L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014 www.italoamericano.com 4 Waiting for Ferragosto: OCO to bring "The Elixir of Love" to LA This summer, be prepared to fall in love. On the occasion of L'Italo-Americano's Ferragosto annual event, our guests from the Italian American community of Los Angeles and nearby areas will enjoy a special performance of Gaetano Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore (Elixir of Love). L'Elisir d'Amore is one of Donizetti's most famous operas. It was the most often performed opera in Italy from 1838 to 1848, and it contains the famous tenor aria "Una furtiva lagrima", sang by protagonists Nemorino and Adina. Nemorino, a poor peas- ant, is in love with the gorgeous Adina, and he drinks the elixir of love made by "doctor" Dulcamara in an attempt to gain her affections. A comic plot unfolds as the audience realizes that the elixir of love is actually cheap Bordeaux wine. The play will be staged in English by the talented actors from Orange County Opera, who are very excited to bring their rendition of this beautiful classic to our Ferragosto celebrations. Orange County Opera (OCO) was founded in 1976 with the purpose of introducing opera to young students in Southern California, thanks to the support of Las Campanas and the local Department of Education. Artistic Director Steve Dunham, says, "Arts programs have been struggling, so I feel good about what we are doing to keep this art form going and trying to build an audience for the future and not let this beautiful music die off." Steve had been singing from a young age in choirs and school programs, but he began singing opera in college. Searching for a job as an opera singer, he was hired by Chris Webb, one of the original founders of Orange County Opera, and 12 years ago he took over the company. Many opera programs have an educational outreach, but what makes them unique is that they develop a story line, mak- ing a special effort to connect with the students, and all of their operas are performed in English. Steve describes, "We try to make it interactive, and we want to educate them about the singing and learn how a bass is different from a tenor, etc." Usually, a narrator introduces each character, who will sing a 30 second clip of an aria and approach the audience. When the operas are finished, they introduce themselves and their voice type, so as to engrain musical vocabulary and knowl- edge into the kids. In addition, OCO also serves as a stage for professional singers based in Southern California to develop and refine their craft. Steve Dunham has expanded OCO's reach significantly since becoming artistic director, and performing at Ferragosto comes with their connection with the Pasadena Opera Guild. Regarding his love for Italian opera, he says, "The best opera around is from Italy." The origi- nal music director arranged most of the operas that they perform, the majority of which are Italian. In addition to Donizetti's Elisir D'amore, they perform JANE HuSON Daughter of the Regiment by Donizetti, The Barber of Seville by Rossini, The Tales of Hoffman, and Hansel and Gretel. Steve encourages the audi- ence to "take yourself back and view the show from that young, energetic lens, and we think you'll have a greater apprecia- tion for what we are doing and have a good time. Just allow yourself to go with it and enjoy it in that way." With a dynamite cast and a great selection of opera, Orange County Opera provides enter- tainment for all ages. Come watch as they bring Donizetti's Elixir of Love to life. Maestro Carlo Ponti and the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra This year's Festival del Sole in Napa Valley will be celebrat- ed in honor of the talented Italian actress Sophia Loren. The famed movie star will be turning 80 years old in September, and so this annual festival will fea- ture music, wine, and plenty of activities to commemorate Loren's spectacular career. One of the most exciting, and per- haps the most fitting events tak- ing place, is the concert conduct- ed by Maestro Carlo Ponti who is Sophia Loren's son. He and his Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra will be performing on Saturday, July 19 th , proudly rep- resenting the city of Los Angeles on the stage. Maestro Carlo Ponti has made a name for himself in both Europe and the United States. He studied music at the Conductor's Institute in Hartford, USA, and at the Vienna Music Academy. After working with internationally renowned colleagues such as Andrey Boreyko, Mehli Mehta, and Zubin Mehta in Los Angeles, here he founded his own ensemble in 2013. Since the very beginning, the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra has made their mission to promote the importance of music education by funding and designing activi- ties that encourage learning and creativity, in collaboration with the local community, schools, and other cultural organizations. The annual Italian summer festival in Napa will mark the LA Virtuosi's debut with a pro- gram that features classical favorites - including the theme from the film Two Women, which earned Sophia Loren the Academy Award for Best Actress - and the world premiere of Sinfonietta per Sofia by cele- brated contemporary composer Daniel Brewbaker. On July 19 th , the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra will perform twice: in a concert that is free of charge in the early afternoon, and at the evening event to be presented by Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg and to which Sophia Loren will attend. On both occasions, guests will surely enjoy Maestro Carlo Ponti's recognized ability to incite great emotion, a passion STEPHANIE FruSTACI derived not only from the vari- ous orchestras he has conducted throughout his career, such as the Russian National Orchestra, but also from the numerous audiences that have witnessed these exciting performances. In a recent interview, Ponti described what it means to him to be a conductor: "When I con- duct I really feel at home and it's something that I can really make work." The Los Angeles Virtuosi orchestral concert at the 2014 Festival del Sole will be accom- panied by delicious California wine as well as other musical, operatic, and ballet perfor- mances. It will be an opportuni- ty not only to revel in the cele- bration of Italian culture and lifestyle, but also to pay homage to the life and career of an icon- ic actress from our beloved Italy. The LA Virtuosi's tribute to Sophia Loren will highlight the significance that music has in our lives, and it will show the beautiful connection Maestro Carlo Ponti and his mother have as he conducts in her honor. You don't want to miss out on the celebration of the summer! From left to right- Todd Strange, Nicole Fernandes, Steve Dunham, Jennifer Wallace, Richard Kinsey Maestro Carlo Ponti with his mother, Sophia Loren The OC Opera performing "L'Elisir d'Amore" by G. Donizetti

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