Downtown Providence is the perfect place to present a full-blown, all-out Italian Arts & Music Festival. The spectacular WaterFire events staged throughout the summer season are proof of the city’s ability to handle large crowds, and the Festival will utilize the various parks in the Downcity Center as stage positions and vendor locations. Classic Artist Entertainment (CAE) is planning to run non-stop live musical entertainment from opening until closing each day of the Festival, utilizing two stages: one at Gardner-Jackson Park (the Sergio Franchi Stage) and the other at the Bank Of America Skating Center in downtown (the Mario Lanza Stage).

Vendors of food, beverage and souvenir goods will be set up along the river, and in park spaces surrounding the stages. Since there will be no admission charge, the access to the stages and vendors will be unlimited, and patrons will make their choice of venue based on the program books and schedules available throughout the Festival site. While all the live entertainment has an Italian connection, there is a wide variety of approaches, including classical opera and arias (A Tribute To Mario Lanza, with full orchestra), hard-driving swing (Michael Ciulla and Avalon Express); jazz accordion (Rhode Island’s own Cory Pesaturo) and romantic crooners (including Maria Perry, winner of the 2007 Boston Pops Popsearch talent competition, as well as Juian Sage, a 13-year-old singing sensation), the classical voice of Giuseppe Taormina, These Three Tenors, whose program encompasses the best of Broadway along with Neapolitan favorites; The comedy of Alto & Mantia and Pat Capuzzi, and our headliner, the world-renowned Al Martino, famous for hits such as “Spanish Eyes” and his role as Johnny Fontaine in the American film classic “The Godfather”.

Current plans call for full food and beverage service throughout the festival site, as well as dozens of vendors of Italian-style hard goods, including clothing, accessories, souvenirs, recordings, and object’s d’art. Service vendors will include travel agencies, resorts, time-shares, genealogist, photo booth, a children’s area, a putting green, and many others. We are planning a fashion show as well as dance exhibits and lessons. The Pane & Amore Opera Pavilion featuring exhibits of memorabilia from the Enrico Caruso and Mario Lanza museums, along with lecture-demonstrations by members of Opera Providence on different styles of opera and singing, will also be on the grounds, and will serve as the cultural centerpiece of the Festival. Damon Lanza, Mario’s only surviving son, will be our guest for the Festival in the Opera Pavilion.