LISTEN: Il Divo star reveals visual spectacular plans as 20th anniversary tour heads this way
The 10 date 20th Anniversary UK Tour in October 2024 - full details below - will play London, Cardiff, Bournemouth, Southend, Nottingham, Bristol, Brighton, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.
BUY TICKETS: Tickets go on sale Friday, April 19, 9.30am at tix.to/IlDivo2024
AUDIO: In an exclusive chat founding member Urs tells Graham Walker about the past two decades, looks to the future and reveals XX tour details - LISTEN HERE.
Il Divo was formed by Simon Cowell as a new generation, Three Tenors-style quartet and the renowned classical crossover vocal quartet's self-titled album knocked Robbie Williams off the number 1 spot in the UK charts.
They have gone on to sell 30 million albums worldwide, scored 50 #1 hits, and earned 160 Gold and Platinum records across 35 countries.
Between selling out tours on multiple continents, they've performed everywhere from the Summer Olympics and FIFA World Cup to the Diamond Jubilee at Windsor.
With highs come the lows including the heartbreaking tragic passing of band member Carlos Marin in 2020 to COVID-19. It might have finished many bands.But Urs, from Switzerland, tenors Sébastien Izambard, of France and David Miller, from America, recruited new member baritone Steven LaBrie, also from America, to uphold the spirit of their signature sound as they paid tribute to Carlos in a year long tour.The next shows will feature the band's greatest hits from the past two decades, including songs from their new 10th album, their first with Steven, as they look to the future.
Urs revealed plans to make it heir best visual show yet with the likes of screens and dazzling lasers.
He said:"we're creating a completely new show to celebrate 20 years.
"In the past we've been traditional, with the orchestra at the back and us in front, in a line, singing with a little bit of movement. But we want to break that up and make it a bit more exciting. We want to make the whole thing a bit more visually appealing.
"We want to have a stage presence that is a bit more flowing, not as static, a bit more interpretive. All the songs we sing, we always say it's about passion. It's about love, It's very emotional. And we want to express that in the whole movement and the flow on stage.
"I'm not talking abou dancing. II Divo is not a dance band. But we will introduce modern elements, you know, stage set, screens, probably even lasers and stuff like that. We have a great great visual and lighting director on board with us.
"He said of he set list: "There will be a lot of music from the new album, and all of the great classics - we always have to have a Regresa a Mí (Unbreak My Heart) and a My Way in there."
Produced by Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winning artist Carlos Fernando Lopez (Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony), XX: 20TH ANNIVERSARY ALBUM, includes songs sung by IL DIVO in English, Spanish and Italian; and an original composition written by the group, Despertar Sin Ti. In addition to the IL DIVO spin on Gnarls Barkley's Crazy, the album will also include Whitney Houston's I Have Nothing, with a Spanish version, No Tengo Nada,; Miguel Gallardo's Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti,; Brenda Lee and Elvis Presley's Always On My Mind, sung in English and Italian; Ed Sheeran's smash hit Perfect; Despacito, the mega-smash by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Justin Bieber, and more.
Urs likes to hink Il Divo has helped to encourage a new curious interest in opera but says Il Divo is a pop band.He said: "I consider Il Diva as a pop band. You know, because we don't really sing grand opera arias. We don't do that. We never fancy doing that either. Especially David and me, when it comes to opera we are quite purists. I don't see the point of slamming harmonies onto a Nessun Dorma. I don't think it adds anything. But I definitely think that we made loads of people curious about the voice quality of the opera tenor."
IL DIVO 20TH ANNIVERSARY UK TOUR
Wednesday, 16th October - London Palladium
Thursday, 17th October - Cardiff Utilita Arena
Saturday, 19th October - Bournemouth International Centre
Monday, 21st October- Southend Cliffs Pavilion
Tuesday, 22nd October - Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
Wednesday 23rd October - Bristol Beacon
Thursday, 24th October - Brighton Centre
Saturday, 26th October- Birmingham Utilita Arena
Monday, 28th October - Liverpool Philharmonic
Tuesday, 29th October - Manchester Bridgewater Hall
LINKS
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TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ildivoofficial
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ildivo