Dear friends,
I am writing to invite you to celebrate & support a very special year, as it marks the 45th anniversary of I Giullari di Piazza (The Players in the Square), the Italian Folk Music, Theater & Dance Company I co-founded with composer/guitarist John T. La Barbera in 1980 and artist-in-residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
I am feeling very blessed and grateful, after the fantastic presentation and great success we had, on November 24th at our special 45-year Retrospective event at NYU CASA ITALIANA ZERILLI MARIMÒ, in New York City.
We invite you to continue to celebrate with us on JANUARY 4th, at LUNELLA's RESTAURANT, with a special year-end fundraiser, where we will present excerpts from our Christmas show LA CANTATA DEI PASTORI, for the Epiphany, featuring LA BEFANA (special surprise).
Please see links below: This fundraiser is crucial to ensure the preservation of our music and theater tradition.
ABOUT THE RETROSPECTIVE:
I am very proud to share that "FROM GREENWICH VILLAGE TO THE CATHEDRAL," the 45-year Retrospective of our Italian Folk Music and Theater Company I GIULLARI DI PIAZZA, was a real hit, with an oversold -out enthusiastic audience.
It was an honor to have as special guest, former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio with us, who was part of our organization in the 80s and 90s, and we are still friends today!
His speech was an awakening for many people, reinforcing the importance of our Italian Music & Theater Company I GIULLARI, stating how it also changed his life, when he met us in 1985.
You can watch part of his speech here: (LINK?)
And our first mentor and first chairman of the Board, Professor Luigi Ballerini, former director of CASA ITALIANA ZERILLI MARIMÒ, a great writer and poet, and presented by Prof. Stefano Albertini Mussini, director of Casa Italiana, who is also a mentor to us now! Grazie Grande Stefano!
The overwhelming success of this unique presentation and the response of our audience and followers, reinforces the importance of our company I GIULLARI DI PIAZZA, to Italians and Italian-Americans in the New York area, and all over the US, as we traveled a lot!
THE RETROSPECTIVE INCLUDED:
- A BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED Powerpoint presentation featuring rare and unseen videos and photos,
- Enthralling musical selections from our storied repertoire,
- Stellar Musicians: Mara Gerety (vocals, violin), Christa Patton (oboe, harp, recorders), the original Giullari Ralph Denzer (trumpet, recorders),
- Acclaimed Artists: Vincenzo D'Arista in the role of PULCINELLA, Gypsy Joe, film director Elisa Mereghetti (on Zoom from Bologna), and Board member Joan Marchi Migliori.
As Mayor de Blasio said, we are THE PIONEERS OF ITALIAN FOLK MUSIC, THEATER & DANCE!
WHO IS I GIULLARI DI PIAZZA -- a NonProfit Organization?
To this day, we are the only professional Italian music, dance, and theater company in the United States, performing in Italian and the various dialects from Southern Italy, and also performing original folk operas and music inspired by the South of Italy.
Since our founding, we have performed to critical acclaim in prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and Symphony Space. Even the Covid pandemic didn't stop us and we started performing and teaching online, which we continue to do this day.
Together with my nonprofit and board members, our vision is to spread these healing and folkloric traditions from Southern Italy as far and wide as we can, both live and online -- to create THE BLACK MADONNA CENTER.
WHY WE NEED FUNDING -- YOUR SUPPORT WILL HELP US TO:
- Develop the presentation from the Retrospective into a future book and documentary film;
- Hire technical and administrative personnel to create an accurate archive of our Company's and Alessandra and John's 45 years of field and library research;
- Compile a film series dedicated to all the Theatrical and Musical work and Folk Operas we have presented from 1980 to today;
- Preserve 45 years of photos, videos, music scores, promotional posters, program playbills, and past recordings from vinyl, cassettes and CDs, including solo works by individual members of I Giullari di Piazza, into a digitized Master Archive;
- Present and produce new live performances and complete ongoing projects;
- Pay adequate artists' fees, technical crew, and administrative costs for a cast of 5 to 12 artists (depending on the scope of productions) and professional marketing personnel;
- Fund educational pilgrimages and workshops in Campania, Sicily, and beyond;
- and .....
- Our Magnum Opus: Establish officially the very first Folkloric School & Black Madonna Mystery School, to perpetuate the legacy of our deep studies and wisdom heritage of the Black Madonna. The school will offer TEACHER TRAINING, an intensive 3- to 6-month program with final certification, allowing the candidates to share the legacy of Alessandra's work and passion.
OUR GOAL:
We need to raise $7,000 by the end of 2025, so that we can continue this important work, to keep our programs alive and thriving, and to continue to inspire and heal future generations.
I Giullari di Piazza is a nonprofit under the 501(c)(3) code and your donation is tax deductible.
Please give what you can and share this campaign widely. Together, we can keep the voice of the Black Madonna and Southern Italy's healing dances and folk traditions alive.
This year has already shown important achievements!
The feature-length documentary, Musical Journeys with the Black Madonna in Southern Italy, filmed during my pilgrimages to Sicily and the Campania region over the summer of 2024, directed by Francesco Piccolo. NYU Casa Italiana hosted the world premiere screening on February 6, 2025! It won “Best Documentary Feature” at the 5th annual HER VISION and at Documentaries Without Borders film festivals It has also screened at the Italian Charities of America, the Bronx Music Heritage Center, and Regents University in London (UK).
We also created and performed a new production at the Cathedral of St John the Divine, on May 16: “MYSTIC RHYTHMS AND SACRED CHANTS FOR THE BLACK MADONNA,” which received wide audience and critical acclaim.
PAST ACHIEVEMENTS:
Alessandra Belloni's books:
• "Rhythm is the Cure: Southern Italian Tambourine"
• Best-selling book "Healing Journeys with the Black Madonna (2019, Inner Traditions) with a preface by the Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox."
• In 2023, Alessandra was featured in the PBS documentary series Dream of Italy, produced by Kathy McCabe and narrated by Academy Award winning actress Marisa Tomei.
AWARDS
• Alessandra Belloni received the 2025 Italian Arts Award from the Italian Teachers of America, recognizing her lifetime achievement in keeping the Italian musical heritage alive in the Americas.
• Both Alessandra Belloni & John La Barbera received the special RENAISSANCE AWARD for lifetime achievement from the Italian Charities of America.
•Alessandra received the Lifetime Achievement New Jersey Heritage Fellowship Folk & Traditional Artist Award in 2025.
For more information, check out www.alessandrabelloni.com
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