November 10, 2014, -New York- The Italian folkloric group “La Figlia di Jorio”, originating from Orsogna, Chieti in the region of Abruzzo will arrive in the United States for a two-week tour starting on November 19th in Everett, Massachusetts. The group will first perform for the Orsognese community, “Sons of Orsogna” and then continue on to perform for the Orsognese community in the New York City metropolitan area.
The folkloric group, hailed as the oldest continuance performing folkloric group in Italy, was founded in 1921 in the small town of Orsogna in the Abruzzo region. This historic folkloric group is internationally acclaimed and has performed throughout Europe and South America. This will be their third tour in the United States in 34 years. Arriving with them will be the Mayor of Orsogna Fabrizio Montepara.
The three sponsoring organizations, Sons of Orsogna, Orsogna Mutual Aid Society and the New Orsogna Athletic Club have prepared a series of events for their community which are numbered in the thousands and have settled mostly in Everett, MA and Astoria, New York. The majority of the Orsognese immigrant community arrived in the United States as refugees from World War II after their small town was completely destroyed during one of the most brutal battles in the Italian peninsula.
The folkloric group’s arrival coincides with the Orsogna Mutual Aid Society’s 75th anniversary and the New Orsogna Athletic Club’s 55th anniversary of its founding. The folkloric group is also preparing to celebrate its 95th anniversary since its inception. The name “La Figlia di Jorio” was taken from the famous painting by Francesco Paolo Michetti who in 1895 depicted a local peasant girl, Giuditta Saraceni, in typical Orsognese dress as she passed his vacation home in Orsogna. The painting inspired noted Italian poet and playwright Gabriele D’Annunzio to pen his famous play, “La Figlia Di Jorio”.
The highlight of their visit will be a performance on Sunday, November 30th at the Italian mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Astoria singing ancient liturgical hymns. After the mass, there will be a dinner and performance at Riccardo’s by the Bridge.
Mario Tenaglia, Esq., musical director of the folkloric group stated, “Our visit is two-fold, one for our Orsognese community in the United States to relive and reconnect their strong emotional bond with their culture and for the newer generation to discover the deep common roots of their ancestors.”
The tour is sponsored in part by the Consiglio Regionale degli Abruzzesi Nel Mondo (CRAM).
For tickets to the performance at Riccardo’s by the Bridge, contact Rocco Pace at 718.309.2435.
