VIVA ITALIA will recognise the work of both Bertinazzo and D’Orsogna within the Italian community in Australia, for which they both received a Cavalierato, which is an Italian Honour similar to knighthood.

The concert will feature special guest Alfredo Malabello, otherwise known as ‘Australia’s Voice of Romance’, who will be joined by the ICW Arts Orchestra and West Australian Opera singers Emma Pettemerides, Elsie Gangemi, Jay Weston, Ronald Macqueen and Jun Zhang, performing the best of Italian opera and song.

Giuseppe’s children, Michael Le Roy-Bertinazzo and Marie-Chantal Bertinazzo will also make an appearance on stage, with the latter joining in on ‘Libiamo’ from the opera ‘La Traviata’, and both closing the concert with Bocelli’s ‘Con Te Partirò’.

Conductor and concert coordinator, Ian Westrip OAM is the man behind this musical acclamation.

“I thought it was about time that somebody paid tribute to these two gentlemen who have contributed so much to the Italian community, and I thought it was appropriate to do it in a musical concert,” Ian says.

Ian met John and Giuseppe through his involvement with the Perth music and arts scene, and a lifelong friendship developed over decades of association.

John, who is sadly no longer with us, arrived in Fremantle on January 9, 1938, and went on to establish D’Orsogna Smallgoods in 1949 with his brother Tom.

Once the family business had blossomed, John and his brother involved themselves in many community initiatives, sponsoring and breathing life into cultural activities significant to the Italian community in WA.

In 1960, the brothers established the D’Orsogna Cup, a soccer competition which gave prominence to one of Italy’s favourite sports at a time when Australian Rules was “it” as far as football went.

Extending beyond the world of sport, D’Orsogna devoted much of his time to the WA Italian Club, and formed the Italian Choir in Perth, acting as president for many years.

Ian fondly recalls the moment he witnessed a striking example of John’s philanthropy while conducting the WA Italian Choir for a special event which Gough Whitlam was attending.

“All the Italian boys were mostly truck drivers and concrete workers, and there was no way that they owned a tail suit or dinner jacket, so John supplied jackets and trousers for around 30 guys, which must’ve cost him a fortune even back in those days,” Ian says.

“That’s the sort of thing that John did; he was a philanthropic person.”

D’Orsogna was also part of the first committee of the West Australian Opera Company, which is now a major facet of the arts in WA, and devoted his later years to the Italian community.

The D’Orsogna family is proudly supporting the concert alongside the Italian Consulate, and John’s son, Marco will make a speech in honour of his parents.

Giuseppe, affectionately known as Beppe, is celebrated for his contribution to music and the arts, founding the West Australian Opera Company in 1968.

Bertinazzo rose to international fame as an opera singer, performing regularly at the world-famous La Scala in Milan alongside singing greats of that era including Tito Gobbi, Giuseppe Di Stefano and Joan Sutherland.

Giuseppe studied alongside famous Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo in Rome, and is still celebrated as a hero for saving Domingo and his wife from drowning during a trip to the beach.

Bertinazzo left his opera career behind in Italy, giving it all up to settle in Perth in 1966.

“Beppe decided that Western Australia needed opera, so he really is the motivator and the founder of the West Australian Opera Company,” Ian says.

Giuseppe went on to sing and direct for the company, channelling his musical talent to promote opera within WA.

Bertinazzo also invested much of his energy and time into working for the Italian Consulate in charge of welfare and pensions.

To this day Giuseppe is still an influential and popular figure within the community of WA.

“He’s very well-known and very well-liked and he has a wonderful, gentle manner,” Ian says.

“He’s a real gentleman and a lovely guy.”

Giuseppe will attend VIVA ITALIA alongside both the Bertinazzo and D’Orsogna families, for a night of celebration and well-deserved recognition.

“We’re hoping to get a lot of people along that have benefited at some point from the input of D’Orsogna and Bertinazzo,” Ian says.

“I think everybody will enjoy the moment.”