2008 ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

THE SICILIAN FESTA WELCOMES AARON CARUSO

Aaron Caruso
Direct from NYC, the young, dynamic Sicilian-American tenor Aaron Caruso, will headline this year's Festa. Aaron has performed in many operas, concerts and festivals in the US and abroad. His voice is compared to that of the young Mario Lanza. In fact, Aaron was recently selected to sing the role of Mario Lanza on Broadway with the help of actor Danny Aiello, who heard Aaron sing and arranged the meeting with producer Sonny Grosso. Don't miss Aaron's performance at 3:00 pm on the main stage at Cedar and India.

STAGE-Cedar and India

Sponsored by Tarantino Sausages

10:00 am-11:30 am

Join this hip, fun 6-piece ensemble at the main stage as they take you down memory lane, with the music of Louie Prima, the "Rat Pack," and standards from the Great American Song book.
12:00 NOON
Sicilian Flag Procession

Beginning at noon, an entourage of beautifully costumed Paesani will raise the Sicilian and other flags of Italy in an exquisite flag procession through the streets of San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood.

 


12:15 pm-2:45 pm



The nationally-acclaimed Roman Holiday Ensemble will delight the crowds with their high-energy, audience interactive shows. This ensemble has gained world-wide recognition with the success of their CD, The Italian Wedding, and appears at festivals and corporate events across the nation.
1:30 pm

Balboa Park ITALIAN DANCE TROUPE

Always a favorite at the Festa, the Italian Dance Troupe of Balboa Park will perform a variety of lively Italian and Sicilian dances to delight the crowds..

1:50 pm
ROMAN HOLIDAY continues with A MUSICAL TOUR OF ITALY AND SICILY. Put on your dancing shoes and join us in a lively tarantella!
3:00 pm-4:15 pm
Aaron Caruso In Concert
4:30 pm-6:00 pm

A second-generation Sicilian, Peter and his ensemble will round out this special day with a variety of smooth renditions of Sinatra, Bennett, Dean Martin, and other beloved melodies in the Italian American repertoire.

STAGE-Beech and India

Sponsored by Peroni Beer
10:30 am-12:00 noon

Judy Ciotti and Her Sicilian Friends

You'll think Connie Francis is up on stage when you hear Judy, who together with her Sicilian musicians and vocalists, will stage a salute to the music made famous by Italian American artists throughout the decades.
12:30 am-3:00 pm
The Sicilian Band
Enjoy the authentic Sicilian sounds of Tony and his Los Angeles-based band, featuring lively vocals and a wide range of Sicilian and Italian music.

3:15 pm-4:15 pm

 

Salvatore Marchese in Concert
Direct from Sicily, Salvatore Marchese returns to the Sicilian Festa to offer the finest in Sicilian song--both contemporary and traditional--to Festa audiences. An accomplished song writer, he will also debut songs from his newest CD release Balla Italia: "Spaghetti e mandolino" & "Cara Las Vegas."

Sip some wine at the Martellotto fine wine grotto and enjoy the authentic sounds of Salvatore Marchese in concert.

4:30 pm-6:00 pm

Cent'Anni
San Diego's acclaimed accordionist Louis Fanucchi joins violinist Rachel Lopez Emmons to present their Italian renditions of "Tango Nuevo" in addition to many beautiful Italian and Sicilian melodies. So sip a wine at the Martellotto gourmet wine booth as the sun sets and enjoy the sensuous sounds of Cent'Anni.
STAGE-Date and India
Sponsored by Sicilian Thing Pizza

Al Marchese & the Diplomats of Jazz
10:00 am-11:30 noon

Al Marchese, son of famous Sicilian American tenor Victor Marchese, will entertain the Festa crowd from 10-noon on the Date Street Stage with jazz, Sicilian-style.
12:00 -2:45 pm

Direct from New Orleans, where his band Sicilian Swing jump jived and wailed for many years, comes Daniele Spadavecchia. Check him out at the corner of India and Date Streets from noon until 2:30 pm! Listen to his hot renditions of all the Italian favorites....Louie Prima style.
The Sinatra Guy
3:00 pm-4:30 pm

The SINATRA GUY will entertain you with his beautiful renditions of Sinatra's best,as well as other favorite tunes from other notable Italian American vocalists from the '50s-'60s. He'll be on stage starting at 3 pm.

 

 
5:00-6:00 pm
The Pizarro Brothers

The Pizarro Brothers, Dominic (age 11) and Angelo (age 8), have both been playing classical piano since the age of 3 1/2. Their repertoire includes works by Chopin, Bach, Beethoven, Clementi, Schubert, Schuman, Mozart and Diabelli.
The brothers have been performing for many venues around San Diego, including Little Italy's Anthology, and this will be the first of hopefully many appearances at the Sicilian Festa!
Roman Holiday's Strolling Performers & Street Musicians



Roman Holiday's many strolling musicians will entertain the crowds as they stroll through the streets with their colorful costumes and lively Italian/Sicilian music.

Simply Italian Courtyard
Sponsored by eLiveLife.com
11:00 pm & 2 pm shows
Jim Bianchi and his ensemble, which features the acclaimed vocalist Delynn Ketcherside, will present a repertoire of Italian and operatic melodies that fit perfectly into the lovely ambiance of the Simply Italian courtyard. You will feel as if you were in a courtyard in Venice, so stop by and escape into another world in the enchanting courtyard of Simply Italian..
3:15 -4:15 pm
Charles Fortunato has many a story to tell. Growing up in the Italian community of Hartford, Connecticut, Charles combines his narrative of "growing up Italian" with his Italian vocals. Step into another world and listen to this nostalgic show! Charles can be heard at 3:00-4:00 in the romantic courtyard of Simply Italian.
4:30-6:00 pm
You will think you are back in Italy when you step into the lovely courtyard of Simply Italian and hear the lovely strains of Carmello on the mandolin.
Salute to San Diego's Sicilian & Italian Heritage
Part of the goal of the Festa Siciliana is to preserve the history and heritage of the Sicilian American Community in San Diego. Now in its second year, the SICILIAN CULTURAL CENTER, located on India and Beech, will feature a wide variety of artists and historians--all dedicated to the preservation of Sicilian and Italian culture. We invite our visitors to step into the world of our forefathers to view old photographs of San Diego's first Sicilian immigrants, listen to authors sharing precious family memories and discover what modern Italian artists are contributing to the world of art and culture.


We will feature a display of vintage photos that visually portray the history of the Sicilian and Italian communities in San Diego, as they evolved through the decades. We welcome photo contributions and oral or written histories from anyone who would like to contribute. For more information, log onto the Convivio Society web site for more information or call the toll free number at (888) 485-4825 .

 
The nationally-acclaimed Los Angeles sculptor Claudio D'Agostino will be part of the Sicilian cultural display. Highly regarded and supported by the National Italian American Foundation, Claudio will display his progress on a several recently commissioned works.
RECREATION OF A SICILIAN VILLAGE
New this year is a recreation of an Old World Sicilian Village. Stop by to view a traditional Sicilian Carretta, fishermen repairing their nets, an authentic produce cart filled with traditional Sicilian vegetables, Renaissance musicians, artists and artisans, and more.....Contact the Convivio Society for more information or to offer volunteer assistance or to participate.
San Diego native Brenda Mora, Chalk Artist and Graphic Designer will create a work of art on the street by using chalk as her medium and the pavement as her canvas as a part of our Sicilian Village recreation. This year, Brenda will join us in celebrating the spirit and culture of the Sicilian community as she participates as our first Sicilian Festa Chalk Artist. In 2003, she discovered her passion for street painting at San Diego's Little Italy District and has since then participated in many street painting festivals each year throughout Southern California. Make sure to stop by to view this unique creation of art that will unfold right before your eyes throughout the course of the day.