13th Annual in New York City CHRISTMAS IN ITALY Show Stars Award-Winning Singer/PBS-TV host Cristina Fontanelli

Award-winning singer and PBS/WNET and NY affiliates Host for Andrea Bocelli "Live From Central Park" and "Il Volo Takes Flight" Cristina Fontanelli brings her program of Italy's best-loved songs, arias, Neapolitan and Christmas classics during her 13th-Annual "Christmas In Italy" at the Washington Irving Campus Landmark Theater, 40 Irving Place in Gramercy Park, NYC 10003 (between 16th and 17th Streets) on Sunday, December 18 at 3:00 p. m.

Called a "Vocal genius" by the New York Sun, Ms. Fontanelli's show is a love letter to her Italian heritage and a tribute to her grandparents. "I began this beloved annual Holiday tradition to preserve Italy's great classic and popular songs and to teach them and more importantly, the values they represent, to younger generations." says Ms. Fontanelli.

"Cristina Fontanelli, Preserving Values Through Opera" The Epoch Times, January 2014.

The Washington Irving Campus Landmark Theater is located at 40 Irving Place in Gramercy Park, NYC (between 16th and 17th Streets). Tickets and information can be purchased through 1-800-838-3006/Event 2604895 and online at http://christmasinitaly.bpt.me .

More information on Ms. Fontanelli can be found at www.cristinafontanelli.com and on "Christmas in Italy" at www.christmas-in-italy.com and https://www.facebook.com/ChristmasinItaly/

For this special one-day event, Ms. Fontanelli will sing Italian songs such as Torna a Surriento, Mamma and O Sole mio, plus Christmas songs and will be accompanied by world-class musicans on piano, mandolins, guitar and accordion. The Little Language Studio of Brooklyn (Alberta Gulotta, teacher) will sing the traditional Italian Christmas carol "Tu scendi dalle stelle" ("You came down from the stars"); the children of the Jersey City Ballet (Judith Elin, teacher/choreographer) will dance to "Dominick the Donkey" and the Richmond Choral Society of Staten Island (Marina Alexander, Music Director) will perform the great choral pieces written by Giuseppe Verdi - "Va pensiero" (Nabucco) and the "Brindisi" (La Traviata), plus Christmas selections. Celebrity guests, and tenor soloist t/b/a. A portion of the proceeds to benefit a childrens charity.

Cristina Fontanelli is PBS/WNET host for Andrea Bocelli's concert "Live From Central Park", "Il Volo Takes Flight", Vienna Boys Choir and Qi Gong specials. She appeared on CBS Weekend in interview/performance/co-hosting roles and performing the the traditional Neapolitan song "O sole mio" https://youtu.be/D8YRBdHo0-Q and "Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partiro)"http://youtu.be/VNqNNqj2JxE from a previous "Christmas In Italy". She has performed for the Clinton White House, the President George W. Bush Inaugural Ball in 2005, with The Boston Pops, the St. Louis Symphony, at Feinstein's at the Loews Regency, has completed 3 world tours with the Mantovani Orchestra and has sung title roles with the Palm Beach Opera, New Jersey, New York Grand and Cairo Opera companies. Ms. Fontanelli has performed for Jimmy Kimmel's "Feast of San Gennaro" in Hollywood; is the voice of "Nonna" on PBS Chef Lidia Bastianich's animated Christmas special; and is the "voice" of Domino's Pizza on the national radio commercial. In November 2014 Cristina returned from Italy after being chosen to sing by the Italian Government as a world-wide representative artist of Pugliese descent. http://www.molfettaviva.it/notizie/cristina-fontanelli-conquista-molfetta/

Brooklyn-born Cristina Fontanelli was awarded the OSIA Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts (previous recipients include Luciano Pavarotti), has been cited as one of the top alumni of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (along with Robert Redford, Anne Bancroft, Cecil B. Demille, Anne Hathaway et al) and has been named "Woman of the Year" by many Italian organizations throughout the country.

The Washington Irving Campus Landmark Theater is located at 40 Irving Place in Gramercy Park, New York, NY 10003 (between 16th and 17th Street) and tickets for "Christmas In Italy" are sold at 1-800-838-3006/Event 2604895 and online at http://christmasinitaly.bpt.me with tickets ranging from $38.00 to $55.00 (Group, senior and student discounts available). Ms. Fontanelli's website is www.cristinafontanelli.com.

Subway:

N,Q,4,6 to 14th Street Union Square Station;

Parking: Free on-street Sunday