Coro Brenta di Tione

ponteSFThe last week of April, our club assisted Consul General Mauro Battocchi in hosting the Brenta Chorus from his hometown of Tione, Trentino.
They performed at Mission Dolores Basilica, St. Mary’s Cathedral, the Italian  American Heritage Foundation in San Jose, Jacuzzi Family Vineyards in  Sonoma and in Santa Rosa. They also spent a day each in Santa Cruz and Las Vegas before returning to Trentino. They received accolades from all. They sang wherever and whenever they could. You could not help but be moved by their voices and their spirit, whether you understood Italian or not.

Many of our club members contributed to the success of this tour. A special grazie goes out to one of our newest members, Mary Elmstrom, and her sister from Montana, Eileen Freller. They accompanied the group of 48 from the time they arrived at the hotel in San Francisco till they left Santa Cruz.

Santa CrusIn the pic on the right: Coro Brenta at the Marriott Fairfield in Capitola. Circolo members from left to right,Rino Zueck, Gemma Angeli Zueck, Luca Dorigatti, Dan Aspromonte, Rinaldo Cis, Eileen Freller, Mary Elmstrom, Silvia Torresani Prevedelli. Coro President Giuseppe
(Pino) Stefenelli between Rinaldo and Eileen. After an impromptu concert, he resented handsome wooden plaques of appreciation adorned with the tour logo.

Club member Luca Dorigatti, first on the left, visiting in June the Coro Brenta in Tione. Second on left, President Giuseppe  Stefenelli. First on right, Musical Director Leone Pellegrini.
Club member Luca Dorigatti, first on the left, visiting in June the Coro Brenta in Tione.

We established close bonds of friendship with the Coro. This past summer club members Luca Dorigatti and Rinaldo Cis both paid
visits to the Coro in Tione. Then, in September club member Mary (Boni) Elmstrom and her husband Gary spent 4 days with the maestro of the Coro, Leone Pellegrini, and his wife Giuliana. They hiked with chorus members to the Rifugio Val di Fumo and had many splendid meals. They got to know them much better and learned a bit more about the history and culture of the region. As Mary says: These people are so gracious, honest and caring! I am happy to share with them a Trentino heritage.

Stefenelli wrote an article about the experience (in Italian)…read more here

Club member Rinaldo Cis, hiking with Giuseppe Stefenelli and son, in July
Club member Rinaldo Cis, hiking with Giuseppe Stefenelli and son, in July