NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The New Rochelle Public Library will present two special programs for Italian Heritage and Culture Month. “The Calitrani Immigrants of America” will be the topic of a free talk by historian Mario Toglia on Saturday, October 4th at 2:00 pm. Mr. Toglia is the author of a book on the immigrants from Calitri, a province of Avellino, Italy, which was the result of his personal quest to discover his ancestors. He encourages the audience to become involved in the discovery of the facts relating to their own family’s immigrant history and stresses the importance of keeping the legacy alive and recording the historical chain of events for the generations that follow. Mario Toglia, a native of Brooklyn, NY, is the editor of two books, They Came By Ship: The Stories of the Calitrani Immigrants in America and Preserving Our History. He is currently working on a third book. Mr. Toglia is a graduate of Fordham University and Vice-President of the Calitri American Cultural Group, Inc. He is also a member of the Italian Genealogical Group and the Italian American Studies Association.
A live musical performance, “Vincent Ricciardi Sings Mario Lanza & Caruso too!” will be performed on Saturday, October 18, from 3:00 – 4:00 pm. With the classical power of Andrea Bocelli, the pop styling of Josh Groban and the romanticism of Mario Lanza, and in the tradition of the great Enrico Caruso, Vincent Ricciardi has dazzled audiences in the concert halls, theaters and night clubs throughout the Northeast. It’s New Rochelle’s turn to be swept away his rich, powerful voice, as he performs a program celebrating the great tenors of the 20th century and today. Vincent Ricciardi’s study of classical voice began in 2000 at Adelphi University with vocal coach Beverly Myers (Metropolitan Opera) and music professor Michael Hume (Leonard Bernstein’s Mass). He is currently under the tutelage of Composer/Conductor David Schaefer. He has performed with Dicapo Opera, Regina Opera, Opera of the Hamptons and Bleecker Street Opera. The concert will be held in the Ossie Davis Theater and is made possible by the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library. A donation of $2.00 is suggested at the door.