Solon Arts Center, Italian Club Unite to Celebrate Heritage, Opera

Is there anything more authentically Italian than opera?

The Solon Italian Club doesn't think so. That's why the group is celebrating Italian Heritage Month by allying with the to present an "Italian Heritage Night at the Opera" on Oct. 8 at the SCA.

The night will feature a performance of the famed Italian opera "Madama Butterfly," staring Marian Vogel as Cio-Cio San. There will also be a wine and cheese party and preview with Stage Director Johnathon Field 45 minutes before the show.

Tickets for the show are $25. The wine and cheese party costs an additional $15.

Despite word that the show is sold out, Dennis Castiglione with the Solon Italian Club said tickets are still available. Contact Castiglione at 440-781-2763 or call the SCA at 440-337-1400.

If that's not enough Italian heritage for you, the SCA is also hosting a photography exhibit in October called "Americhe: Storie di emigrati friulani negli USA" (Translation: Americhe: Stories of Friulian Emigrants in the USA). The show is by photographer Francesco Nonino, depicting photos of immigrants from the Friuli Venezia area of Italy. The exhibit tells the "individual and collective stories of their trek to the U.S. and their challenges to make a life for themselves in their new country."

The photography show was arranged by SCA director Karen Prasser and Serena Scaiola, an honorary Vice Consul of Italy for Detroit and Cleveland.

Castiglione, who is a member of the Solon Italian Club and whose wife Suzi is on the SCA board, said this is event is the first of its kind and that both the Italian Club and SCA are very excited.

"It’s just one of those things that’s uniquely Italian," Castiglione said. "Opera was invented by Italians, so this was virtually a no-brainer. It made a lot of sense about all of us, and we're very excited about it."