In the movie “Pretty Woman,” Richard Gere tells Julia Roberts during a date that people have a dramatic reaction to opera: they will either love it or hate it.
If they love it, it will become part of their soul, Gere says.
Opera is definitely part of Gina Perregrino’s soul. And yes, her favorite is “Carmen” and she’s not about to apologize for it. It is the role she’s always wanted to do.
“Being able to make it big, where you’re a household name, is close to impossible,” said Perregrino, a rising senior at Alexis I. duPont High School. “I’ve always felt that I could do it. I really believe that.”
WHY SHE’S COOL
Perregrino was one of 40 students and educators chosen from 150 who auditioned from across the United States to go to the Siena Summer Session for Music and the Arts in Tuscany, Italy, said Joseph Del Principe, music director of the program based in Waterbury, Conn. Perregrino and others students on the Siena trip will perform concerts in throughout Tuscany as well as Switzerland, Del Principe said. “I’ve been told by my voice teacher [Peabody’s Elysabeth Catbas] that I have a different voice – a lot of meat to it,” Perregrino said. She just needs a little help to pay for the $3,600 trip.
NOTABLE
Perregrino missed the minimum age by six moths but her mother gave her permission for the trip. “We’ve been doing this for 35 years and we know who will benefit from this trip,” Del Principe said. “I think she’s promising. She needs to have good teachers and she needs a lot of exposure to performing.” Most importantly, she will learn the language of Puccini, Verdi, Mascagni, etc. – the Tuscan dialect. Perregrino said a trip to Italy is a dream come true. It is where her family is from, and it is where opera originated.
VITAL STATS
Age: 17
Hometown: Wilmington (Woodland Heights)
Academics: She just completed 11th grade at Alexis I. duPont High School and hopes to attend The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia to become an opera singer.
Family: She is the youngest of three siblings. Her older brothers are Steve, 24, and Sal, 26. She lives with her parents Michael and Charlene.
Favorite pastimes: Opera singing, playing the piano and salsa dancing.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
A.I. duPont teachers, asked to give $1 to $5 to help Perregrino, gave $220 and the A.I. Band Boosters contributed $300 even though she is not a member of the band, said band director Paul Parets. Private sources gave another $300 for a total of $820. Contributions can still be mailed to Paul L. Parets, Director of Bands, Alexis I. duPont High School, 50 Hillside Road, Greenville, DE, 19807. Checks should be made out to A.I. Band Boosters/Gina.
