Warde Graduate Helps St. Emery Parish Host Successful First-Ever 'Luncheon & Cabaret Day'

Saint Emery Church parishioners and friends gathered in the church hall on Sunday afternoon, April 14 for the parish’s first-ever “Luncheon and Cabaret Day.” Good food and good music were in abundance, and the parish benefitted from the excess proceeds, the ultimate purpose for the event.

Advisory Council president Kathy Sherwood created the idea in the early part of this year, and Music Director Anthony Procaccini and numerous volunteers quickly moved ahead in planning, respectively, the musical and culinary delights. After a lunch including ziti, meatballs, sausage, salad and dessert, the audience was entertained with a three-part concert.

First, soprano Krista Adams Santilli (pictured above), a Trumbull resident, wowed the crowd with her virtuosity and an eclectic array of music from liturgical sources, opera, popular music and Broadway. Selections were derived from Mozart, Puccini, Rodgers and Hammerstein, “Les Miserables,” and “Sweeny Todd,” to name a few. For an encore, demonstrating her wide range once again, Krista gave a bluesy rendition of the Etta James classic “At Last.”

Next on the bill was a small Hungarians choir (pictured below) – the parish was founded by the local Hungarian community in 1932 - which sang 6 spirited songs, many of which were recognized by audience members, who also sang and clapped at times. Their finale was an appropriate closer, a typical Magyar dance song with lots of zest.

The closing act consisted of the Saint Emery Festival Choir, with help from a few outside friends who volunteered to help. Their one number, a lively Gospel-style tune entitled “One Step He Leads,” was performed with the right amount of poignancy and zeal, at the appropriate times. The audience applauded heartily.

Music Director Anthony Procaccini (pictured above), a 1976 graduate of Andrew Warde High School, served as emcee for the music program, and as piano accompanist for all the singers.

The parish hopes to repeat the event, with new music, more singers and a different guest artist, every six months.