"We don't sing just opera and we don't sing just pop," says Piero Barone of the Italian trio known as Il Volo, making its second concert appearance in two years at NYCB Theatre at Westbury Tuesday evening.
"We're a crossover between classical and contemporary," the 20-year-old tenor adds. As the only one of the three who's no longer a teenager -- tenor Ignazio Boschetto and baritone Gianluca Ginoble are both 19 -- Barone is the group's senior spokesman.
He speaks three languages -- Italian, English and Spanish -- but like the others, Barone also sings in a fourth language: German. Wagner, anyone?
"I'm the dramatic one," Barone says by phone from Chicago. "I can do opera. We sing with harmonies."
OPERA IDOL His greatest thrill so far is recording "Il Canto," with the legendary tenor Plácido Domingo. "I've been listening to him since I was 5 years old, and now he listens to us. Can you imagine? We decided together to dedicate the recording to Luciano Pavarotti because he's a countryman of ours," Barone said of the late tenor great. Domingo agreed to sing with Il Volo at the urging of a grandson.
"Il Canto" is featured on the group's latest album, "Mas Que Amor," released in April. It's their third studio CD following their eponymous debut in 2011 and "We Are Love" in 2012. They've also recorded a live CD/DVD, "Il Volo Takes Flight -- Live From the Detroit Opera House." (Volo is Italian for flight.)
Il Volo got its start in 2009 when the then- unnamed trio dazzled TV viewers of a popular talent show in Italy with their rendition of the Neapolitan standard "O Sole Mio."
It's typical of the lush romantic songs they bring to the concert stage, often performing in solo succession -- one voice per verse, harmonizing on the chorus.
POP TUNES, TOO Their pop repertoire includes covers of U2's "Beautiful Day" and "Questo Amore," an Italian version of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing."
Barone says he's looking forward to Il Volo's Westbury reprise. "We love singing in the round," he says of the NYCB Theatre's seating configuration.
But the highlight of the current North American tour, the young tenor says, is their debut Sept. 27 at Radio City Music Hall. "It's been one of our goals to play there."
Another dream was realized last year when they sang "O Sole Mio" on "American Idol."
"If you make it on 'American Idol,' " says Barone, "you can make it in America and maybe anywhere in the world. We just want to bring music to a younger generation. But we've found that the kids come with their mom and grandma. So we're playing for three generations. To me, that's the best thing about our concerts."
WHO Il Volo
WHEN | WHERE 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Rd.
TICKETS $59.50-$89.50; ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000
Source: newsday
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