October 20 was a special day for Italian music lovers in Australia as the legendary duo Albano and Romina graced the stage at Sydney’s prestigious State Theatre.

Twenty-five years after their last concert together, the pair thrilled the audience with their unforgettable songs and extraordinary performance.

The event was made even more special by a get-together that took place at Il Cugino di Leichhardt, an Italian restaurant in Sydney owned by Amabile Pignataro.

A mutual connection with Albano made the unique reunion possible, with the musician enthusiastically accepting the invitation for a special dinner.

“I invited him knowing that he would be on tour in Australia, being a friend of Frank Scali, who organised Albano’s concert in Sydney,” Amabile explained.

During the dinner, Albano captivated the other guests with his presence.

The pizzeria owner worked as a miner in Australia for 52 years before embarking on his entrepreneurial adventure in the restaurant industry.

After leaving the mines, he co-founded Il Cugino in 1988 with his wife Adriana Pignataro and a third partner, Jack Di Pietro. The three worked together for 14 years before Di Pietro retired and moved to Sicily.

For 35 years, Il Cugino brought the Italian culinary tradition to the vibrant community of Leichhardt.

Today, Amabile’s son Charlie Pignataro has taken over the reins of the family business, ensuring the tradition, as well as the passion for Italian cuisine, lives on.

The evening was particularly emotional when Romina Power and Albano arrived at the restaurant.

Adriana Pignataro warmly welcomed them, embracing the pair with affection.

This was not the first meeting between the famous duo and the restaurant, and the warmth and enthusiasm remain unchanged.

“We are great lovers of Italian music, and seeing Albano again made us relive moments of great emotion, both during the concert and seeing him sitting in our restaurant,” said Adriana Pignataro.

The event was a special moment that combined Italian tradition, passion for music and warm Italian-Australian hospitality.

Albano and Romina brought back indelible memories and reminded everyone of the power of music in creating unforgettable moments.