Italian American Opera Foundation Comes to Orange County

The Italian American Opera Foundation (IAOF) made its debut at a gala reception and performance at the St. Regis Hotel to solidify the bond of friendship and cooperation between the city of Dana Point and the city of Viterbo, Italy by bringing world-class opera to Orange County.

The Italian American Opera Foundation aspires to develop a cultural bridge between Italy and the United States by uniting the most talented Opera singers and musicians in an ensemble that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. Over 300 people attended the event, including city officials and Italian dignitaries to announce the establishment of the Italian Opera Festival to bring Opera to Orange County and the development of the Sunrise Emerging Artist Program (SEAP) to train the most talented young opera singers and musicians for a professional career.

The IAOF will create a community for these young talents that will result in productions of masterpieces of the Italian Opera. The Italian Opera Festival (IOF) will unfold over three weeks between August and September in Dana Point with multiple performances and collateral events: Fashion, Culinary, Art all under the same Italian motif. Opening night is scheduled for August 27, 2010.

The gala event was held in honor of Maestro Stefano Vignati who is culminating his dream of bringing an Opera Festival to the United States while continuing his work with young artists. It is anticipated that the IAOF will put Orange County on the map of international Opera sites. Several major Italian governmental institutions which currently support the Tuscia Operafestival © in Italy have declared their full support of this new project in order to create a cultural and commercial relationship between Italy and the United States.

The Italian Opera Festival will fill the gap left by the dissolution of the Opera Pacific late last year. Dana Point Mayor Lisa A. Bartlett said the city of Dana Point is enthusiastic in its relationship with its Sister-City, Viterbo, Italy.

Viterbo is an ancient city in the Lazio region of central Italy, approximately 60 miles north of Rome in one of the most beautiful areas of Italy named Tuscia. Viterbo is also known as the City of the Popes. Mayor Lisa Bartlett of Dana Point also introduced and welcomed the esteemed visitors from Italy, Hon. Giulio Marini, Mayor of Viterbo, Italy, Mr. Fabrizio Purchiaroni, Director of Cultural Affairs and Claudio Ferri, General Manager, Italian Opera Foundation.

The Mayor of Viterbo, Hon. Giulio Marini stated his commitment to the success of this initiative and the relationship with the City of Dana Point. Consul General of Italy Nicola Faganello expressed appreciation and congratulations to the organizers who made the event possible. A special thank you was expressed to Mr. and Mrs. S. Paul Musco for their support of this program and to the General Manager of the St. Regis Hotel.

Barbara Manconi, chief executive of Vert Brands, which is marketing the festival, also served as emcee for the evening program. She remarked that the Los Angeles Times had already reported on the upcoming Opera Festival in its May 22 issue, citing 2010 as Southern California’s Year of Opera Festivals with Italian Opera Festival planning a 22 day festival in August.

The evening’s program started at 4:30 PM in the lavish setting of the St. Regis Hotel gardens where Italian delicacies and beverages were served. The group then relocated into the hotel’s elegant ballroom where the program was held. Attendees were treated to a film and beautiful arias by Puccini, Verdi, Martucci and Mascagni led by Maestro Stefano Vignati and sung by Soprano Jaquelynne Fontaine (Miss California 2006) and the first class Capistrano Valley Symphony Orchestra.

IAOF invites you to be a part of something special by becoming a founding member and enjoy life long benefits including national and international recognition. Your membership will build a solid ground for the IAOF to grow and thrive. For more information please contact the IAOF Online at: www.iaof.org or by Phone: 310-601-3121.