Il Volo brings hit pop-opera to Comerica Theatre

The Italian lads who comprise pop-opera trio Il Volo are definitely men now: Youngest member Gianluca Ginoble turned 18 this year. But the guys show no signs of shaking up their family-friendly, PBS-ready image anytime soon.
“When we have free time, we enjoy our Playstations,” says Ginoble, caught at a Vancouver hotel before the launch of a North American tour. “We have fun, like all teenagers and people 18, 19 and 20.”
The group still travels with parents in tow. Baritone Ginoble and tenor Ignazio Boschetto are accompanied by their moms; second tenor Piero Barone brings his father. The entourage journeys around the globe, with the group boasting a strong following that extends through Latin America, Australia, Asia, Europe and North America.
“Everything is going good,” says Ginoble, who speaks Italian, Spanish and charmingly accented English. “We hope to continue in this way. This is our third tour of the United States, and we will sing at the best venues, like Radio City Music Hall. This is a dream come true to do this live and in such a short time.”
The three singers first performed together on Italian TV in 2009 during a talent show, and stayed together once their run on the series ended. A 2011 debut album reached the Top 10 in the States; a second studio album, “We Are Love,” appeared late last year. The group also issues releases aimed at the Spanish-speaking market; this year’s “Mas Que Amor” topped the Latin pop-album charts in the States.
The group deals in operatic numbers, standards (“Smile,” “Maria”), a sprinkling of originals and some surprising cover tunes (U2’s “Beautiful Day”) that lend themselves well to the trio’s lovely voices. Granted, it’s not the repertoire you expect from most guys this age, but Ginoble says it’s honest.
“When I was 3 or 4, I used to listen to opera with my grandpa,” he says. “I can say that he’s my inspiration, but when I started growing up, I became a baritone. I listened to opera because of my grandpa, but I really love Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Andy Williams.”
In fact, Ginoble’s favorite part of the tour comes when he gets to solo on Sinatra’s “Night and Day.” His idol is Michael Bublé and he got flustered with Barbra Streisand, whom the group toured with last year.
“She is a legend,” he says. “When I met her, I started crying like a baby. She’s beautiful. She’s in her 70s but she sounds like a young girl.”
Because of the group’s repertoire and easy-listening style, the audience in the States tends to skew older, Ginoble says. In Spanish-speaking countries, it’s a different story.
“In Latin America, 80 to 90 percent of the audience are screaming fans,” he says. “They wait for us at airports and hotels, and they scream when we sing. It makes us feel like One Direction.”
When it comes to rambunctious Latin fans or more subdued U.S. ones, the group plays no favorites.
“I prefer every kind of audience,” he says. “If the audience is sitting or standing up and screaming, it doesn’t matter, as long as they’re feeling the emotion.”

Source: azcentral