Entertainment
Schedule
MAINSTAGE
Sat. Aug. 22
10AM Opening Ceremony
10:30AM Portland Opera
12:30PM Nino Lane Duo
2:30PM Mbrascatu
4:30PM Tony La Stella & The Goombas
7-10PM Big Italian Street Dance with Biagio (scroll down for more info.)
ST. PHILIP NERI COOKING STAGE
Sat. Aug. 22
12PM Greg De Maestri
2PM Father Andrew
4PM TBA
6PM Evan Gregoire
MAINSTAGE
Sun. Aug. 23
12PM Andrea Algieri
1:30PM Neno Lane Duo
3PM Tony La Stella & The Goombas
4:30PM Biagio
5:30PM Closing Ceremonies
ST. PHILIP NERI COOKING STAGE
Sun. Aug. 23
1PM Greg De Maestri
2:30 PM Fr. Andrew Thomas
4PM Evan Gregoire
Biagio
Headliner
New York based Italian-American singer & entertainer fresh from his triumphant San Remo show presents an original mix of high energy Italian dance hits to get the crowd on their feet dancing and singing along.
Tony La Stella & the Goombas
Featured
Acclaimed tenor, actor & recording artist presenting a unique theatrical style of operatic Italian-American pop hits that touch and thrill audiences coast-to-coast with virtuoso vocals.
Based out of Monterey, CA, this dynamic duo blends traditional Italian favorites with "Italianized" pop hits featuring high End vocal & instrumental renditions that WOW Italian festivals across the western USA.
Nino Lane Duo
Portland Opera
A prominent American opera company that has been a cultural cornerstone of the Northwest since 1964 partners with Portland Festa Italia to present classical favorites performed by soprano Erin Mikelle Walker, tenor Aaron Lange and pianist Claire Forstman.
Italian-born singer & Portland resident performs original compositions of cross-cultural Italian songs to a distinct instrumental style and rich vocals as a soloist and with his indie Italian band Mbrascatu, receiving acclaim across the USA and Europe.
Andrea Algieri & Mbrascatu
Aaron Douglas Lange
With a voice described by Oregon ArtsWatch as "strong and resonant", that "masters the entire range", tenor Aaron Douglas Lange maintains the ability to bring both dramatic depth and powerful vocals to the stage. Recent performance credits include King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Cascadia Chamber Opera, The Medium with Opera Bend and Ping & Woof Opera, Mafia Guy in Paul Moravec's The Shining with Portland Opera, Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance with Light Opera of Portland, and teno soloist in Handel's, Messiah, with Bravo! Concerts Northwest.
Erin Mikelle Walker is a classically trained soprano and music teacher in the Portland area. She performs with Opera on Tap Portland, Opera in the Park Chorus, Ping and Woof Opera, Lark Opera and Festa Italiana. She is available for hire as a soloist or a section leader/sub for churches. Erin received her Masters in Vocal Performance at Portland State University and her Bachelors in Vocal Performance from Northern Arizona University. Her voice teacher renowned baritone, Richard Zeller.
Erin Walker
Claire Forstman
Praised for her “masterful” playing (Bend Bulletin), Claire Forstman is a music director, chorusmaster, pianist, and vocal coach based in Portland, Oregon. Claire has worked and played for more than forty opera productions since she began her first apprenticeship in the summer of 2021, and she maintains an active coaching studio working with singers of local, regional, and international acclaim. Her most recent season included serving as chorusmaster/pianist for Die Fledermaus (OperaBend), as resident coach for Tosca (Port Angeles Symphony), and as the principal rehearsal pianist for La bohème (Portland Opera), The Pirates of Penzance (Seattle Opera), Così fantutte (Portland State University), Verdi’s Requiem (Portland Opera), Les mammelles des Tiresias (Willamette University), and Fellow Travelers (Portland Opera), among others.
