IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ. Your feedback is welcomed. EDITORIAL - 01/03/15 WHEN ONE IS NOT A TENOR TRIO AND THREE DOES NOT A SOLO ACT MAKE: WHERE IS FORTE GOING IN 2015? Looking back on 2013/2014, the following Forte facts become abundantly clear. As the 3 Administrators for the Forte Tenors Facebook fan page we have a responsibility to keep tabs on the “health” and pulse of Forte – where they have been and where they are going, helping where we can with fan feedback and observations. Since America’s Got Talent and Forte’s popularity skyrocketed, Forte fans anticipated regular Forte concerts with all 3 Forte members going forward. Looking back here’s what we found instead: 2013 (October – December) 2 venues / 4 public concerts: Nov – Carnegie Hall, NYC Dec – Tropicana, Las Vegas, NV 2014 5 venues / 7 public concerts: Mar – Boca Raton, FL Apr – Denver, CO Apr – Fort Worth, TX Aug – The Villages, FL Dec – Bloomsburg & Glenside, PA It has now come to our attention, through various resources both public and private, that Fernando will not be available to perform with Forte until Mid-2015 according to his Manager, Paul Mascioli. Further and perhaps more disconcerting are various messages and rumors (again, both public and private) that we are all seeing and receiving on social media that Fernando may be separating from Forte in 2015. This is very disconcerting as in late November 2014, Fernando Varela’s 3-month, 50-city N.A. tour ended. We then expected to start 2015 with Fernando rejoining the group and delivering more concerts and venues that the fans here had been patiently requesting throughout 2014. Instead, we were shocked to see Fernando performing in NYC on New Years Eve – with 2 OTHER tenors, (Branden James and Justin Sargent) – instead of Forte brothers, Sean Panikkar and Josh Page. (We understand that they were both available for the Times Square show). This was the second time Fernando had performed in 2014 with Tenors other than Forte. Further, we get the impression that both Sean and Josh were “blindsided” by the NYC show. Tell us if we were wrong! As Administrators for the Forte Tenors Fan Page, whose job it is to keep abreast of Forte shows and news, I can honestly say that Sally, Barb and I were also blindsided and learned of it as all others here did - from a photo posted by Fernando on his FB page on a plane with wife, Susan, enroute to the Marriott Marquis New Years Eve show in Times Square, New York. Why was it such a surprise? We mention Susan Williams only because she also performed in this New Years Eve show. This leads us to believe that Fernando may have had control over who performed with him. If such was the case, then he could have made this a true Forte show. Instead, it appears that he opted for the two other Tenors, Branden James and Justin Sargent to perform with him instead. According to all online Bio’s, Fernando is not just a Soloist, he is also a show producer, song writer, and as of July, he “was working on a new album of mostly original music” (PRWeb, 07/16/14) that had him traveling between London, Nashville and Los Angeles throughout 2014. Fernando also co-manages a busy entertainment group with his business partner, Paul Mascioli of Mascioli Entertainment of Florida, (which includes a Classical Crossover group, “Four Divo”, very similar to Forte, and in which Fernando also performs. Branden James is one of the Four Divo). We’d also like to note here that, while this growing group of Forte fans waited patiently for a Forte performance, Fernando opted to produce and perform in 4, Four Divo shows in late July at The Villages in Florida. From the Villages-News, 07/12/14: “Branden James, a California native and one of the ‘Four Divos , ‘ is considered a classical-crossover singer. He was a finalist in ‘America’s Got Talent’ (season 8), and sang at the Vatican for Pope Benedict XVI’s 80th birthday. Craig Irvin has a wide repertoire of opera roles in his portfolio, including Carmen and A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center and with other notable opera companies in America and Canada. Todd Mummert, from York, Pennsylvania, has been a featured soloist with several major cruise ship lines, including Celebrity and Holland America, and in Las Vegas at The Palms, The Venetian, MGM Grand and Studio 54 Las Vegas. Todd is not only a versatile stage performer, he is also involved with show production, free-lance writing and directing, costume and scenic design.” It would be another month before Fernando performed with Forte – at The Villages – 5-months since the last Forte show in Fort Worth, TX in April. Fernando then left on his heavily marketed, 3-month North American Solo tour. It would be 4 months before he was available to do the next Forte performance in Pennsylvania in December. Bottomline: Forte performed only twice – during the 8 months from April to December. It should also be noted that the August 23rd & 24th Forte shows at The Villages, Florida, were “watered down” as Fernando produced it to include several “guest performers” (some from his Mascioli Entertainment group). The 2 shows included 3 performances by singers Deanna Dellacioppia, 2 performances by his niece, Grace, 2 performances by his wife, Susan Williams, and 7 different songs performed by pianist, William Joseph. Show attendees reported that they heard that Forte members, Sean and Josh, only learned of the guest stars just days prior to their arrival in Florida. They also heard many complaints about this from the many Forte fans - who paid $125 to $250 each and had traveled from afar (New Mexico, Canada, New York, California and more). “We paid to hear Forte – not watch The Ed Sullivan Show”, was heard from one Forte fan. Fernando clearly signaled his desire to be a Soloist and Producer long before Forte came along. (Read any of his Bio’s. Forte is not even mentioned on the Mascioli Entertainment website). However, America’s Got Talent was a huge opportunity that Fernando could not ignore. Little did he know that Forte would finish 4th – out of 75,000 auditions. To his credit, it appears that Fernando tried to accommodate Forte but has seemingly failed – and damaged them and their fans in the process. We think that the info we have presented here clearly demonstrates that that is exactly what Fernando is planning – a Soloist / Producer and song writing career that does not include Forte. To quote Fernando in the Villages-News on 07/12/14: “My primary goal, right from the beginning, was to do what I love to do –singing – and not have to get a day job. This is all I do.” Song writing is another goal. Varela has spent time in the past year writing music in Los Angeles, Nashville and London, England. “It’s the next step, to be a songwriter,” he said. “And for me, it’s a big leap.” Sally, Barb and I have kept our thoughts private – until now that we are all seeing and hearing information that we can no longer keep to ourselves – including social media posts and private messages. We would be remiss if we did not share this information with you (Fernando possibly shortening or even terminating his work with Forte). So many of you have expressed similar frustrations and either complained to us or voiced your concerns on the Facebook fan page about what was happening with Forte. We could no longer keep quiet especially after seeing a Forte member, who had already been absent from the group for months, participate in a high profile show without Sean and Josh, and worse, with 2 other tenors instead – again. If frustration is high for us here, we have to believe that it is immeasurable for Forte brothers, Sean Panikkar and Josh Page. We believe that Forte 2015 cannot continue this way. We all know what an amazing voice and stage presence that Fernando Varela has. But we also believe that he may be stretched way too thin by his many other endeavors. It may be time for Forte members to sit down and discuss their future(s) – then let their many fans know what they really want to do – and should do so going forward into this new year. Forte CAN succeed – but not like this. - Ellen Bemben - Sally Hout - Barb Antonelli Administrators NOTE: No member of Forte knows of this editorial as of this writing.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 01:06:50 +0000
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