Cavaliere Ufficiale Aldo Mancusi receives title of Commendatore from Italian government
On June 2, Cavaliere Ufficiale Aldo Mancusi was presented with the title of commendatore, signed by the president of Italy, at the Italian Consulate at Park Avenue and 68th Street in New York. This is considered one of Italy’s greatest honors, and Mancusi’s idol, Enrico Caruso, also had this title bestowed upon him.
Commendatore Aldo Mancusi is the founder and curator of the Enrico Caruso Museum that was established more than 25 years ago in Brooklyn. Italian Consul General Natalia Quintavalle, who presided over the proceedings, visited the Enrico Caruso Museum with then-Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and met Enrico Caruso’s American grandson, Eric Murray.
Mancusi gives many lectures on opera and other musical greats in the Tri-state area and has displayed his vast collection of Caruso memorabilia in Naples, Caruso’s hometown, and other venues throughout Italy. Among the treasures found at the museum are caricatures done by Caruso, records, cylinders, photos, letters, beautiful music boxes of the past era, costumes from soprano legend Licia Albanese and refurbished seats from the Metropolitan Opera, just to name a few. More information can be found at www.enricocarusomuseum.com.
Brooklyn Boro
View MoreNew York City’s most populous borough, Brooklyn, is home to nearly 2.6 million residents. If Brooklyn were an independent city it would be the fourth largest city in the United States. While Brooklyn has become the epitome of ‘cool and hip’ in recent years, for those that were born here, raised families here and improved communities over the years, Brooklyn has never been ‘uncool’.