The sounds of opera will fill the Piazza d’Italia June 5 when the American Italian Cultural Center hosts its annual Opera in the Piazza event. The outdoor plaza, located downtown between Poydras and Lafayette streets, was designed more than 45 years ago by leaders of New Orleans' Italian-American community as a tribute to the contributions of Italians to the city. The piazza was dedicated on March 19, 1978 — the feast day of St. Joseph, patron saint of Sicily.
It was designed by noted Postmodern architect Charles Moore and local architects at August Perez and Associates (now simply Perez), who combined elements of Classical and Renaissance architecture in the brightly colored public plaza. It includes a fountain, columns, a clock and bell tower.
