Il Volo fill the halls of the world with their crossover of classical and pop music. They will be stopping off in Zurich in December. Piero Barone and Gianluca Ginoble talk about success, stylistic inconsistencies and why they almost missed each other.
Il Volo was formed in 2009 in the TV casting show “Ti lascio una canzone”, where you initially performed solo. What memories do you have of your start?
Piero Barone: It’s crazy: we almost missed each other. If one of us had taken part a season earlier or later, Il Volo wouldn’t exist today. Our greatest luck was this one perfect moment.
Your sound combines classical, pop and opera – how would you explain your style to someone who has never heard you before?
Piero Barone: Il Volo is crossover. Neither too classical nor too pop – it’s precisely this mixture that makes us what we are.
You are successful worldwide. Why is Italian music so well received?
Piero Barone: We are just following the path that the greats before us have shaped – Pavarotti, Bocelli, Ramazzotti. They paved the way for us. It’s the language, the feeling that the language conveys.
Your 2024/2025 world tour will stop at Zurich’s Hallenstadion on December 11. How do you prepare for a tour of this magnitude?
Gianluca Ginoble: We have fixed rituals: reading, training, playing tennis. And harmony backstage is crucial – otherwise you can’t last three months on tour together. For example, I often meditate and read to educate myself. It’s important for me that my body and mind are in harmony. That way I’m balanced for the tour.
Your album “Live at the Valley of the Temples” contains many classics such as “Nessun dorma” or “Miserere”. How do you choose the songs?
Gianluca Ginoble: We only sing songs that we feel. Not just what the audience expects. Fortunately, we often hit the same nerve.
Is there another artistic goal you want to achieve?
Piero Barone: The most important thing is to live in the now. Too much planning for the future is damaging – both in work and in life. We make music and follow what life has in store for us and let ourselves be surprised.
