An Evening with Christina Fontanelli: A Review by Nino Pantano

Jun 25, 2012 by admin

Cristina Fontanelli Presents “An Evening of Great Music” at the Enrico
Caruso Room at Grotta Azzurra Ristorante — A Review by Nino Pantano

Cristina Fontanelli sang at the Grotta Azzurra Ristorante in the heart of
New York’s “Little Italy” on the evening of Tuesday, June 5th at 177
Mulberry at Broome Street in the newly created Enrico Caruso Room. This room
downstairs has a quiet, intimate cabaret and dinner theatre setting. Its
walls decorated with photographs, caricatures and old 78 Caruso recordings
donated and set up by Cavaliere Ufficiale Aldo Mancusi, founder and curator
of the Enrico Caruso Museum of America in Brooklyn, New York. Aldo Mancusi
informed the audience that the Grotta Azzurra Ristorante founded in 1908,
was a favorite dining spot of the great tenor. (1873-1921) and it seems only
fitting to name a room after him.

Prior to Ms. Fontanelli’s appearance, we heard two promising singers in solo
and duet. Lyric tenor Patrick Hale gave a flamboyant rendition of both
“Granada” and “O Sole Mio.” Lyric soprano Shana Farr sang an effortless
“Quando m’en vo” from Puccini’s La Boheme” and a flawless “Vilia” from
Lehar’s The Merry Widow. The duet “If I loved you” from Carousel was a sweet
and touching Broadway blend of both voices.

Late blooming tenor Ernest Revell, age 56 sang an impressive “Ch’ella mi
creda” from Puccini’s The Girl of the Golden West. It was all the more
remarkable because Revell started singing professionally only four years ago.

Ernie Rossi, guitarist-singer, did a brief Italian medley to whet our
appetite for the “main course” of the evening, soprano Cristina Fontanelli.
She was introduced by our erudite host, Mort Berkowitz who is also the
producer of the Feast of San Gennaro.

Opening with the composer Bixio’s favorite “Parlami d’amore Mariu” (Tell me
that you love me tonight”) Ms. Fontanelli revealed a voice of resonance,
durability, beauty and the ability to “crossover” without pretense or
effort. Ms. Fontanelli followed with a medley of beloved songs composed by
Ernesto De Curtis, (1865-1937) “Ti voglio tanto bene,” “Passione” and “Non
ti scordar di me.”

In a tribute to her idol, soprano Maria Callas, (1923-1977), Cristina
Fontanelli sang a beautifully framed “Vissi d’arte” from Puccini’s Tosca
with both dramatic sweep and prayerful reverence. A sensitive and stirring
Frank Sinatra hit “When somebody loves you” (All The Way) indicated the
virtuosity that has made her such a sensation at Feinstein’s cabaret. She
followed with an impassioned encore, De Curtis’s “Torna a Surriento.” Aside
from a sumptuous soprano voice, Ms. Fontanelli has a natural warmth and
charm that makes each person in the audience feel like a personal friend,
as her recent successful co-hosting appearances with the Italian singing
trio Il Volo and Andrea Bocelli on PBS would indicate.

The virtuoso keyboard accompanist was the acclaimed Italian American David
Maiullo, whose magical talents gave each performer a springboard to do their
very best!
Enrico Caruso once said “Singing is 90 percent memory, ten percent
intelligence, lots of hard work and a BIG something in the heart!” Cristina
Fontanelli sang her heart out for us and we will treasure the memory. A
standing ovation followed. This was a benefit performance for the Enrico
Caruso Museum.

We thank our dear friends, the affable and glamorous Aldo and Lisa Mancusi
for inviting us to share such a splendid evening of dinner and theatre and
also the ebullient Mort Berkowitz, Manager/host of Grotta Azzurra for his
prodigious efforts on behalf of Italian culture. www.bluegrotto.com

More information about Ms. Fontanelli can be found here.