NJ's Best Italian Culture 11/18/2012

Event: Coro d'Italia 80th Anniversary Concert

Date: Sunday November 18, 2012

Time: 3:00pm

Venue:  Lier Hall, Montclair Art Muesum

Address: 4 South Mountain Ave., Montclair, NJ 07042

Ticket prices:  $25.00 Adults, $20.00 Seniors and Students, $50.00 Paesani Supporters

Reserved tickets: call (973) 461-9624 or email ditalianj@yahoo.com

Contact person: Marylou Romano

Address: c/o 303 North Mountain Ave., Montclair, NJ 07043

Photos: Joe Piscopo,  Celeste Varricho  

Joe Piscopo joins 

Coro d'Italia 

 Celebrating  80 years of Singing and Dancing Italian Style!

    The Coro d'Italia Singing and Dancing Ensemble will celebrate its 80th year with a gala benefit concert at  Lier Hall, Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, NJ on Sunday November 18, 2012.  Joe Piscopo - comedian, singer, and actor - is their special guest performer. The show will begin at 3:00 and will feature a salute to the Italian folk traditions of the Coro d'Italia, as well as Italian-American contributions to American entertainment.

      Tickets are $25.00 General Admission, $20.00 Seniors and Students, $50.00 Paesani Supporters, and $100.00 Angeli Supporters. For more information or to purchase tickets please call (973) 461-9624 or email ditalianj@yahoo.com.  

     The Coro d'Italia was founded in 1932 in New York City with the mission to research, share and perform the beautiful songs and dances of Italy.  In its 80-year history, the Coro has performed throughout the tri-state area, including at Carnegie Hall, the World's Fair of 1939, Town Hall, South Street Seaport, The Ellis IslandMuseum, Atlantic City's Showboat, The Museum of the City of New York and many other venues. 

     Joe Piscopo began his career on Saturday Night Live where he wowed audiences with his comedy sketches and comic portrayals of Frank Sinatra and Joan Rivers, among many others. He has continued to perform on TV and in movies and, more and more, on stage where he sings, plays the piano and saxophone, and performs everything from classic standards to rock and roll. Mr. Piscopo is a true son of Essex County, New Jersey, one of the most heavily populated areas of Italian-Americans in the country. He was brought up in Bloomfield and North Caldwell. His grandparents hail from the Campania region of Italy, province of Avellino.  In tribute to them he has named his production company "Avellino Productions." 

    The Coro d'Italia is pleased to have Joe Piscopo join in their celebration, along with renowned tarantella performer Alessandra Belloni, guest soloists, and their children's ensemble, the Bambini d'Itala. The Coro d'Italia is part of D'Italia Programs, an organization that is dedicated to preserving and sharing Italian-American culture. Visit their website at www.ditaliaprograms.org   "Remember, Share, Celebrate!"

Over 1 million students abroad... will you be next?

Oops! I left my social network in America.

In all the many things I remembered to put in my suitcase, I completely forgot one thing - my social network. OK- maybe that doesn't fit in a suitcase, but still --- I forgot to bring the technology to stay connected with loved ones and friends. We were missing out on an experience we could have shared!

There is definitely value in staying connected on your trip. Bringing your social network can help keep your friends and family in the loop. They will thank you for it, and youll be glad you did it too.

So whether your trip is 10 days or 3 months, plan ahead and act accordingly.

To get you started, check out Italy - TIM - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access.

A Journey of Heritage

You see, I just figured I was Italian. Before traveling to the land of my grandparents, I attended an American school in New Jersey, learning the Italian verbs, adjectives and vocabulary, always making an A grade, and even learning °insider° cultural phrases like °in bocca al lupo° and °crepi.° What I did not learn in school was how to avoid the street gypsies or the hooting and hollering men on the street. I learned those things while I was in Italy, real quick.

All the preparation still had me fumbling through the language when I tried speaking to Italians, and when I started off my journey, I very much believed I was Italian on some fundamental level. After all, my blood was Italian. The very blood pumping through my veins was the same blood that pumped through the Baron of Beneventos veins not even 150 years ago. So you tell me who was Italian and who was not. I WAS Italian! At least in my own opinion, I was.

So I figured I must have some place in this huge country of Italy made up of 20 something provinces, soccer and mozzarella cheese, at least more than the role of the tourist was allowing me access to. This was MY Italy, and I was determined to make it mine, but when I got there I realized in my girlhood and ignorance of the language that Italy seems to belong to no one, not even the Italians, and without your family, you do not belong to it either.

So my advice, stick to what you know. Do not expect the real Italy to show itself to you willingly. The culture is full of subtleties that take years to perfect and understand, just like the language. If you have patience, this beautiful country will slowly open up before your eyes, and you will experience the food, the music, the wine and the people like never before. It is then that YOUR own journey of heritage will start to make sense, as you start to embrace the every day Italian mindset into your life.

And the journey begins!