2018 Gala Concert

Sunday, June 10 @ 3PM

St. Anthony of Padua Church

The 15th annual Italian Festival Gala Concert, presented by the Delaware Commission on Italian Heritage and Culture, in partnership with ARIANNA Alliance and St. Anthony of Padua Parish, with generous additional support from Wilmington University, will feature music by Italian composers performed by inspiring musicians and dancers. The concert will be held in the church at 3:00 PM on Sunday, June 10th, 2018. Admission is free.

Jean Scalessa, Assistant Artistic Director and founder of the Italian Festival Gala Concert, has said that “innovative programming and exceptional performance quality continue to attract large audiences year after year.”

Featured performers include: ARIANNA Festival Orchestra and Chorus, Delaware Youth Symphony Orchestra, University of Delaware Trombone Choir, Sfilata dei Fiori (floral procession), percussionist Harvey Price, HAC School of Dance, and internationally-acclaimed violinist Alessandra Cuffaro.

Maestro Simeone Tartaglione returns as Artistic Director and Conductor. Educated at the most prestigious musical institutes in Italy, Mr. Tartaglione serves as Music Director of the Newark Symphony Orchestra and the Delaware Youth Symphony Orchestra (DYSO), and as the Conductor of The Catholic University of America’s University Symphony Orchestra. He also serves as Orchestral Department head at The Music School of Delaware.

The Gala Concert is produced by Jordan Irazabal, Mr. Irazabal has worked in liturgical music for over 20 years. He has served many parishes in the Diocese of Wilmington, including St. Anthony of Padua, and currently serves as Music Director at Grace Lutheran Church in Hockessin, DE.

2018 Italian Festival Evening Classical Concerts (Concerti) Schedule  

Concerts will be held in the church Monday, 6/11 through Friday, 6/15.

Monday:                      Harvey Price, Marimba

Tuesday:                     Jeffrey Miller, Pianist/Accompanist / Jose Sacin, Tenor

Wednesday:                Delaware Youth Symphony Orchestra, Simeone Tartaglione, Conductor/Artistic Director

Thursday:                    Sine Nomine, a cappella ensemble

Friday:                         Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance