On July 11, 2024, the Piazza Duomo in Catania became the setting for one of the most moving performances in Il Volo’s career. The beloved trio — Gianluca Ginoble, Piero Barone, and Ignazio Boschetto — dedicated Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” to Barbara Vitali, their longtime collaborator who tragically passed away just two days earlier at the age of 54 following a car accident.
Vitali was far more than a collaborator. For nearly two decades, she was the trio’s constant companion and guardian figure as they rose from teenagers to international stars. Before beginning the performance, Il Volo paused to speak directly to their audience and to Barbara.
“Because we started this profession when we were 15 and we traveled the world, with us there has always been a person who was like a mother when we were younger,” they shared, visibly shaken.
“She was the most important figure for us in our travels, and we will be eternally grateful to her — but especially our families.When our parents knew we were with Barbara, they slept soundly. Tonight, this concert will be the first of many that we will dedicate to her throughout our lives. We will sing for her, Barbara. We will sing for you for all our lives.”
As they asked fans to raise their cell phone lights to “light up the whole square” for Barbara, the atmosphere shifted into something spiritual, a collective moment of grief and love. Then came the song.
From the very first notes of “Hallelujah,” emotion overwhelmed the group. Gianluca broke down before the performance even began, and midway through the song, all three singers clung to one another for strength.
Their voices cracked, caught in their throats, and at times they had to pause just to breathe through their tears. Yet they pressed on, carrying the song with raw, imperfect, devastating beauty. By the final verse, the audience was weeping with them, united in both sorrow and tribute.
Here’s what to know about Barbara Vitali
Barbara Vitali was a close collaborator of Il Volo’s manager Michele Torpedine and had worked with the trio since the very beginning of their careers. For Gianluca, Ignazio, and Piero, she was more than a professional partner — she was a surrogate mother who traveled with them across the globe. On July 7, 2024, Vitali was involved in a serious accident and hospitalized at the Sant’Orsola Hospital in Bologna. She passed away on July 9, sending shockwaves through the Italian music industry.
In a statement, Il Volo and Torpedine expressed their “profound pain” over the loss, remembering her as an “angel” who will remain forever in their hearts.
With this performance of “Hallelujah” in Catania, Il Volo turned grief into music, honoring Barbara Vitali in the most powerful way they could: with their voices, their vulnerability, and their love. It was not just a concert moment — it was a farewell, a promise, and a hymn that will echo for years to come.
