Il Volo is a pop opera group, a genre they label “popera.” The trio comprises Ignazio Boschetto, Piero Barone, and Gianluca Ginoble, classically trained singers who were teens when they got their start.
They first began to receive attention in 2009, when they competed in a televised vocal competition. They were performing solos, and Ginoble’s rendition of “Il mare calmo della sera,” which Andrea Bocelli performed originally, won the first episode. Robert Cenci, who created and directed the show, had the idea of putting the three together, trying to recapture the magic of the original Three Tenors, Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras, and Placido Domingo. They first performed as a group during the fourth episode of the program.
That performance was noticed by Tony Renis, an Italian music producer and singer/songwriter based in Los Angeles. Renis called Cenci to arrange a meeting and, working through attorneys since the singers were all under 18, Geffen Records signed them. Their contract marks the first time Italian artists signed directly with an American label. They have released eight albums to date, with two going Platinum and two receiving Gold status. A review says:
“Il Volo . . . [created] a truly transformational evening of music.”
Il Volo will be at the San Diego Civil Theatre on April 21. Publicity, made by organizers using poster printing to create striking advertisements, will help bring audiences to events like this.