Classical singing trio Il Volo in Toronto Sept. 7

Piero Barone took one look at his suite in Chicago and called his manager to complain. It was too big, he says: he only needs one bed.
“I’m the simplest guy in the world,” says one-third of the classical singing sensation Il Volo, now touring North America.
Fame has come quickly for the three singers discovered as teens two years ago while participating in an Italian music competition, Ti lascio una canzone.
Since Barone, Ignazio Boschetto and Gianluca Ginoble released their first album, Il Volo, (a million-seller) the group has appeared on American Idol, Live With Kelly and Michael and in HBO’s finale of Entourage.
They have just released their second album, Il Volo:We Are Love, and are singing some of its songs at their Sept. 7 concert at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre.
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Il Volo consists of Ignazio Boschetto (left) Piero Barone (standing) and Gianluca Ginoble. The Italian operatic pop singers are playing the Molson Amphitheatre this Saturday at 8 p.m.
When asked what a 20-year-old has to teach the world about love, Barone answers: “We are not just talking about love between a boyfriend and a girlfriend. It is our way of expressing love of parents, of grandmother and granddaughter, of man and son. It is the love of family.”
That is something that Barone, raised by parents of modest means — his father is a mechanic and his mother a receptionist — knows something about.
Every day on the road he talks to his family through Skype and his father always ends the conversation with, “Do not forget where you come from.”
That would be a Sicilian town of 8,000 people where Barone shared a bedroom with his older brother, Francesco. His brother, “smart, intelligent,” is attending a university in Bologna courtesy of Barone’s financial contribution.
He is also sending his younger sister, Maria Gracia, to school.
“I am from a humble family. I’m helping,” says Barone, who flew 10 hours to get home for Christmas Day after appearing on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show last year.
“I’m living my dream and I am helping my brother and sister find their dreams.”
His singing talent was discovered and mentored by his blind grandfather, who paid for lessons until Barone was old enough to charge for singing “Ave Maria” at local weddings.
Now that he is singing on the world stage, many couples at home are thrilled to pull out their videos and show him singing at their weddings, he says.
“Now everything is changing and I am travelling all the time,” says Barone who hit Chicago, Detroit and Houston before coming to Toronto and then Montreal.
The group has already recorded a Christmas album, to be released later this year. Barone, who has recorded the song “O Holy Night” on his phone, plays it during the interview.
He ends the interview by saying: “Maybe I’ll be home for Christmas. Hotels are luxury, but I like my own bed.”

source: thestar