A new family in town plays a starring role in Syracuse Opera's season opener. Artistic Director Christian Capocaccia; his wife, soprano Alexandra Deshorties, and their 6-year-old son, Hadrian, are all involved in the local company's Oct. 19 and 21 production of Verdi's "Macbeth." Having lived in various parts of the country while earning their degr...

On Oct. 12, 1934, an estimated 40,000 people filled the streets of downtown Syracuse for a Columbus Day parade, followed by the dedication of the city’s Columbus monument. The “abounding panorama of pageantry and joy” featured a mile-long line of marchers, a 500-voice children’s choir and speeches by community leaders, according to the Syracuse Her...

Much like the team whose action he describes, Syracuse Crunch broadcaster Lukas Favale hungers for success. And oh, what an appetite he has. Favale showed off a palate that's as impressive as his pipes last week by winning the meatball eating contest at the Italian Fest at Clinton Square. Favale chowed down 10 meatballs in one minute. "It's probabl...

Mayor Ben Walsh wants to talk about how we remember Christopher Columbus in Syracuse. Walsh partnered recently with the non-for-profit InterFaith Works to convene a series of "dialog circles" about Columbus remembrance. City Hall and Interfaith will issue a joint report detailing the recommendations of those discussions next year.  Nationwide, comm...

With the start of fall comes plenty of treats, good company and outdoor entertainment to help ring in the new season. And this weekend, Festa Italiana greets fall with plenty of reasons to celebrate. Ginnie Lostumbo and Linda DeFrancisco, the president and founders of Festa Italiana, are excited to kick off the 20th anniversary of the festival this...

Peppino's Restaurant and Catering Group has won the contract to be the sole provider of food and beverage inside the new expo center at the New York State Fairgrounds. But don't expect Peppino's award-winning pizza during this first fair. "We didn't have enough time to get our oven in there," owner John Vigliotti said. The state's Department of Agr...

At A Mano, a new Italian restaurant opening in the Icon Tower this fall, the salumi and pasta will be made in-house. So will the pastrami and corned beef. A Mano Kitchen & Bar aims to offer modern American food with Italian soul, says co-owner Anthony Fiacchi. That means most of the dinner menu, from meatballs to roman artichokes to pear-and-gorgon...

In August 1948, the city of Syracuse celebrated its centennial. The celebration was going to be the largest civic event in the city's history. Syracuse streets and buildings were decorated, a four-hour parade was planned along with a mammoth Centorama held at Archbold Stadium, with a cast of 3,000 people, which would illustrate Syracuse history. An...

Fred and Rita Grimaldi opened a small restaurant on Bleecker Street in Utica in 1943. They were young newlyweds, married with one child. They lived over the restaurant, which served lunches and dinner, and gave away pieces of garlic pizza. During the next seven decades, three generations of Grimaldis opened and ran restaurants across Upstate New Yo...

Like a character in a Broadway musical, Michael Amante breaks into song at seemingly random moments yet always comes out on top. He's sung while interviewing with a top accounting firm, haggling with a street vendor in Rome, even getting a cup of coffee at a cafe, and each time his powerful tenor voice has opened doors. Today an acclaimed vocalist...