Bridging Generations Through Opera: Il Volo Brings Their “Magical Night” to Argentina
BUENOS AIRES — Inside the bustling studios of Televisión Pública Argentina, a unique energy fills the room. The hosts of the popular afternoon show Tomate la Tarde—Juliana Gattas, Cecilia Ruffa, and Martín Garabal—are adjusting their cue cards, preparing to welcome three young men who have single-handedly reshaped the global landscape of classical crossover music.
Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto, and Gianluca Ginoble walk in. Collectively known as Il Volo, the Italian trio exudes an effortless blend of youthful charm and old-school sophistication. Dressed in contemporary leather jackets rather than traditional tuxedos, they carry themselves not like rigid opera singers, but like modern pop-rock stars. Yet, the moment they speak, their deep respect for musical tradition becomes instantly clear.
The trio visited Argentina as part of a high-profile promotional tour for their highly anticipated live album and DVD, “Notte Magica – A Tribute to the Three Tenors.” Recorded at the breathtaking Piazza Santa Croce in Florence, the project serves as a conceptual homage to the legendary 1990 Rome concert by José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti. For Il Volo, however, this stop in Buenos Aires is more than just another promotional checkbox—it is a homecoming.
Argentina: The “Second Italy”
“For us, Argentina is a second Italy,” Gianluca notes, speaking fluent Spanish with an ease that catches the television hosts by surprise. “The people, the way everyone gestures when they talk, the design of the streets—it feels just like home. So many Argentinians have Italian roots. We feel that deep cultural bond every single time we land here.”
This visit marks the group’s tenth time in the country since their initial tour in 2011, shortly after their self-titled debut album took the world by storm. Their journey through Argentine venues reads like a steady climb up the ladder of superstardom:
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2011: First promotional promotional appearance following the release of “’O Sole Mio”.
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2012: A massive concert at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club.
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Subsequent Years: Three back-to-back sold-out shows at the historic Teatro Gran Rex.
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May 2016: A triumphant performance at the DirectTV Arena.
The trio jokes comfortably with the hosts, showing off their multi-lingual skills. Already trilingual in Italian, English, and Spanish, they admit they are now trying to pick up Portuguese after a recent tour through Brazil. When asked how they stay so grounded amidst a grueling global schedule, Ignazio credits their tight-knit support system. “We started this when we were just 14 and 15 years old. It is not an easy world. You have to watch what you say, what you do, even what you eat. We owe everything to our families and our management team, Michele Torpedine and Barbara Vitali, who keep us steady.”
The Weight of a Legendary Mentorship
The conversation quickly shifts to the heart of their new project: their profound relationship with opera icon Plácido Domingo, who not only sings with them on the album but also conducts the symphony orchestra for the recording.
"This project is not a cheap imitation. It is a remembrance of a magical night that changed music history forever."
— Piero Barone
The collaboration came about through a surprisingly modern twist of fate. “We actually met him because of his grandkids,” Ignazio reveals with a laugh. “In 2013, his grandchildren were huge fans of ours and were watching our videos. Plácido asked them, ‘Who are these boys?’ and they replied, ‘Grandpa, it’s Il Volo! Don’t you know them?’ That sparked a genuine family friendship. Now, we are so close that we attend each other’s birthday parties.”
Working with Domingo was an unforgettable milestone for the young singers. He has transitioned from an idol into a mentor and a creative godfather. The trio emphasizes that the tribute album is designed to honor the legacy of the original Three Tenors, who famously pulled classical music out of elitist opera houses and shared it with the masses in open-air arenas.
Redefining Opera for the Next Generation
When asked why three 20-something men decided to pursue pop lírico (operatic pop) instead of mainstream radio pop, the group’s passion becomes unmistakable.
“The genre found us, we didn’t find it,” Piero explains. “I was discovered by my family when I was only three or four years old, singing ‘La Donna è Mobile’ in my bedroom. We grew up listening to Andrea Bocelli. When we met on an Italian talent show, we realized we shared the exact same musical DNA.”
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| THE OPERATIC POP FORMULA |
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| Classical Vocal Technique + Modern Pop Arrangements = |
| "Operatic Pop" (Bringing timeless art to younger audiences) |
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They reject the idea that classical melodies belong strictly to older generations. By injecting contemporary energy into timeless arrangements, they are successfully introducing opera to a completely new demographic.
“In Italy, young people weren’t listening to this style anymore,” Gianluca says. “But after we won the Sanremo Music Festival and performed at Eurovision with our original pop-opera track ‘Grande Amore’, everything changed. Thousands of teenagers started coming to our shows. Good music is universal; it belongs to everyone.”
To prove their point, the trio treats the studio audience to a breathtaking, impromptu acapella rendition of the classic “Granada”. Their powerhouse vocals fill the room effortlessly, leaving the hosts visibly stunned by the sheer control and technical discipline displayed without any warm-up or microphone adjustments.
The Rigor Behind the Romance
Despite their playful backstage antics—including a funny discussion about a rumor that one of them rehearses entirely unclothed in the dressing room (which Ignazio jokingly blames on a wardrobe delay)—the group treats their vocal health with absolute seriousness.
Maintaining the stamina to deliver an opera-heavy setlist night after night requires constant discipline. “With this new classical repertoire, we realized just how vital it is to keep studying,” Piero admits. “We are constantly on airplanes, but we always make time for vocal coaching sessions, even over Skype. If you don’t maintain your technique, you cannot survive a 25-song setlist where every single piece demands maximum operatic power.”
The emotional weight of their efforts is laid bare when the show broadcasts a clip of their performance of “Nessun Dorma” from the upcoming DVD. As the video plays, the three singers watch the screen in total silence, their faces reflecting a mix of intense pride and deep emotion.
“Every time we look at that footage, we remember the hours of hard work it took to get there,” Gianluca says softly, his eyes fixed on the screen. “You can see it in our eyes during the performance—we are constantly communicating, helping each other hit those massive notes. It grew our professional skills, but more importantly, it made our friendship unbreakable.”
Looking Ahead: A Grand Return
As the interview draws to a close, Il Volo drops a massive piece of news for their passionate Argentine fan base, affectionately known as “The Volovers.”
Following the launch of their global tour in the United States and Europe, the trio will officially return to Latin America in September. They plan to bring the exact same grand production featured on their DVD straight to Argentina, complete with a massive 80-piece symphony orchestra.
“We want to bring this music out of the traditional theater context and into massive arenas so everyone can experience it,” the trio shares enthusiastically. “We promise our fans a truly magical night. For one evening, Buenos Aires will feel exactly like Italy.”