Viva L’Italia! Gala at the Fairmont Hotel

 

The word “gala” is often employed to describe anything from costume parties to affairs where most of the men wear a tie and the napkins are made of cloth.  In our fast-paced and informal society, it is seldom that any function achieves the level of sophistication and glamour that truly rises to the level of “gala.”

 

Saturday night proved to be the exception, when the Italian community, supporters of the arts, and San Francisco’s glitterati came together for Viva L’Italia! at the Fairmont Hotel atop Nob Hill.   The event was co-chaired by Commendatore Romana Bracco and Daniela Faggioli, and was a fund-raiser in support of Concert of the Two Bays. 

 

According to Consul General Mauro Battocchi, “San Francisco Opera and Teatro di San Carlo have long pursued the dream of a majestic Concert of the Two Bays, a musical bridge to unite two bays, two cities, and two continents.  Now, thanks to the generous support of so many Italian American Opera fans, we are close to materializing this dream in the unique joint performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem on October 25 in San Francisco.”

 

The highlight of the black-tie gala was the performance given by Maestro Nicola Luisotti, conductor of the San Francisco Opera, and world-renowned tenor Francesco Demuro.  Nobody complained when dinner was delayed for the completion of the concert—or the six encores—ending in a standing ovation as Demuro gave an emotional rendition of O Sole Mio!

 

When dinner was finally served—an hour after it had been scheduled—nobody seemed to mind.  The chatter in the room was replete with praise for Luisotti and Demuro, and anticipation of the once-in-a-lifetime event in the fall: a joint performance of the San Francisco Opera and Naples’ Teatro San Carlo as they perform Verdi’s Requiem in celebration of Giuseppe Verdi’s 200th birthday. 

 

Costumes from the Teatro San Carlo were auctioned off in support of the event.  At one point, Maestro Nicola Luisotti offered his personal baton—hand crafted by his father with his name inlaid with gold lettering.  It will be used to conduct the historic joint performance and then presented to Commendatore Romana Bracco, whose generous bid of two thousand dollars seemed par for the course from this elegant benefactress of the Italian Community.

 

The Honorary Gala Chairs included San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee, Chief of Protocol Charlotte Mailliard Shultz, David Gockley, Maria Manetti Shrem, Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris, Salvatore Nastasi, Maurizio Maddaloni and Rosanna Purchia. 

 

The Honorary Committee was a Who’s Who of opera supporters and the San Francisco Italian Community: Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta,  Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, former Supervisor Angela Alioto, Asher Berry, John Bracco, Jeffrey Capaccio, Nancy and Fred Cline, Roberto Crea, Marie-Françoise and Carlo Di Ruocco, Kay and Arthur A. Dugoni, Sabrina and David Eastis, Elvia and Federico Faggin, Ronald L. Fenolio, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Napoleone Ferrara, Patrick J. Ferrillo, Jo. Leilani and Fabio Ficano, Thomas Gaynor and Steven Linehan, Massimiliana and David Glynn, Karen Kubin, Joan and John Lavorgna, Ettore Leale, Jonathan Moscone, Kathy and Larry Nibbi, Barbra and Bernard Osher, Chiara and Gianluca Rattazzi, Diane Rubin, Lorenzo Scarpone, Rita Simoncini, Dorothy and Enzo Torresi, Alberto Sangiovanni Vincentelli, and Enrica and Pierluigi Zappacosta.

 

The Gala Committee was comprised of Anna Alioto, Amelia Antonucci, Giusi Giustino, Christian Iorio, Sharon Meagher, Francesca Pecoraro, Paolo Pontoniere, Emmanuela Spedaliere, Paolo Barlera, Manlio Gullotta, Gianmaria Mussio, and Antonia Fraser. 

 

Sponsors of the gala event included D’Amico Shipping, Fincantieri, Mr. Espresso, Squire Sanders, UoP Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentristy, Unione Nazionale Industria Conciaria COELMO, Stefania Brancaccio, Museo PLART-Maria Pia Incutti, Andrea Branzi, Riccardo Dalisi, Sergio Brancaccio, Armani, Bvlgari, Bistro Don Giovanni, Gary Danko, Hotel Mirage-Primidieci, Hotel Villa di Capodimonte-Alfredo Grilli, Pane e Vino Restaurant, Real Luxury-Vecchione, Silverado Resorts, Deltapen-Longobardirujudesign, Sciarelli & C.S.A.P.A., Angelino Restaurant, Ardente Winery, Bella Dolce Design, Boncora Biscotti, Italfoods, Villa Italia Wines, and D’Antiche Terre.

 

Grand Benefactors included Romana and John Bracco, Nancy and Fred Cline, Olivia Hsu Decker, Marie-Françoise and Carlo Di Ruocco, Daniela Faggioli, Priscilla and Keith Geeslin, Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem, Leslie and George Hume, Kathy and Larry Nibbi, Chiara and Gianluca Rattazzi, Dorothy and Enzo Torresi, Enrica and Pierluigi Zappacosta.

 

Patrons included the Alessandrini Family, Catherine and Steven Allington, Mary Ann and Richard Cuneo, Kaye and Arthur A. Dugoni, Sabrina and David Eastis, Arlene Inch, Franklin P. Johnson, Jr., Joan and John Lavorgna, Mary Kay and Stephen Leveroni, Diane and Thomas Mader, Sylvia and Leon Panetta, Mario Rosati, Elizabeth and Claudio Tarchi, and Cluadia and Nicola Volpi.

 

Photographs courtesy of Nickolas Marinelli.