Popera superstars Il Volo

Il Volo will be performing at the Chicago Theatre on March 14, having first appeared there more than a decade earlier in the course of their first international tour.

In 2009, the career paths of three young singers — one from Abruzzo, one from Sicily and one from Bologna — converged at a musical competition on Italian TV. One of them won the contest, but they all emerged victorious.

The show’s director, Roberto Cenci, saw something in the teens that led to a remarkable musical journey. He thought of bringing them together in the spirit of the original Three Tenors: Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras. He then placed them with Michele Torpedine, the super-manager-producer of Andrea Bocelli, Zucchero and others, and Il Volo took flight.

Initially dubbed I Tre Tenorini (The Three Little Tenors), Gianluca Ginoble, Piero Barone and Ignazio Boschetto had been singing pretty much since they were toddlers. Together they created a new subgenre of pop music, combining Italian classics with a youthful style that captured the hearts of music lovers of all ages. Teen-heartthrob opera singers? Who would have thought that was possible?

They went immediately to work, making an album with producer Tony Renis, who got the boys to sign with Jimmy Iovine of Geffen Records in Los Angeles. In so doing, they became the first Italian artists to sign with a major American recording label, a game-changing feat.

They officially changed the name of the trio to Il Volo and their first, self-titled studio album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, where the Beatles did their best work.

The album was a runaway hit worldwide, going platinum in Mexico, with the Spanish version earning a Latin Grammy Award nomination. It also entered the Top 10 in Belgium, France, Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands and other countries, and reached No. 1 in Austria.

In the United States, the album reached the 10th spot on the Billboard 200 chart and topped the Classical Albums chart. Their stateside success was fueled by appearances on “American Idol,” “The Tonight Show,” “Good Morning America,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “The Early Show.”

In 2011, the trio embarked on their first international tour. Looking back at a clip from their first appearance on Chicago television, on ABC7 Chicago’s “Windy City Live” with Ryan Chiaverini, the boys were just that — boys. But the music that flowed from them was nothing short of mesmerizing.

Their performance at the Chicago Theatre that year was only the third concert in their fledgling touring careers. It was an incredible show, taking the Windy City by storm and leaving the audience yearning for more.

International attorney and former Chicago Alderman Charles Bernardini, who has strong ties to Italy’s music scene, first contacted me about this new group of young stars-to-be. He made the initial introduction for me, and I have been fortunate to work with Il Volo on several occasions since then.

The trio continued to perform throughout Europe, with multiple engagements in the U.S., including performances of the national anthem at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, at the tree-lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center in New York and on the Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon, and a cameo appearance on the television show “Entourage.” They even toured with Barbra Streisand on her “Barbra Live” tour.

Released in 2012, their second album, “We Are Love,” included tracks graced by the talents of Placido Domingo and Eros Ramazzotti. The next year, “Buon Natale: The Christmas Album” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Holiday Album Charts.

In 2014, I brought them to Elgin, Illinois, for a concert titled “Sotto le stelle” (“Under the Stars”). It was an outdoor show for the Grand Victoria Casino featuring the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.

The performance was spectacular, of course. Backed by an 80-piece orchestra, those three powerful voices filled the night air with song, just like those TV shows you’ve seen of concerts in the grand piazze of Italy.

Despite all the attention and hype, and the incredibly fast pace of their careers, what impresses me most about them — back then and today — is just how grounded they are.

After the sound check that day, they saw a soccer ball backstage that an audience member had gifted to them. Instead of retreating to the hotel as most acts would have done, the three of them kicked the ball around backstage for an hour before the show. The singing became their SECOND favorite part of the day!

On Valentine’s Day 2015, Il Volo won the coveted Sanremo Music Festival, catapulting them to the pinnacle of the Italian music world.

On March 14, these three amazing young men will triumphantly return to the Chicago Theatre, and I couldn’t be more excited. They will be unveiling their latest album, “Ad Astra,” marking their first release of entirely original tracks.

I caught up with them recently via FaceTime, and here is what Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio had to say about their tour and their upcoming show in Chicago:

“This show is very exciting for us because we are celebrating our 15th anniversary as a trio,” Gianluca said. “During the show we will be performing a musical journey with the ‘standards’ that have accompanied us throughout our long career of music and friendship.”

When I asked about their American influences, Ignazio replied, “Of course it is Elvis and Frank Sinatra. They are America’s gift to the world!”

When Piero was asked what they do for fun while on tour, he responded, “The best part of the tour is traveling and sleeping on the bus — which doesn’t exist in our country. It’s a nice way to discover the USA, which is a country so dear to us. In our downtime we also love to play tennis, go on runs, read books and go out to dinner with our crew and team.”

The only time they argue is when the topic of soccer comes up, since Piero is a fan of Milan, Ignazio of Juventus and Gianluca of Rome.

Their passion for Chicago has never waned, since it was one of their first stops on their first tour. “Chicago is for us one of the most beautiful cities of the USA because every time we perform at the Chicago Theatre we receive so much love and warmth from the audience in a way that only Chicago fans can,” Ignazio shared.

When you talk with them, they seem almost unaware of their enormous popularity. Their humility, sincerity and brotherly love are an inspirational combination rarely seen in the often ego-driven world of global stardom.

“The Flight” took off 15 years ago, and “Il Volo” has yet to land. They continue to rise to new heights, creating music — both recorded and live — that warms the hearts of the masses. To Il Volo, we say “Salute!” Here’s to the next 15 years and beyond!