Not only are the three Italian teen pop/operatic tenors set to release their sophomore album in November, they’re also on the bill for eight concerts this fall with the legendary Barbra Streisand, including an Oct. 26 show in Chicago.
Before all that happens, Piero Barone, 18, Ignazio Boschetto, 17, and Gianluca Ginoble, 17, will be in Chicago for their own headlining show Wednesday at the Chicago Theatre as part of their return North American tour.
Il Volo, which translates from Italian as “the flight,” has been soaring ever since the three met on an Italian reality music competition show in 2009. A year later, they performed on the charity single remake “We are the World 25 for Haiti” and also released their self-titled first album. Their bossa nova take on “O Sole Mio” quickly became their signature song.
American audiences were introduced to them via their guest appearances during the finals of “American Idol” in 2011, as well as a cameo on the TV series “Entourage” that same year. Guest spots on “The Talk,” “Good Morning America” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” soon followed. A PBS special, “Il Volo Live from the Detroit Opera House,” was one of the most successful fund-raising specials on the network earlier this year.
With lush, mature voices that belies their young ages, the trio (affectionately dubbed by some as the Three Tenors meets the Jonas Brothers) is bringing classic Italian songs, opera favorites and Il Volo-style pop to a new generation of music fans.
The Sun-Times spoke to Barone — he with the funky (and totally for show) glasses that have become his trademark — this past week.
Q. How would you describe the past two years of your lives as Il Divo?
A. Our dream was to be singers. We never dreamed to have so much success so soon. We are so happy.
Q. What’s it like to be part of the same concert tour as Barbra Streisand?
A. It’s a dream come true for us. Of course [we] love her music. Who doesn’t love the music of Barbra Streisand? She is the monument of music for us.
Q. Do you have a favorite Barbra Streisand song?
A. “Come Tomorrow.” That song is so great.
Q. Speaking of pop divas, I hear you guys are huge fans of Lady Gaga. What’s your favorite Gaga song?
A. We love Gaga. She’s is so cool. I love “Born This Way.”
Q. How much have your lives changed with the success of the group?
A. So much things have changed. We have sold 1 million copies of our first album. We have done three American tours [including this one], and we have toured South America and Europe. We have traveled all over the world. We take the audience [on an] emotional journey. Music is our life and we share that in a fun way with the audience. We are working on our second album now.
Q. What can you tell me about the new album?
A. There are so many surprises. I don’t want to tell them now. There are some new songs and some covers.
Q. Since you’ve traveled the world, what are your favorite cities?
A. We love Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Miami. We love America and the American people.
Q. What do you like the most about Chicago?
A. The wind. I can’t forget the wind. When I would step out of my hotel my hair just went crazy. And the food was great. When we go anywhere, the first thing we [search for] is Italian restaurants and there are so many good ones in Chicago.
Q. You’ve also appeared twice on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” What do you think of Leno?
A. He is a little bit Italian, no? He is so funny and nice. He’s like our big Italian uncle. He loves cars. [One of my] passions is cars, especially sports cars. He has a lot of old [classic] cars so we talk about cars.
Q. Do the three of you really get along all the time as charmingly as you do on stage?
A. We are every day together and it’s wonderful because it’s like being brothers for us. Il Volo is like our family. Now we are traveling with a big sleeping bus that has a kitchen, so sometimes I cook for us. I cook pasta with salmon, that’s my best [dish]. My father taught me to cook. He is a great cook. There is no leader in the group. Il Volo is one group, one soul. We are all smart, crazy, serious, fun.
Source: suntimes.com
“Come Tomorrow.” That song is so great. Agreed ..Her music inspired me a lot !
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