The international recording artist Cristina Fontanelli, along with award-winning mandolin/guitarist John La Barbera and pianist David Maiullo focusing on
the Neopolitan Song - The Art and History of Italy's best-loved Songs
May 5, 2010 Casa Italiana NYU - 24 W. 12th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues) New York City
Ms. Fontanelli was born in Brooklyn, New York of Italian heritage and is a graduate of the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She has also attended the
Juilliard School in New York. Many major publications, including The New York Times, have praised Ms. Fontanelli’s singing as having "technical ease" and "flaunting bravura", but perhaps this quote taken from a recent review best sums up the artistry of this versatile soprano - she is a "show stopper".
On January 20, 2005 Ms. Fontanelli was invited to open the ceremonies at the
Stars and Stripes Presidential Inaugural Ball in Washington D.C. where she sang for an audience of over 6,000 invited guests and dignitaries. This following her "Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts" from the
Order Sons of Italy in America (previous honoree
Luciano Pavarotti). A listing of the popular "giants" she has appeared with include
Tony Bennett,
Joel Grey,
Vic Damone and many others. She has completed three world-tours with the
Mantovani Orchestra. Her beautiful soprano voice has taken her to the White House as part of
President Clinton’s holiday celebration, to
Gracie Mansion at the invitation of
Mayor Rudy Giuliani, to the
Governor’s mansion in Princeton, N.J., to Washington, D.C. for the
National Italian American Foundation, to
Lincoln Center with stars from the
Metropolitan Opera, to the
Waldorf-Astoria for the
Columbus Citizens Foundation gala honoring
Franco Zeffirelli, to a special function honoring
Maestro Riccardo Muti and to the prestigious
National Arts Club in NYC. She has appeared annually at the world-famous,
Feinstein’s at the Regency Hotel, in NYC.
She has toured the Middle East extensively as an "Ambassador of Opera". Ms. Fontanelli has also toured as a solo concert artist in major concert halls throughout Japan, Korea, Italy, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United States.
Other awards include winning her Italian operatic debut through the
American Opera Auditions, receiving grants from the
Puccini and Koussevitsky Foundations, performing at the
Casa Verdi in Milan under the auspices of
Giulietta Simionato, being named "Woman of the Year" by the
Ethnic Press Council of Toronto, being awarded the "Italian-American Heritage Award" by the
St. Ann’s Festival in Hoboken, New Jersey (past honorees include
Frank Guarini and
Danny Aiello), being awarded the
Sergio Franchi Music Foundation Award and being honored for her service to
Boys Towns of Italy.
