Il Volo’s Unforgettable Night at The Opera House in Boston
Il Volo sold out the Citizens Opera House, a 2,600-capacity venue, on Monday, and it was an experience I will never forget. From the moment I walked in, the venue itself was breathtaking. The Citizens Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts, is a stunning example of a vaudeville-era palace, designed with a mix of French and Italian styles. The high ceilings, intricate golden trim, marble pillars, chandeliers, and deep red accents transported me from modern-day Boston straight into the 20th century.
Fans, dressed in what seemed to be their best attire, quickly filled the relatively small lobby. A line stretched down the street, and the steady stream of people entering the venue seemed never-ending—from when I arrived at 6:30 p.m. until about 7:25, just five minutes before the show was set to begin.
At 7:30, the audience took their seats, waiting eagerly for the show to begin. I was instructed to shoot from the front of the house and was kindly given a platform to stand on for a better vantage point. As I took my position, anticipation buzzed through the theater. Finally, at around 7:35, the curtains lifted, and the show began. The crowd erupted in cheers as the silhouettes of the three performers appeared, backed by a full orchestra. Excitement rippled through the majestic venue from front to back.
Il Volo powered through the first three songs without much pause for conversation—understandable, as there would be plenty of that later. Before diving deeper into the set, I want to note that their setlist was particularly well thought out, tailored to their audience, and filled with a surprising number of cover songs spanning various genres.
Since I was focused on capturing photos during the opening songs, I don’t have much to say about them musically. However, what immediately stood out was the trio’s impeccable stage presence. They moved with precision, ensuring that whoever was leading a particular section of a song was at the front of the stage while the others fell back. During powerful moments when all three were singing, they stood side by side at the stage's edge, heightening the emotional impact. This small but effective detail elevated the entire performance.
After the first three songs, I made my way to my seat. Just as I sat down, the trio launched into a lighthearted conversation about their relationship—whether they truly loved each other or just really liked each other. They joked about their years together, a bit that earned plenty of laughter from the audience. After about three minutes of playful banter, they transitioned into solo performances.
First up was Ignazio Boschetto, delivering a stunning rendition of Memory by Barbra Streisand. The audience was ecstatic, giving him a standing ovation. Next, Gianluca Ginoble performed The Music of the Night from The Phantom of the Opera. His voice perfectly suited the song, casting a spell over the audience—so much so that not a single sound was made throughout the performance. The moment the song ended, the entire room shot to their feet in applause. Finally, Piero Barone took the stage for his solo, singing E Lucevan Le Stelle, a Giacomo Puccini piece. Barone’s voice is the most commanding of the three, and he delivered the performance with such power and emotion that, once again, the audience sat in awed silence before erupting into a massive standing ovation.
The next portion of the set moved quickly. All three returned to the stage, exchanged a few words, and launched into The Ecstasy of Gold. Now, I have to make a reference that may give away my age, but this song opens with that classic Wild West melody—you know, the one that’s usually followed by “This town ain’t big enough for the two of us.” As the orchestra played, the lighting shifted to a golden hue, building into an impressively beautiful crescendo before tapering off. This was my favorite performance of the night, filled with sweeping emotion in both the vocals and instrumentation, making it feel like an epic journey.
A few songs later, including a moving cover of Smile by Charlie Chaplin and some incredible lighting work, Il Volo introduced Cecile, a talented Italian artist. She joined them for a song before taking the stage solo for a breathtaking performance of Natural Woman, originally by Aretha Franklin.
Now, this is where my notes start to get a little shaky, so bear with me. At this point, I had written down, “The Dun dun dun dun dun dun song,” which, after some quick research, I realized was La Donna È Mobile, a famous opera piece. I hadn’t even realized I knew the song until I heard it, but once I did, I recognized it instantly—and Il Volo performed it beautifully.
By now, it was time for a bit more crowd interaction. The trio engaged the audience in a discussion about pronunciation, particularly struggling with words like “column” and “Massachusetts.” They also joked about the color of the theater’s columns, asking what color they should be. When the crowd shouted “green,” the lights changed to every color except green, prompting laughter as the band quipped, “Sicilian technology doesn’t work!” Before moving on, they expressed their gratitude to PBS, acknowledging that if the network hadn’t believed in them back in 2013, they might not be standing on that stage today.
With the crowd fully engaged, Il Volo invited everyone to participate in the next few songs. First, they performed a hauntingly beautiful rendition of The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel. This song has been covered many times, but Il Volo’s version was uniquely powerful, blending their classical style with the song’s melancholic tone. Next, they performed My Way by Frank Sinatra, encouraging the entire audience to sing along. The result was a breathtaking moment—2,600 voices uniting in song, backed by a full orchestra. They followed with Hallelujah, prompting the audience to light up the room with their phone flashlights, creating a dazzling, unforgettable sight. The performance ended with yet another standing ovation, a testament to the moment’s emotional weight.
After performing a mix of covers and original songs, Il Volo wrapped up the night with ’O Sole Mio, closing with a reprise of Grande Amore. As they took their final bows and walked off stage, the venue erupted into applause, with fans shouting their praises. And just like that, the night was over.
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Mia Palazzo