAI Uno, the audience share broke records for the era of multiple channel and internet broadcasting. At its peak, they came close to 40% audience share for the whole of Italy!

I predict that 2016 will see even greater success for them. How lucky we all are to have them and to know that we were in on the “ground floor” while they were constructing the huge edifice that is their current success! We can all share in it on this site! As Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca put it, “Fasten your seat-belts and enjoy the flight!”

Best wishes to everyone!

~Barnard

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Just as I was getting ready to post this morning, we received another notable comment from Bernard.  So I’ll add it too!  ~M

I thought that some of you might like to read an English translation of the newspaper article that can be found at this link.
IL VOLO IS AT ROSETO – PLAQUES AND PHOTOS BEFORE THE CONCERT.
Gianluca Ginoble and Piero Barone greeted the children of the Le Orme (Footprints or Tracks) Center which had honored them with a plaque, and tomorrow evening, Wednesday 6 January, with Ignazio Boschetto, they will be at PalaMagetti for the concert that will open their Italian tour.
ROSETO DEGLI ABRUZZI. The evening before the concert, a round of greetings and little surprises for Roseto. Thus, yesterday evening, Gianluca Ginoble (the “home town” singer) and Piero Barone, two of the three parts of the trio, il Volo, made a visit to the children of the “Le Orme of Roseto” association, where the autistic children, who are patients of the association, are housed and where they (il Volo) were honoured with a plaque. The other element of the threesome, Ignazio Boschetto, probably remained in his room at the Bellavista hotel of Roseto. The trio will appear on the very day of the Epiphany, 6 January, at 9.00 p.m., at PalaMagetti of Roseto, from where they will set off with the initial date of their Italian tour. A homage to the Abruzzo region from where, at the age of 16, Gianluca Ginoble (now aged 20) set out in search of success and fortune. Other concerts will be held in Sicily, the region of Piero and Ignazio. “I am really happy to return to Roseto, where every year I come to bathe in the sea and go to eat spaghetti with clams at Massimo’s (restaurant)” said the charming Piero Barone.

The heading for the video reads as follows:
ROSETO, VISIT WITH HONOR CEREMONY FOR IL VOLO.

Roseto degli Abruzzi (province of Teramo), Honor ceremony and visit of Gianluca Ginoble and Piero Barone, singers from the trio Il Volo, at the center of the Le Orme association, where the singers received a plaque from the children. Photos and selfies on view from the opening date of the Italian tour in Gianluca’s home town. Piero: “Always happy to return to Roseto.”

~Bernard