The world at their feet:Ignazio Boschetto (left), Piero Barone (centre) and Gianluca Ginoble.
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It’s not easy being on top. Barely two months into the job, Italy’s new Prime Minister Mario Monti has had a junior minster resign over a building contracts scandal, while the world watched in fascination as the massive cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground. It now threatens to sink, in a passable imitation of the country’s economy.
Silvio Berlusconi might be gone, but that’s no guarantee of smooth sailing.
Three young men, however, are giving Italians more hope than any politicians can muster. They are Il Volo – a modern-day operatic boy band who are following in the footsteps of Andrea Bocelli and the late Luciano Pavarotti in keeping Italy’s singing heritage alive.
Il Volo (which means flight) might have come together during Italy’s toughest economic times, but these young tenors represent new dreams, hopes and aspirations for a country that has youth unemployment hovering close to 30 per cent (on average, six percentage points more than most European Union cities).
Two of the group come from Sicily, one of Italy’s most impoverished areas, so it’s easy to see why Il Volo are counting their blessings.
“My grandfather taught me how to sing,” says a beaming Piero Barone, a native of Agrigento, Sicily. He spent many days and nights sitting with his “nonno” singing traditional Italian songs. And what a voice he has.
Barone began singing at three, and now, at 18, he can pull off notes that belong to tenors twice his years.
Gianluca Ginoble, 16, from the Abruzzo region of central Italy and Ignazio Boschetto, 17 (born in Bologna but now living in Sicily with his family), met at a singing competition on a TV talent show called Ti Lascio Una Canzone.
Ginoble won the 2009 competition. But Italian crooner Tony Renis (who co-wrote the 1962 hit Quando Quando Quando) got so excited when he heard the individual lads sing that he suggested they form a group.
He called in Michele Torpedine, Andrea Bocelli’s representative for 6 years, to manage Il Volo – and the rest reads like a fairytale.
In June 2009, a deal was signed. Il Volo inked a contract with record company Universal Music and recorded a self-titled debut album, which includes favourites such as O Sole Mio and Charlie Chaplin’s classic film tune Smile. They also sing Piu Ti Penso (a medley of Ennio Morricone songs from the soundtrack Once Upon a Time in America and Malena).
It was the first time an Italian group had signed to Universal/Geffen in the US. And for three teenagers who barely considered life after the talent show, the pace suddenly changed: from kicking footballs on the street with friends to touring America and Europe and being talked about on morning TV shows.
Produced by Humberto Gatica (who had worked with Celine Dion and Bocelli), the album sees Renis guide the group through traditional and classical songwriting. It was recorded in Los Angeles and Rome as well as in London’s famous Abbey Road Studios – and it was the first time the teens had left Italy.
On a recent visit to Melbourne, Il Volo are guided into a boardroom of the Olsen Hotel in South Yarra. They are new to this game of music-industry schmoozing, but recognise my Italian surname and take me in as one of their own. In a few minutes, I’ve met the sound guy, who shakes my hand and asks about the Italian surname; the same goes for the interpreter, and it’s easy to see how easily distracted one becomes in a room full of vibrant Italians. It’s one rowdy affair here.
Yet one is instantly reminded of Il Volo’s youth as the three teens habitually answer on top of one another. One begins a sentence, another adds to it and the third ends it. They share mints, flick each other with their fingers like kids on a school bus and do their best at answering questions via an interpreter.
“I cannot believe I am sitting here in Australia talking to a journalist. You have to understand I never thought about this life,” says Boschetto, who declares he has lost 13 kilograms and is avoiding chocolates to get slim. He’s the funny guy, the loudest by a long shot, and has
a habit of hushing the others into a silent corner so he can speak.
“We did hope, but never imagined, it could happen at this age. I would say that even as an older performer you don’t expect this sort of luck to happen to you,” says Ginoble, who says if he wasn’t going to find luck as a singer, he would be happy playing football for the rest of his life.
Boschetto adds: “Let’s be honest here. We all know it is difficult to find work in Italy. Everybody knows that and I think we are really lucky to have this opportunity because we found work so young but we found the work we love.” Boschetto says their fathers accompanied them to America while their mothers stayed home minding siblings.
When asked about the current financial situation in Italy, the lads sidestep the concern – for them this is the least of their worries (well, for now).
If luck continues to stay on their side, their royalties could help keep their families in good financial positions. But Il Volo is more excited about their appearance on American Idol in May this year, which attracted more than 20 million viewers and saw their album skyrocket to No.2 on the iTunes charts. Then there was an appearance on the final episode of Entourage, which probably helped raise their profile too.
“Times are tough in Italy but we don’t have to think about that right now,” says Barone. Boschetto interjects: “We are sending a message to young people to never give up on their dreams because it is important you follow your heart. Our message is you can do it. If we can, you can.”
This defiance rings clear on their debut; for Il Volo it’s important to keep traditional music as part of their repertoire.
“I was not born to sing rock songs, but I can sing this kind of music because it was born in Italy like myself,” says Barone.
Ginoble says: “It’s part of our heritage and I think it’s nice to keep it alive through younger voices. We have inspired many young people to follow this music. Girls go crazy for this. We have seen them go crazy for us in Mexico, in Malaysia. Mamma mia!
“We don’t just sing operatic songs. We also sing in Spanish and in English too. I am sure the next Il Volo album will see more songs written by us as well.”
Their relationship with manager Michele Torpedine is certainly a sign that these teenagers are relying on those far more experienced to guide them.
He is the one who helped kick-start Bocelli’s career and that of Italian pop singer Zucchero, too.
Barone describes Torpedine as god-like. It’s a huge call, but one that makes sense given all he has secured them thus far.
“You know he is our manager, our mentor or uncle, our brother,” says Barone.
“When we need something or feel down, we call Michele and ask for his suggestion. He is everything to us."
» www.ilvolomusic.com