Sofia, Bulgaria – Italian trio Il Volo gave the audience an unforgettable Christmas experience during their recent concert at the packed “Arena 8888 Sofia,” performing for nearly three hours in front of enthusiastic fans. The event, filmed by Canale 5 for Italy’s national RAI 1 and set to air on Christmas Day, saw the trio elevate classic holiday songs to an extraordinary level.

Kicking off the evening with “Angels We Have Heard” on High, Il Volo performed on a stage beautifully decorated with festive lights and a towering Christmas tree. Their setlist featured 43 songs, an unusually large number for a single concert, including beloved holiday melodies and international hits. Highlights included Bianco Natale, Feliz Navidad, Il Mondo, Hallelujah, Nessun Dorma, La Donna è Mobile, and Ave Maria. For the first time live, they also performed You’ll Never Walk Alone.

But it was their rendition of O Holy Night that truly captivated the audience. Backed by an Italian choir, the trio’s soaring high notes left many convinced that a higher power was guiding their performance. Fans flooded social media with praise, describing the performance as “delightfully beautiful,” “magical,” and “the most beautiful Christmas carol in the world.” Comments from around the globe included heartfelt reactions in multiple languages, highlighting the universal appeal of their music.

The trio – Gianluca Ginoble, Ignazio Boschetto, and Piero Barone – explained why they chose Sofia for their holiday concert: “When we discussed where to hold our Christmas show, we unanimously chose Sofia because of our very special connection with the Bulgarian audience, who always welcome us warmly. Last year, the interest was so high that we held two concerts in a single day.”

Fans showed their love throughout the night, presenting the singers with flowers and gifts. Barone joked about opening a flower shop with all the bouquets, while Boschetto quipped that they might need a cargo plane to take all the gifts home.

The concert concluded with Grande Amore, the song that catapulted them to international fame after winning the Sanremo Festival. The audience sang along with the trio, many moved to tears during the first performance and standing in ovation during the finale.

For nearly two decades, Il Volo has been celebrated worldwide for their emotive performances, and their bond with Bulgarian fans is particularly strong. Their Sofia Christmas concert was yet another proof of their extraordinary talent and the global reach of their music.