Olivia Decker Power of Music Valentine’s Concert

BY OLIVIA DECKER

LOVE WAS IN THE AIR AT THE ST. REGIS SAN FRANCISCO ON Valentine’s Day as acclaimed Italian tenor Pasquale Esposito performed an enchanting program of romantic ballads and arias as part of Festival Napa Valley’s Olivia Decker Power of Music series. Fine sparkling wines from Domaine Carneros and small bites from The St. Regis’ culinary team made the evening even more enjoyable as Esposito shared classics such as “Besame Mucho,” “My Funny Valentine,” and “La Vie en Rose” with the sold-out audience. Decker arrived just in time on a flight from New York to catch the opening remarks of Festival President and CEO Rick Walker as he welcomed guests, including Oran and Maryam Muduroglu, Lawrence and Gorretti Lui, Iraj and Fariba Zolnasr, Lili Samii, Afie Royo, Romana Bracco, Dave and Amy Ko, Bill Urbach and Janet Effland, Bryan and Heidi Pay, Mike Khalesi and Maxime de Treglode. The St. Regis’ newly renovated, beautiful restaurant and bar provided a post-concert spot for the event’s attendees to complete the romantic evening.

Pasquale Esposito was born and raised in Naples, Italy and emigrated to the United States in 1998 to pursue his passion for music at San Jose State University, receiving his degree in vocal performance in 2009. He made his San Francisco Opera debut in 2015 in the world premiere of Two Women. He has been an international touring and recording artist with 11 studio albums and four DVDs from his PBS specials, entertaining audiences around the world.

In 2012, Pasquale established Notable Music and Arts Organization (NMAO), a nonprofit organization producing music programming for public television and promoting music education for the underserved by giving individual voice lessons to students and providing outreach programs in public schools. Current NMAO and San Jose State University student Victoria McDowell performed with Pasquale. Their duet of “The Prayer” and a rendition of “I Will Always Love You” à la Whitney Houston was a highlight of the concert. McDowell has been studying with Pasquale since she was 11 years old and participated in his second PBS special. With her amazing voice and impressive stage presence, she is sure to be a future superstar!

NMAO has produced four PBS specials, including the 2015 Pasquale Esposito Celebrates Enrico Caruso. Filmed in the historic Castello Giusso on the Amalfi Coast, this “docu-concert” paid homage to Enrico Caruso by taking the audience on a musical journey through Italy, highlighting the life and songs that made Caruso an international star. In 2018, Pasquale released his next PBS special, Pasquale Esposito Celebrates Italian Piazzas, accompanied by the Orchestra Talenti Napoletani. It was a unique musical journey of culture, art, and tradition performed in the prestigious Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples. In 2020, Pasquale filmed two more PBS specials in Naples at the historic Teatro Politeama: In the Spirit of Christmas, and Il Tempo (Time) Currently, Pasquale is on a project to bring classical opera to students in primary schools. The pilot program, Opera ABC 123, will provide kindergarten through sixth grade students with an introduction to opera and its history. Pasquale has developed an approach to engage young learners with the rich tradition of the bel canto technique through a multimedia presentation that also includes live performance. For information, visit http://www.notable-music.org/. For upcoming Olivia Decker Power of Music concerts, visit https://festivalnapavalley.org/ programs/olivia-decker-power-of-music-series/.