Recorded for a PBS fundraising special on one of their first ever North American shows,
Il Volo Takes Flight: Live from the Detroit Opera House is the first live album from
Il Volo, the Italian teenage trio dubbed as
the Three Tenors meets
the Jonas Brothers. Produced by Grammy-winner
Humberto Gatica (
Michael Bublé) and Italian composer
Tony Renis, it features eight performances of tracks from their self-titled Billboard Top Ten debut, including "E Piu' Ti Penso," the medley of
Morricone themes from Once Upon a Time in America and Malena, an emotive take on Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," and two songs that allude to their American Idol connections in the shape of the
Diane Warren-penned "La Luna Hizo Esto," a bilingual duet with 2011 finalist
Pia Toscano, and the bossa nova-tinged reworking of "'O Sole Mio" that launched them to fame in both the U.S. and their homeland. Elsewhere, there are new recordings of Neapolitan classics such as "Funiculi' Funicula'," "Non Ti Scordar di Me," and "Mattinata," and expressive renditions of
Agustín Lara's "Granada" and
Jimmy Fontana's "Il Mondo," all of which showcase their impressively mature and warm romantic tones in front of a lush 66-piece orchestra and a receptive sellout crowd. A far more authentic proposition on record than their older counterparts,
Il Divo,
Live from the Detroit Opera House shows that
Il Volo are just as convincing on-stage. ~ Jon O'Brien