2008 Festa Italiana Mass with Bp. Callahan Archbishop Jerome Listecki will be celebrating the Sunday Mass at 11:00 a.m. and leading the Procession following on Sunday, July 24 at the Marcus Amphitheatre.Hunger Task Force will be collecting nonperishable food items on Festa Sunday, upon entrance to Mass outside of the South gate.A chorus from Naples (Campania), Italy comprised of 32 men and women will perform for the first time at Festa Italiana. Il Coro Polifonico Flegreo, founded in 2001, is under the direction of Maestro Nicola Capano.The chorus will perform daily at the festival, which runs from Thursday, July 21 to Sunday, July 24. In addition, the singers from Italy will join with the Festa Italiana choir to provide music for the Sunday Mass in the Marcus Amphitheater. For the post-Communion meditation, the chorus from Italy will sing Pietro Mascagni’s version of “Ave Maria.”The organizers of Festa Italiana’s Sunday Mass are once again extending an open invitation to interested singers throughout the area to be part of the choir for that liturgy. The Mass, which is one of the key components of Festa Italiana, will be held on July 24 at 11 a.m. in the Marcus Amphitheater.Michael Kamenski, music liturgist at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Milwaukee and conductor of the Menomonee Falls Symphony Orchestra, will again direct the choir for the Festa Mass.“Mike and Dr. Marisa Gatti-Taylor will coach the choir members in learning the Italian lyrics of some of the hymns, so no previous knowledge of Italian is required,” explained Vivian Balistreri and Sal LoCoco, co-chairs of the Festa Mass Committee.
Since every time I mention Italians out here I get a fish in the mail.... I will withhold any further comment.