In the world of Il Volo, harmony is everything. Piero acts as the tenor precision, Gianluca brings the baritone romance, and Ignazio brings the soaring power and the jokes. They are a tripod; if one falls, they all fall. Last night, one of them fell.
For fans of Il Volo, Ignazio Boschetto is the funny one. He’s the one who dances during rehearsals, the one who mimics the others, the one with the contagious smile.
But last night in Sicily, the smile was gone.
Just days before the show, tragedy struck. Ignazio’s father, Vito Boschetto—the man who drove him to his first auditions, the man who believed in him when he was just a shy boy with a big voice—passed away suddenly.
Everyone expected Il Volo to cancel. How could he sing?
But Ignazio said no. “Papa would want the show to go on.”
The Missing Face
The atmosphere in the ancient Greek theatre was heavy. The trio walked out to thunderous applause. Piero and Gianluca stayed closer to Ignazio than usual, like bodyguards protecting a wounded VIP.
Ignazio looked pale. He kept glancing at a specific spot in the front row.
For a decade, Vito Boschetto had sat there. He was always there, beaming with pride. Tonight, the seat was empty. A single white rose lay on the velvet cushion.
They got through the upbeat songs on pure adrenaline. But then came “Caruso.”
It is a song about pain, about saying goodbye to a loved one while looking into their eyes near the sea. Every lyric felt like a knife.
The Breakdown
Ignazio started his solo verse. His voice was trembling, stripping away the operatic technique to reveal raw, human grief.
“Te voglio bene assai… (I love you so much…)”
He hit the phrase, and his voice broke. He tried to take a breath to continue, but the sob caught in his throat. He shook his head, backing away from the microphone stand. The grief was too heavy. The “funny man” buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
The music didn’t stop, but the singing did.
Brothers in Arms
In a split second, the concert changed.
Piero Barone threw his microphone down. Gianluca Ginoble abandoned his position. They didn’t look at the audience; they looked at their brother.
They rushed to Ignazio. They didn’t just pat him on the back; they wrapped him in a crushingly tight embrace. A three-way hug that shielded him from the world.
Piero whispered into Ignazio’s ear. Gianluca held Ignazio’s hand tight against his own chest.
Then, they did the impossible.
Without looking at each other, Piero and Gianluca turned to the microphones—still holding onto Ignazio—and they sang his part.
They sang the high notes that Ignazio usually hits. They sang for him. They sang for Vito.
The Audience Becomes the Voice
Ignazio looked up, tears streaming down his face behind his glasses. He saw his brothers covering for him. Then he looked at the crowd.
The audience had stood up. Thousands of people began to sing the chorus of “Caruso.”
It wasn’t a performance anymore. It was a funeral service, a celebration of life, and a testament to brotherhood all at once.
Ignazio managed a weak smile. He lifted his hand to the sky, pointing directly at the stars, acknowledging the man who was listening from the best seat in the house.
Harmony Beyond Music
Il Volo means “The Flight.” Last night, they showed us that you can’t fly alone. When one wing is broken, the others have to work twice as hard.
Piero and Gianluca proved that they aren’t just bandmates. They are family. And Ignazio proved that even in the darkest grief, if you have people who love you, you can find the strength to stand.
Rest in Peace, Vito. Your son made you proud.