Patrons of Italian Culture gala draws dignitaries and celebrities to St. Peter's church
Sunday, Oct. 30 Gala 150 Year Anniversary Celebration, sponsored by the Patrons of Italian Culture at St. Peter’s Italian Church, was by all accounts a wonderful cultural event. 100 invited guests and dignitaries, including Honorary Chairman, Joe Mantegna, Deputy Consul General, Paolo Pandolfi, Maestro Ignazio Terrasi of L.A. Opera, U.C.L.A. Music Chairman, Michael Dean and Director Alberto di Mauro of the I.I.C, were treated to an afternoon of musical magic as performed by Neapolitan Tenor Rosario Monetti, San Diego Opera Soprano, Rebecca Steinke-Harris, accompanied by noted pianist James Bianchi. Also performing was acclaimed L.A. Opera and Philharmonic pianist, Mr. Timothy Leon.
The recital which began in the historic St. Peter’s Church fea- tured Monetti and Harris performing many traditional favorites, including The Prayer, Ave Maria and the Sacred Duet, all of which were received with much applause. Upon completing the Church recital, dignitaries and guests proceeded to the Casa Italiana for a social reception and luncheon with additional performances.
After the singing of the U.S. and Italian National anthems, by Harris and Monetti, Honorary Chairman, Joe Mantegna addressed the audience about the importance of preserving the Italian culture and talked about his upbringing as a young boy in the outskirts of Chicago, in Cicero, Illinois. Joe recalled, “there every Italian family had a garden filled with vegetables and fruits and how it was strange to him to see all the other (non- Italian) homes growing only grass”.
Joe Mantegna complete and long-standing support of the Italian-American community is well known and we are most grateful for his time and consideration, reports Paul Romano, garden filled with vegetables and fruits and how it was strange to him to see all the other (non- Italian) homes growing only grass”. Joe Mantegna complete and long-standing support of the Italian-American community is well known and we are most grateful for his time and consideration, reports Paul Romano, Patron President.
Among the dignitaries present at the Gala were Deputy Consul General, Paolo Pandolfi. Consul Pandolfi noted that, Opera as an art form, played a key role in the struggle to unify Italy in a single Nation. The Maestro Giuseppe Verdi, like Garibaldi, Mazzini and Cavour, is acknowledged as one of the founding fathers of our beloved country. Recall that the name VERDI was used by the Nationalists as an acronym for “Vittorio Emanuele Re di Italia”.
Opera was important in the Risorgimento, our National Resurgence. Consider that in the first half of the XIX century, well over 600 opera houses were built in what is now Italy. The opera house became the heart of the city, for culture, and politics. It became the meeting point where debates constantly took place and political ideas were circulated.
The Patrons were honored by the presence of Maestro Ignazio Terrasi of L.A. Opera who attended with his lovely spouse. The Maestro’s comments to the audience reminded us that in the Italy of the nineteenth century, the majority of the population was illiterate (80%). The only artistic and immediate way to disseminate ideas was the theater. It constituted the most direct contact with the public and was a most powerful way to influence society.
The Opera House and the melodramma managed to speak to the entire peninsula ‘with a common and potentially national language ‘ whether in Milan, Turin, Rome, Naples or Palermo. Opera absorbed the atmosphere of the time regarding the Risorgimento and soon became a vehicle for patriotic messages. During the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, it is appropriate to reflect on how music helped to delineate the character of the nation and encourage the process of forming a distinctively Italian identity.
Leaders of the Italian Ameican community were well represented including: Federated President Rosemarie Van der Haar and husband George, Sons of Italy, Hollywood Lodge President, Linda Desiante, S.O.I. past State President Joe Labanca and wife, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Almanza of Federated, MS. Liliana Witz-Hancsak and Anna Valeri of Fameja Veneta, Elaine and Elenor Bersano of I.C.F. #237, and Rosemary Licata and sister Bea Restifo-long time PIC members.
This paper’s publisher, Com. Roberta Barbera and wife Jo (PIC Treasurer) and many of their invited guests also enjoyed the day’s events. Vice Consul of San Diego and Mrs. Roberto Ruocco also made the trip from San Diego to support their San Diego performers.
The Patrons are set to travel to San Jose this month for their annual 4-day Board of Director’s Retreat, where they will plan their 2012 agenda of cultural events. This will include: a Spring VIP tour of the Getty Villa’s exhibit of the Aphrodite collection, another collaboration with the IIC and noted documentary film maker, Gianfranco Norelli, who will be on hand for a screening of his much acclaimed, “Pane Amaro”. Additional musical events featuring the singers and musicians from UCLA’s Graduate School of Opera and Music are also being formulated. The annual Ferragosto and Christmas events will also be scheduled during the retreat.
For Membership application or more information about the Patrons of Italian Culture, and their 50 years of promoting Italian Culture throughout Southern California, contact them at: P .I.C., P .O. Box 3465, Burbank, Ca. 91508-3465. The P.I.C. is a non-profit 501c-3 Corporation.
Paul Romano
contributor
