Cristina Fontanelli to Present 21st Annual CHRISTMAS IN ITALY Charitable Show

Cristina Fontanelli, award-winning singer/actor and PBS/-TV host for Andrea Bocelli will present her 21st-annual charitable concert/event "Christmas in Italy®" on Sunday, December 15 at 3 p.m. in Greenwich Village, New York City at the oldest Italian parish in the United States of America.

The concert will take place at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 154 Sullivan Street, NY, NY 10012 on Sunday, December 15 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets: 62.50 (General), $58.00 (Seniors); $55.00 (Group 10 or more) $78.00 (VIP First 5 Rows) and $35 (Children under 14) are available on-line: https://www.TicketStripe.com/ItalianChristmasJoy or thru the office of the Cristina Fontanelli Foundation: (212) 967-1926.

Cristina Fontanelli will sing and host. Musicians include: Michael Pilafian, piano; Joyce Balint, mandolin (NY Philharmonic); Bill Schimmel, accordion (Grammy nomination), David Galvez, guitar; Stephanos Andreotti, tenor; the Hoboken Catholic Academy student choir and dancers. Denise Richardson (PBS-TV, Good Morning America) will emcee.

The program includes Italy’s best-loved songs, operatic arias/duets, Neapolitan and Christmas classics such as Torna a Surriento, Mamma and Ave Maria, plus Christmas classics such as the traditional Italian Christmas carol 'Tu scendi dalle stelle' and White Christmas; operatic selections from La Boheme and La Traviata; guitar and mandolin solos such as the theme from the Godfather, Chitarra Romana and O Sole mio. Dances include Hallelujah.

QUOTE: Ms. Fontanelli says, “I began this annual Holiday tradition 21 years ago to preserve Italy’s great classic and popular songs and, more importantly, the values they represent, for younger generations. We have been blessed to continue for 21 years even during the terrible Covid Pandemic and this concert/show has become a beloved NYC Holiday tradition. [HEADLINE]: “Cristina Fontanelli, Preserving Values Through Opera,” The Epoch Times. And “The best work came from Cristina Fontanelli” – The New York Times

"Christmas in Italy®" was conceived by Cristina Fontanelli and is produced by the 501 c-3 The Cristina Fontanelli Foundation, Inc. whose mission statement includes creating family-friendly musical productions giving young people performance opportunities and growing the awareness of the scientifically proven mental health and societal benefits of classical music and the arts. Tax-deductible donations can be made thru: www.thecristinafontanellifoundation.org

Some of the organizations that have been supported through the 10% donation of all ticket and other proceeds include: The Casa Famiglia Orphanage in Naples, Italy; St. Joseph Food Bank NYC; Tunnels for Towers Foundation; Wounded Warriors and St. Jude’s Hospital for Children.

About Cristina Fontanelli:

Brooklyn-born Cristina Fontanelli has performed at Carnegie Hall, at the Kennedy Center, Philadelphia Academy of Music, Boston Symphony Hall with Tony Bennett and throughout the United States and Canada and internationally (Japan, Korea, the Middle East: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Africa and more) singing title roles with the Palm Beach Opera and as soloist with The Boston Pops and the St. Louis Symphony and has received the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts from the Order Sons of Italy in America (previous recipient Luciano Pavarotti). She has appeared on PBS-TV and was honored by the Italian Government as an artist of Pugliese descent. She has performed for the Clinton White House and for the George W. Bush Presidential Inauguration. She appears annually at 54 Below and for Opera & Broadway of the Hamptons. Ms. Fontanelli has won Best Actress in two International Film Festivals and sings and entertains in 9 languages. More information: (www.cristinafontanelli.com)