Meet Cristina Fontanelli
CRISTINA FONTANELLI®
Award-winning Singer/Actress and PBS-TV Host
“Vocal genius….”—The New York Sun
“Cristina Fontanelli at Feinsteins is like seeing a cross between Maria Callas and Ethel Merman. She has no equal.” -Forbes Magazine
“The best work came from Cristina Fontanelli” —The New York Times
“Brilliant acting” -The Palm Beach Post
“Cristina Fontanelli Preserving Values Thru Opera” – The Epoch Times
Cristina Fontanelli has become an international personality through her recordings and appearances on-stage, radio and TV. Her appearances include PBS TV host for Andrea Bocelli, Il Volo and Michael Buble TV specials. She has appeared on CBS Weekend NY, has won Best Actress in the Cutting Room International Film Festival (2018) and the Venus International Film Festival (Las Vegas, July 2019) for her role in SANTINO, a NIAF/Russo Brothers Production grantee. Best Actress Promo Clip.
She is a regular at (Michael) Feinsteins 54 Below Cristina sings “Vissi d’Arte” at Feinsteins at the Regency Hotel and has shared stages with Tony Bennett. Other TV appearances include co-hosting on CBS-TV and starring opposite Kevin James in a CBS promo special. She has sung title roles with the Palm Beach Opera, and internationally with the Hong Kong and Cairo Opera’s and has been featured soloist with 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, Carnegie Hall, the Philadelphia Academy of Music, Boston Symphony Hall and Guild Hall in East Hampton. She has been named one of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts most notable alumni (along with Robert Redford, Danny DeVito and Anne Hathaway); has performed at the White House as part of President Clinton’s holiday celebration, and Cristina opened the 2005 Stars and Stripes Inaugural Ball for President George W. Bush. Her awards include the “Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts” from the Order Sons of Italy in America (previous honoree Luciano Pavarotti).
Cristina has been an on-air radio guest on WOR radio with Joe Piscopo, and on Bloomberg and Sirius Satellite Radio. She is included in the book “The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney” (Simon and Schuster 2015) for singing “Happy Birthday” at Mickey’s 90th birthday party (Donald Trump, Regis Philbin, Tony Bennett in attendance) The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney/Cristina Fontanelli. She was signed by platinum-record winning producer, Sandy Linzer, to record Cristina Fontanelli Sings Great Italian Favorites Listen to Cristina singing “Ave Maria”.
Cristina produces and stars in “Christmas in Italy®” (17th year) which gives more than 80 children performance opportunities every year. (Sold-out Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall). The show’s “mission” includes raising funds for children’s causes thru The Cristina Fontanelli Foundation. Cristina is currently producing the PBS-TV special of “Christmas in Italy®”. Cristina appears annually with Opera & Broadway of the Hamptons and has opened the ceremonies at the Hampton Classic. She sings and entertains in 9 languages.