Italian pop singer Massimo Raineri entertained fans, Udine 04/12/2012

Italian pop singer, film and stage actor Massimo Raineri entertained fans in Udine’s “Giovanni da Udine” theatre.  The 61 year-old Neapolitan has been on the Italian entertainment scene for several decades (at the age of 10 he used to sing at restaurants, wedding receptions, etc). 

On 16 October 2002, Ranieri was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which has its world headquarters in Rome, while in 2010 he was featured in a documentary about the history of music from Naples, directed by Italian-American actor John Turturro.

A touching moment occurred when Ranieri sang a song that had been written for him by the great French singer Charles Aznavour.  Ranieri’s two-hour repertoire in Udine, in front of an almost sold-out audience, included Italian pop songs as well as old Neapolitan tunes, always a favorite with everyone in the crowd.

Andrew Cheung, Rome November 4th, 2012

American classical pianist in concert at Rome’s “Roma Tre” university, in front of a handful of students and adults.   Cheung also entertained the audience with some special renditions of old classic  Beatles tunes.

Dolores O’Riordan and her Cranberries bewitch Rome on Halloween, Rome Italy 31/10/2012

Ireland’s Dolores O’Riordan and her Cranberries bewitched Rome fans on Halloween night (glowing pumpkins and witch’s gowns were naturally the call of the evening).  The band, which was formed in Limerick in 1989, put on a very entertaining show in the “Sala Cecilia” hall of Rome’s Auditorium, a splendid venue which was designed by Italy’s most famous living architect, Renzo Piano.  This correspondent saw Dolores and her band open up for the Rolling Stones in 2003 in Milan’s San Siro stadium.  O’Riordan was spunky then, she was again in Rome nine years later.

In the 1990s the group was one of the most successful rock acts and sold over 15 million albums in the United States alone. The Cranberries recorded their sixth album, “Roses”, in May 2011, and released it on 27 February 2012.  

For the all sold-out Rome concert the diminutive O’Riordan sang some 25 songs, including everyone’s favorite Cranberries song, the haunting “Zombie”.  Dolores was backed-up by her excellent five-member band.