Concert at the Pescatore Palace’s
On December 12, 2014, Mr. Vito Barbanente, owner of Pescatore Palace Italian Restaurant in Franklin Park, Illinois, invited tenors Paolo Clavelli, Marco Peña, and pianist Jon Warfel, to perform for his restaurant’s guests.
There was a strong hope that Andrea Bocelli and his entourage might be present for dinner, as Pescatore Palace’s owner is an acquaintance of Mr. Bocelli, and the restaurant is sited very close to the singers’ hotel and the venue where Bocelli was going to perform the next day.
The idea was to surprise the famous tenor and his cast, by having Messrs. Clavelli and Pena performing live at the restaurant.
The two tenors and Maestro Jon Warfel delighted the restaurant’s patrons with a selection of operatic, zarzuela and Neapolitan songs. Their repertoire included Spirto gentil, La donna e mobile, Che gelida manina, Recondita Armonia, Nessun dorma, Granada, E lucevan le stelle, Amor ti vieta, La partida, and duo favorites like ‘O sole mio, Non ti scordar di me, Torna a Surriento and many others.
Around 10:00 pm, Pescatore Palace’s owner Vito Barbanente announced that the Bocelli entourage had arrived. Unfortunately, Andrea Bocelli had to rest for his concert in Chicago, at the Allstate Arena, the next day. He had just arrived after a concert in Atlanta the night before.
The restaurant’s atmosphere became electrified as Bocelli’s Orchestra Director, Eugene Kohn sat at the piano and María Aleja, a Cuban born soprano, sang and unforgettable aria. Her high range was so strong that it is hard to believe that every glass in the restaurant did not break.
Ivano Berti, with his booming baritone voice sang the Toreador Song from Carmen, followed by the Brindisi from Traviata, at which point he invited Messrs. Clavelli and Mr. Pena to join the Bocelli group in song. Eugene Kohn accompanied both, Mr. Clavelli in Spirto gentil, Nessun dorma and Mr. Pena in Amor ti vieta and Recondita armonia without a partitura! All of the singers and Mr. Kohn performed for the audience for nearly and hour.
It was an unforgettable evening that delighted everyone and filled the restaurant with light and happiness.
