Cristina Fontanelli

CRISTINA FONTANELLI has become a well-known, international personality through her recordings, her appearances on TV, radio, in concert, nightclubs, opera, and through her acting debut on network television.
Cristina’s accomplishments include PBS-TV NY Affiliate host for Andrea Bocelli’s historic free concert “Live in Central Park” also starring Celine Dion, David Foster, and Tony Bennett and for the Vienna Boys Choir and “Il Volo Takes Flight” PBS specials. She has appeared on CBS Weekend NY in interview/performance/co-hosting roles and opposite TV-star Kevin James in their Fall 2016 season CBS-TV promo and filmed 2 episodes Fall 2016 of the highly popular TRU-TV’s “Billy on the Street”. She is the “voice of Domino’s Pizza” on their national radio commercial and the voice of “Nonna” on the beloved PBS TV Chef Lidia Bastianich’s Christmas special (in over 300 PBS outlets across the U.S.). Recently, Cristina was invited by the Italian government as a “Pugliese nel Mondo” to sing a concert in her grandparents’ home town of Molfetta as a distinguished artist of Pugliese descent and to participate in Bari, Italy in the European Music Conference “MEDIMEX”.
Cristina’s beautiful soprano voice has taken her to the White House as part of President Clinton’s holiday celebration, and on January 20, 2005 Cristina was invited to open the ceremonies at the Stars and Stripes Inaugural Ball for President George W. Bush. This following her “Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts” from the Order Sons of Italy in America (previous honorees include Luciano Pavarotti). She is included in the 2015 book “The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney” published by Simon and Schuster and has been a guest on Bloomberg, Sirius and WQXR radio and other major affiliate stations.
She has sung title roles with the Palm Beach Opera, the Cairo Opera, Opera of Hong Kong, the NY Grand Opera, NJ State Opera, and the Opera of the Hamptons. A listing of some of the popular “giants” she has appeared with include Tony Bennett and Joel Grey. Cristina is a guest artist with many prestigious orchestras, including the Boston Pops and the St. Louis Symphony, performing in major concert halls throughout the U.S. and the world, including the Lincoln and Kennedy Centers and major concert halls throughout the Far East and Canada. She has completed three world-tours with the Mantovani Orchestra; has sung at Gracie Mansion at the invitation of Mayor Rudy Giuliani; she sang in Washington, D.C. for the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) and the Italian Embassy; at Lincoln Center with stars from the Metropolitan Opera; and at the Waldorf=Astoria for the Columbus Citizens Foundation, honoring Franco Zeffirelli and Maestro Riccardo Muti. She has toured the Middle East extensively as an “Ambassador of Opera.”
Cristina is a proud member of the three top performing unions (SAG/AFTRA/EQUITY) and has been named one of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts most notable alumni (along with Robert Redford, Danny DeVito, Edward G. Robinson, etc.). Recent appearances include the opening ceremonies for the prestigious Hamptons Classic Horseshow; singing the National Anthem on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. for the testimony by fashion-icon Giorgio Gucci; her annual appearance at Feinstein’s at the Regency Hotel; singing Happy Birthday to Mickey Rooney for his 90th birthday celebration at Feinstein’s (Donald Trump, Regis Philbin, Tony Bennett, et al in attendance); the historic Breakers Hotel honoring Connie Francis; the National Arts Club NYC honoring Patrice Munsel; performances in Orange County, San Diego (with Giada DiLaurentis) and Hollywood, CA for Jimmy Kimmel; the PBS Gala at Times Square Discover, and her annual “Christmas in Italy”® concert(s) in New York (13 years) and San Diego, CA (5 years).
Cristina’s operatic repertoire includes such heroines as Mimi, Musetta, Violetta, and the title role(s) of “Madame Butterfly” and “Tosca”. Cristina has also toured as a solo concert artist in major concert halls throughout Japan, Korea, Italy, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United States. She has received rave reviews for her nightclub entertainment abilities, in addition to her classical concert and operatic appearances. Other appearances include the Hilton in Atlantic City, St. Patrick’s Cathedral NYC, a 9/11 Memorial Concert at Rockefeller Center with the NYPD Concert Band (televised on CNN, Fox National, and NY Channels 5, 7, and 9), and the Columbus Day Parade on 5th Avenue in NYC. She was signed by platinum-record winning producer to record Cristina Fontanelli Sings Great Italian Favorites. Her numerous awards include the American Opera Auditions and awards from the Puccini and Koussevitsky Foundations, “Woman of the Year” awards from the Italian Charities of America, the NYC Transit Authority, the NJ Federation of Italian and Italian-American Societies, the Ethnic Press Council of Toronto, the Salerno Club of the State of NY, and the International Women’s Network for Service to NY. Cristina sings and entertains in 9 languages.