International Friends of Festival Verdi hosted their 2nd Annual Spring Gala fundraiser. A little taste of this beautiful event was brought to the University Club in New York City featuring a cocktail reception with buffet, wonderful opera performances and some special auction items.
Festival Verdi is an acclaimed month-long festival that takes place every Autumn in Parma, Italy. The Festival is unique as it is devoted to studying and staging Giuseppe Verdi’s work. Besides many incredible initiatives International Friends of Festival Verdi take, through their exclusive membership program, they essentially share passion for Verdi’s operas and work to share the experience of this extraordinarily event. The members of IFFV strive to expand and enrich performances, as well as educational programs.
Performance at at University Club on June 15, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/PMC)
Members meet twice a year. In Parma during the Festival Verdi and in New York or a chosen European capital. During these meetings, the Superintendent of the Teatro Regio di Parma, Mr. Luciano Messi and those involved work on advancements at Festival Verdi and Teatro Regio.
What was great about Spring Gala is that guests had time to network and meet each other better. It was truly special to be able to talk to those who already visited Festival Verdi and are all planning to return this year as well. Michele Guerra, Mayor of Parma greeted us all hoping to be able to do the same during Festival Verdi. We also enjoyed performances by John Bellemer and Mark S. Doss, pianist David Holkeboer,and the students of CSNY .
If you wish to join this exciting weekend from September 28th to October 2nd 2023, contact IFFV. Enjoy performances of I Lombardi and Il Trovatore at Teatro Regio in Parma and Falstaff at Teatro Verdi in Busseto. Itinerary includes a Gala dinner at one of Parma’s most historic restaurants, premium opera tickets, excursions to Modena and Busseto, a backstage tour of Teatro Regio, and exclusive pre and post-theater receptions.
Luciano Messi, James Miller, Michele Guerra photo by Sylvain Gaboury/PMC/PMC
Maria Landers and John Bellemer at University Club on June 15, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/PMC/PMC)
Alessio Vlad, Barbara Minghetti and Luciano Messi attend International Friends of Festival Verdi Spring Gala at University Club on June 15, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/PMC/PMC)
Jonathan Marder and Michele Gerber Klein attend International Friends of Festival Verdi Spring Gala at University Club on June 15, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/PMC/PMC)
Michael Tzelios, Silvia Frieser and Serge Markarian attend International Friends of Festival Verdi Spring Gala at University Club on June 15, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/PMC/PMC)
Fabrizio Dinichele and Giorgia DeParolis attend International Friends of Festival Verdi Spring Gala at University Club on June 15, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/PMC/PMC)
Conor Wall and Morgan Pitek at University Club on June 15, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/PMC/PMC)
Anna D’Agostino, Jonathan Dilger, Nicole Dilger and Nicholas Ono attend International Friends of Festival Verdi Spring Gala at University Club on June 15, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/PMC/PMC)
Susan Bond and Silvia Frieser attend International Friends of Festival Verdi Spring Gala at University Club on June 15, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/PMC/PMC)
Serge Markarian and Rezarta Tavaku photo by David Plakke