World-renowned Soprano from Hoboken returns to New Jersey to commemorate Verrazzano's 500th Year of the discovery of NY Harbor and her Italian family roots

JERSEY CITY, NJ, UNITED STATES, October 8, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Award-winning Singer/PBS-TV host for Andrea Bocelli, CRISTINA FONTANELLI (www.cristinafontanelli.com) who spent her formative career years in Hoboken, NJ as the grandaughter of Italian immigrants who settled there, has become an international personality through her recordings and appearances on-stage, radio and TV. On Wednesday, October 16 at 12 Noon, St. Peter's University in Jersey City, New Jersey, Ms. Fontanelli will appear in the special concert program "Italian Songs of the Sea" commemorating the 500th anniversary of Giovanni da Verrazzano's discovery of NY Harbor. The concert is FREE and open to the public and will take place from 12 noon - 1 PM at St. Peter's Chapel, 2652 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07306. Renowned Russian pianist, Alexander Chaplinskiy. The concert is also in memory of her maternal Italian immigrant grandparents who settled in Hoboken from Molfetta, Italy on the Adriatic Sea. An alumni of St. Peter's University, Dan Joyce of Guttenberg, NJ, who credits his studies at St. Peter's to have laid the foundation for a successful career in the financial industry, originally introduced Ms. Fontanelli to Maestro Joseph Hill, music director of the concert series. This concert was made possible by funding from Arts on Bergen.

Cristina Fontanelli's appearances include Carnegie Hall; appearances with Tony Bennett; at the Kennedy and Lincoln Centers; International concert halls; PBS-TV hosting for Andrea Bocelli, and Presidential inaugurations. She has appeared on CBS Weekend NY; won Best Actress in the Venus International Film Festival (Las Vegas, July 2019) for her role in SANTINO, a NIAF/Russo Brothers Production grantee and has been invited as a "Pugliese nel mondo" to sing in Bari, Italy and in her grandparents' hometown of Molfetta. Ms. Fontanelli is invited back to perform in Ravenna, Italy in December 2024. She has sung title roles with the Palm Beach Opera (I Pagliacci, La Boheme, The Merry Widow), New Jersey State Opera (title role, Madame Butterfly), and internationally with the Hong Kong and Cairo Opera’s and has been featured soloist with the Boston Pops and the St. Louis Symphony performing in major concert halls throughout the U.S. and the world, including the Philadelphia Academy of Music, Boston Symphony Hall and Guild Hall in East Hampton. Ms. Fontanelli has been named one of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts most notable alumni (along with Robert Redford, Danny DeVito and Anne Hathaway).

Ms. Fontanelli says: "It is very special to perform this wonderful program of the greatest Italian songs written about the sea. My maternal grandparents were simple fisherman who immigrated to the United States of America to pursue a more stable life. My grandfather, Domenico De Candia, was in the Italian Navy before WWII and was instrumental in saving the entire crew of his ship when he identified an underwater iceberg in the dark of the night. I treasure the Award Certificate given to him by the Italian Government for his bravery. He ate raw fish every day! The sea was tremendously important in his life. I am grateful and delighted to have this opportunity, through the generosity of Arts on Bergen, to present this musical program so dear to my heart."

Ms. Fontanelli's early career days in Hoboken include singing the "Ave Maria" at the St. Ann's Church novena mass on the Feast Day of St. Anne, July 26 for many years. She would then appear in the evening as the headlining act on-stage with a full big band orchestra. Many major stars performed and appeared at the St. Anne's Feast including Frank Sinatra and Frankie Valli. Danny Aiello attended Ms. Fontanelli's show and appeared himself and many other luminaries. She also appeared in Jersey City at the 5 Corners Library and other venues gaining experience and employment as a young singer.

Cristina Fontanelli stellar career also includes being a regular at NYC’s top Broadway supperclub 54 Below and previously at Feinsteins at the Regency Hotel. She has sung title roles with the Palm Beach Opera (I Pagliacci, La Boheme, The Merry Widow), New Jersey State Opera (title role, Madame Butterfly), and internationally with the Hong Kong and Cairo Opera’s and has been featured soloist with the Boston Pops and the St. Louis Symphony performing in major concert halls throughout the U.S. and the world, including the Philadelphia Academy of Music, Boston Symphony Hall and Guild Hall in East Hampton. Ms. Fontanelli has been named one of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts most notable alumni (along with Robert Redford, Danny DeVito and Anne Hathaway); has performed at the White House as part of President Clinton’s holiday celebration, and she opened the 2005 Stars and Stripes Inaugural Ball for President George W. Bush in Washington DC. Her awards include the “Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts” from the Order Sons of Italy in America (previous honoree Luciano Pavarotti) and numerous Woman of the Year awards. Cristina has been an on-air radio guest on WOR radio with Joe Piscopo, and on Bloomberg and Sirius Satellite Radio. She is included in the book “The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney” (Simon and Schuster 2015) for singing “Happy Birthday” at Mickey’s 90th birthday party (Donald Trump, Regis Philbin, Tony Bennett in attendance). She was signed by platinum-record winning producer, Sandy Linzer, to record "Cristina Fontanelli Sings Great Italian Favorites" recorded in her hometown of Hoboken. Cristina produces and stars in “Christmas in Italy^®” (21st year, DEC 15, 2024) which has given 100’s of children performance opportunities thru the years under the auspices of www.thecristinafontanellifoundation.org (Sold-out Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall in 2018 and 2019). The show’s “mission” includes raising funds for children’s causes such as St. Jude’s and helps to refurbish historic landmarks such as the Shrine Church of the Most Precious Blood in Little Italy NYC. Cristina is currently producing the PBS-TV special of “Christmas in Italy^®. Cristina appears annually with Opera & Broadway of the Hamptons and has opened the ceremonies at the Hampton Classic Horseshow. She sings and entertains in 9 languages.
https://www.facebook.com/cristinafontanelli/ More info: 212-967-1926; Cell: (917) 496-1335 ; info@cristinafontanelli.com

Tia McDonnell
The Cristina Fontanelli Foundation Inc.
+1 212-967-1926
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Cristina Fontanelli at Merkin Concert Hall NYC singing "O Sole Mio", David Maiullo, piano; Oren Fader, Mandolin

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