The Coro d’Italia was founded in 1932 by educator Dr. Leonard
Covello, and student Elba Farabegoli at the Casa Italia Columbia
University. They researched songs, dances and costuming and
performed in the New York Metropolitan Area for nearly seventy
years. The ensemble performed at the NYC World’s Fair in 1939, at
Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, among many other venues. For nearly 70
years the Coro was the voice of Italians in New York city and
beyond. Their repertory includes songs from all regions of Italy
Metropolitan opera stars performed regularly with the Coro.
The Coro d’Italia is acknowledged as the first ensemble
dedicated solely to Italian material in America. Cav. Farabegoli
Gurzau went on to found IFAFA, Italian Folk Arts Federation of
America. Her work has helped to spread Italian traditions throughout
America where similar ensembles have been formed, from
Massachusetts, to Illinois, from Texas to California.
In
1994 Gemelli Marylou and Joanna Romano twin sisters joined the Coro.
Due to the demographic and the shift of Italian Americans from the
city to the suburbs, Ms.Romano, moved the Coro from it’s base at
the McBurney yon 23rd street to New Jersey. The coro celebrated its’
75th anniversary with a gala concert in November of 2007.
In addition, it was felt that a children’s
program was needed to be added so that Italian American children
could know of their true background. In 1997 the Scuola d’Italia
was born, in 2003 the Bambini d’Italia Children’s Ensemble was begun
to pass down our unique traditions to the next generation!
