We were fortunate to have caught up with Richard just as he had finished his work with the three teenagers Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto and Gianluca Ginoble known as Il Volo in Miami and before he left for London to tour with Barbra Streisand.
Many listeners know Richard who was born to Frank and Dulce Fernandez of Solvay. The veteran producer began his stage career on Broadway as a dancer, singer and actor and then took on the roles of executive producer for Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon and Les Miserables and has worked with top artists like Bernadette Peters, Bette Midler and Kristin Chenoweth.
He first worked with Il Volo, the young Italian pop classical vocal trio whose first concert has been featured on PBS more than 1,000 times, when they joined Barbra Streisand on her 2013 tour as special guests. He had heard their first album and loved the vivaciousness of their voices. “They were fresh and wonderful,” he said, noting that they are unbridled without trickery.
After the Streisand tour in the Fall of 2012, Richard had the opportunity to work with them again but with it came challenges. “It was sort of a suicide assignment,” he joked, “the idea was that Tuesday night we would film a regular concert and on Wednesday night we’d have a Christmas show.” He rattled off a litany of considerations, among them the writing, producing, directing, and arc of the songs. Il Volo had sold out all of their engagements in South Florida so though everyone was nervous, Richard acknowledged that they had a lot of laughs during the production and that the shows were well received by the live audiences. “I love those kids,” he told us, “they’re 18, 18 and 19 years old and are like fish being shown to water, they’re so young.”
He also talked about the lighter side of the classically trained singers and said that he’s looking forward to the footage for the “b” roll, the extras you get with the DVD on the two Il Volo concerts. “There should be some very funny things,” he promised, “we did a lot of crazy things on stage.” “But their voices are ferocious,” he added, “and I get very emotional when I’m working with them because I see a little bit of myself.” “The fans are rabid, everything from young kids to great grandmothers, and that was pretty amazing to watch also.”
NOTE: So much has been written about Il Volo which you can find on the web. We’re particularly excited because we found them in 2009 when we spotted them on the popular Italian show, Ti Lascio Una Canzone (Leaving You A Song) where young singers interpret the beloved Italian pop songs so that the melodies and lyrics are not lost. If you think you couldn’t stand to hear one more interpretation of “O Sole Mio” listen and watch these kids when they were only 14 and 15 years old in their first performance together on the TV show and you’ll hear and see how they captured Italian audiences who surely have heard the best of the best of the best!
As always, CIAO! is where you can celebrate the Italian in YOU! Join us every Sunday afternoon at 3:00 WCNY FM 91.3 on your dial with me, Joey Nigro, and my co-host Jim Battaglia (or online at www.wcny.org/radio). Italians love to say, “Canta che ti passa!” “Sing that it will pass!” so we always feature great music…a mix of old and new songs by our Italian American artists and Italian singers and composers…music that will lift your spirits…and music that you won’t hear anywhere else!
Topics you will hear in future CIAO! programs range from the culture, beauty and history of Italy and the regions where Italian American families claim their roots; stories of immigration and assimilation, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes humorous…but always heartwarming; memories of the old neighborhoods; entertaining pieces on noteworthy Italians Americans and interviews with celebrities or ordinary Italian Americans with a story to tell.
Source: blogs.wcny
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