Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
It’s hard to believe the Bel Canto Foundation has been promoting Italian operatic repertoire while serving as a springboard for future stars for four glorious decades. On March 7, 1974, the Monastero family, owners of Monastero’s Ristorante in Chicago, sponsored a contest evening for voice students from Northwestern University. The singers were required to learn Italian operatic arias and romantic songs, and the contest, which followed a gourmet Italian dinner, featured a prize of $1,000 furnished by the Monastero family. Ardis Krainik, the late director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, was the judge. That first evening was a great …
Read More »