When San Jose tenor Pasquale Esposito was growing up in Naples, Italy, the soaring vocals of hometown opera hero Enrico Caruso often filled his family's apartment. The music didn't stop when the then-6-year-old accidentally broke the needle on his grandfather's record player. His grandfather asked him to sing. The l...
READ MOREAdrian Da Prato, a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's violin section from 1946 until 1996, died on Tuesday, March 17, 2015, in Chicago. He was 94. Born in Barga in 1920, in the region of Tuscany, Da Prato became fascinated with the sound of the violin while attending silent movies as a child in his native Italy. The films were acco...
READ MOREJune 7, 2015 - Sunday 1:00 PMGolden Gate Park, Transverse & Kennedy Drives- San Francisco, CaliforniaThe Golden Gate Park Band, under the direction of Michael L. Wirgler will present a concert as part of its 2015 season on Sunday, June 7, in Golden Gate Park at the music concourse, located at Ninth Ave. and Lincoln Way, San Franc...
READ MOREby Eric Stephen The eventful first two months of 2016 for Lady Gaga continued on Sunday with her performance of The Star-Spangled Banner before Super Bowl 50 at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The six-time Grammy Award winner sang the anthem just under the time of 2:20 set by oddsmakers in one of Sunday's more memorable Super Bowl...
READ MOREby Paul Rogers "If God would have a singing voice, he would sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli." So said Las Vegas headliner Celine Dion of the celebrated Italian tenor with whom she dueted on the 1999 hit single "The Prayer." Bocelli, whose 80 million albums sold worldwide make him the best-selling classical music solo artist of all...
READ MOREThe Plainfields' Chapter of UNICO is proudly presenting the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea in concert at the Church of Sacred Heart of Sunday, April 27th at 3 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit community charities. Conductor Father Alphonse Stephenson, a Brigadier General in the US Air National Guard and music director for the 19...
READ MOREby Mitch Hotts Growing up in Las Vegas as the youngest daughter of legendary entertainer Louis Prima, Lena Prima often found herself as the target of derisive comments from jealous schoolmates, but that changed when she moved to New Orleans. "When we were young, the kids would make fun of us — 'You think your dad's so great' and a...
READ MOREIt all started back in 2013, when Italians and Americans dedicated an entire year to the Italian Culture in the United States. San Francisco and the Bay Area have also been part of the celebrations, with a variety of events taking place in the city. Among others, the Italian Opera has become very popular and the raising interest has led to...
READ MOREThe Vivaldi Project continues its exploration of the string trio, following its path from Baroque trio sonata through its Classical form in the hands of some the late-18th century's greatest composers. Only a few of these string trios survive as celebrated works to modern audiences, notably the grand Divertimento in Eb by Mozart and the op...
READ MOREA legend, a life, a complex man and The Voice of the 20th Century. Frank Sinatra, who would've been 100 this year, was a man of contradiction. Small and slight, he towered over popular culture. He projected strength and confidence, despite suffering from depression throughout his adult life. "We'll never see anyone like that again" – we of...
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