Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Monday 27 noveMber 2017
That’s amore: Italian bridal serenades alive in Philadelphia
By KRISTEN DE GROOT rose-bearing husband-to-
Associated Press be as neighbors and family
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — members look on.
Young couples in south The age-old tradition came
Philadelphia are trans- along with immigrants to
forming something old into Philadelphia in the 1800s
something new with their and retained its modest fla-
take on the Italian wed- vor until recent years. Now,
ding serenade. serenades have taken on
The serenade has been a an air of a block party, with
tradition for hundreds of grooms singing to a cho-
years, particularly in south- reographed routine with
ern Italian regions like Na- popular songs as guests en-
ples, Puglia and Calabria. joy a catered meal, full bar
There, it takes place the and DJ dance party.
night before the wedding, “It’s kind of like a New
where the groom and a Year’s Eve to your wed-
guitarist — or a full accom- ding,” said Paolo DiPaolo,
paniment of accordion, who serenaded his bride-
mandolin player and violist to-be Stephanie Longo in
if he’s splurging —appear October at a south Phila-
on the street outside the delphia street party that
bride-to-be’s home. They mixed the traditional with
traditional Italian wedding serenade, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, in Philadelphia, Pa. The Italian wed-
sing traditional love songs the popular. “This is one of
as she gazes down from the main things you look est flavor until recent years. Now, the serenade has taken on an air of a block party, with grooms
her window. She eventually forward to.” singing to a choreographed routine with popular songs as guests enjoy a catered meal, full bar
descends to embrace her The street outside his now- and DJ dance party.
As friends and family react, bride-to-be, Stephanie Longo sits in a chair on the street in front of
her family’s home, as her groom Paolo DiPaolo sings, during a modern version of a centuries- old
ding serenades came along with immigrants to Philadelphia in the 1800s and retained their mod-
(AP Photo/Mel Evans)
wife’s parents’ home was church, one of the last Ital-
blocked off to traffic as ian National parishes in the
guests ate pasta at tables country, still celebrates one
with white linen cloths. The Mass in Italian every Sun-
bride’s father made batch- day.
es of homemade wine, and He remembers the more
DJ Johnny Looch — south traditional serenades of his
Philly’s serenade expert, youth, where the groom
John Luciano — spun songs and a guitarist would come
with love and marriage the night before the wed-
themes like Frank Sinatra’s ding, and then be invited
version of “Get Me to the inside for coffee and treats.
Church on Time” and The As to why the tradition per-
Dixie Cups’ “Going to the sists after all these years
Chapel.” away from Italy, he thinks
To warm up the crowd, the it’s a simple reason: “Be-
bride-to-be’s uncle from cause it’s a good, fun time.
Calabria sang traditional It’s friends, neighbors and
songs as he strummed a the community coming to-
guitar, while the older rela- gether to celebrate two of
tives crowded around him, their own.”
some singing, others tear- At the height of Italian im-
ing up. migration into the city,
Then the bride took a seat Philadelphia’s Little Italy
with a glass of wine, and was actually a patchwork
DiPaolo unleashed his ser- of regional neighborhoods,
enade — complete with according to an essay by
dance moves — starting historian Stefano Luconi.
with DJ Snake’s “Let Me For example, people from
Love You,” segueing into Abruzzi settled on one
“Sexy Love” by Ne-Yo and street, and people from
finishing with the classic Calabria settled on anoth-
“Can’t Take My Eyes Off er. The serenade tradition
You” by Frankie Valli and settled with them.
the Four Seasons, as the Diego Mautone is a musi-
two danced and the crowd cian in Naples, Italy, who
clapped and cheered. makes a living as a ser-
Father Nick Martorano has enade artist. There, the
been a guest at a host of event still happens the
serenades during his life- night before the wedding,
time, both as his role as and grooms reach out to
pastor of the St. Nicholas of him to help craft a roman-
Tolentine for over 30 years tic experience , he said.
and his childhood growing They leave the singing to
up in the neighborhood. His him.q