On November 22, the Italian Tenor Pasquale Esposito partnered with the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra led by Maestro Carlo Ponti to present a musical extravaganza at BroadStage, a contemporary performing arts presenter, located at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center. Established in 2008, BroadStage is one of Los Angeles’ leading venues to experience daring artistic performances, energizing audiences and community through bold performances and personal connections.
The concert celebrated Sophia Loren’s 90th birthday and helped to raise funds forEsposito’s nonprofit, Notable Music and Arts Organization, and the nonprofit Los Angeles-based Virtuosi Orchestra (LAV). This unforgettable evening honored Loren’s legacy in cinema and her profound influence on Italy’s rich cultural heritage, celebrating her timeless inspiration for future generations.
It paid tribute to Loren’s remarkable life and cinematic achievements. This special evening was highlighted by a magnificent concert featuring Pasquale Esposito, accompanied by the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra conducted by Maestro Carlo Ponti, the son of Sophia Loren, with enchanting melodies and captivating storytelling. It was an extraordinarily memorable evening honoring the iconic Sophia Loren, who was radiant at age 90 and graced the event with her presence at a pre-concert meet-and-greet reception.
The LAV is a dynamic ensemble devoted to the advocacy and support of music education. Founded in 2013 by Ponti, LAV was formed on the core belief that an orchestra is a unique educational resource.LAV’s 10th anniversary season kicks off with this emotional tribute to Sophia Loren’s cinematic legacy and Neapolitan roots in celebration of her 90th birthday. For information and to donate to LAV, please visit https://lavirtuosi.org.
Pasquale Esposito founded the Notable Music and Arts Organization, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity promoting music education in the spring of 2012. The organization provides music instruction to underserved students in the San Francisco Bay Area and develops and produces educational programming for public television.
Esposito travels nationally to major universities and colleges, offering masterclasses in vocal technique. He also provides private instruction at his studio in San Jose, California. For more information about NMAO or to donate, visit www.notable-music.org.
Esposito was born and raised in Naples, Italy. He emigrated to the United States, winning the Green Card lottery in 1998 and pursued his passion for music by studying at San Jose State University, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree where he was a distinguished alumnus in 2009. He is an international crossover recording artist, acclaimed for his pop-opera delivery of songs. Esposito has released 13 albums and four DVDs. In 2025, he is set to release two new albums: his second full-length Christmas compilation and a new album of original compositions in the rock-opera genre.
Esposito made his debut at the San Francisco Opera in June 2015 with the premiere of Marco Tutino’s Two Women (an opera adaptation of the 1960s film La Ciociara starring Sophia Loren). The New York Times stated that Esposito sang with “airy charm” for his performance of Ragazzo del Popolo, while the San Francisco Chronicle described Esposito as “a charismatic and dulcet-toned singer.”
Esposito has partnered with PBS and produced four public television specials, starting in 2015 with Pasquale Esposito Celebrates Enrico Caruso. The program wasfilmed in the historic Castello Giusso in Vico Equense on the Amalfi Coast. He was accompanied by the Orchestra Santa Chiara conducted by Maestro Renato Serio.
The “docu-concert” pays homage to Caruso by taking the audience on a musical journey in Italy, highlighting the life, career, and songs that made Caruso an international star. Maestro Placido Domingo collaborated in the program with an intimate interview. The PBS special, coupled with a current live touring version, had over 220 million potential viewers. A CD, DVD, and Blu-ray of the program were also made available.
In spring 2018, Esposito released his second public TV special on PBS: Pasquale Esposito Celebrates Italian Piazzas. Esposito was accompanied by the Orchestra Talenti Napoletani conducted by Maestro Adriano Peninno. This docu-concert is a unique musical journey of culture, art, and tradition where Esposito dedicates a song to each of the beautiful piazzas (squares) performed in the prestigious Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples, Italy.
A live concert version of the program followed with a 2018/2019 national tour. In 2020, Esposito filmed two more PBS specials in Naples, Italy at the historic Teatro Politeama. The first was a Christmas special, In the Spirit of Christmas (released in 2020) conducted by Maestro Adriano Peninno, and the second was a special titled Il Tempo (Time) conducted by Maestro Ettore Gatta. Pasquale was accompanied in both programs by the Orchestra Talenti Napoletani. Il Tempo was released in March 2021.
For more information about Pasquale Esposito, visit www.pasqualeesposito.com.