Larisa Martínez Stars in Central Park’s Italian Celebration
Larisa Martinez
Italian culture is thriving in Central Park through a unique amalgamation of artists partnering to give a free concert, “Opera Italiana is in the Air”, to an estimated crowd of more than 1,000. On July 2, a live performance of Italian opera will be projected from the Naumburg Bandshell featuring beloved arias from Verdi, Rossini, and Puccini performed by stellar artists. Most notably, the Puerto Rican soprano Larisa Martínez takes the stage.
In the past year, Ms. Martínez has risen to prominence singing with famed-Italian Andrea Bocelli at Madison Square Garden at last December’s sold-out, two-night show. She joins Bocelli again this summer for a West Coast tour, making her debut at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. This diva is on the rise and a must-watch!
On looking ahead to her NYC performance, she says: “I am very proud to have witnessed the first Opera Italiana concert at Central Park last summer. What a wonderful celebration of the Italian opera tradition! The singers and musicians led brilliantly by Maestro Alvise Casellati were simply first class. It is an incredible gift for spectators and a MUST-DO event in New York’s busy summer schedule.”
This concert fuses a diverse group of corporate sponsors to make this concert a reality—including the fashion house Brooks Brothers, FIAC, ACP Group, Alexander Bodini Foundation, Banca Intesa, Bel Real Estate Group, Bracco Diagnostics, Inc., Urbani Truffles USA, Cremonini Group, Colavita USA, Harvard Law School Association of New York, Eataly, The Eduardo & Antonella Salvati Foundation and Susan W. Rose.
It’s an astute way for everyone to unite over Italian culture. The Consulate General of Italy in New York and the Italian Cultural Institute of New York also support the concert.
“Last year was the beginning of a beautiful tradition: the conductor is Italian, the sponsors are Italian and New Yorkers, the opera and the music are Italian, the musicians are all New Yorkers coming from the best schools of New York” says Italian Consul General in NYC, Francesco Genuardi. “So I can’t imagine a better symbol of the natural and strong partnership between Italy and New York.”
Conductor Alvise Casellati will lead the orchestra comprised of musicians from the Metropolitan Opera, students from Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard, NYU, New England Conservatory, New York Youth Symphony, and more.
“Having witnessed the enthusiastic reception given to Alvise Casellati’s Opera Italiana in Central Park last summer, I am looking forward to the 2018 concert” says music historian Harvey Sachs. “I hope that this will become an annual event, because it brings pleasure to people who are already opera fans and introduces newcomers to this great art form.”
Other musicians performing include soprano Helga Davis, tenor Cody Austin, baritone David Pershall with Dani Bedoni as master of ceremonies.
Monday, July 2, 2018, 6 PM
Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park, New York