Luigi Catalano, the future founder of the Napa Valley Symphony, was born in Lercara Friddi, Sicily, Italy, near Palermo, on November 29, 1881.
He attended the Palermo Conservatory of Music, where he studied violin and conducting. He found employment as the first violin in various orchestras in Italy and France.
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| This wonderful portrait of Luigi conducting, was signed in French on January 1, 1905, "From Paris, Best Wishes." |
Luigi Catalano in Paris, 1905
Happy Easter 1906, Palermo: Luigi and His Violin Conducting the Locals
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| An Original Lithograph: Best Wishes and Happy Easter, April 4, 1906, Signed by the Artist and Friends |
Luigi Catalano Arrives at Ellis Island, New York City, September 1906
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Luigi Catalano arrived in the United States in 1906 to begin his new life as a musician. Opportunities were few in Italy and especially in his native Sicily, so he joined the masses of his compatriots coming to America in pursuit of their dreams.
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Violist Paolina Civiletti (Catalano) and Violinist Nelina Civiletti (Schiro), circa 1903
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| Paolina Civiletti, who later married Luigi Catalano, was, along with her sister, a talented musician. This photo was taken arouound the time they and the rest of their family immigrated to the United States from Palermo, Sicily, settling first in Boston. By 1910, they were living in San Francisco and playing at musicales in private homes. At the time of the photo, Paolina was about fifteen years old and Nelina, about fourteen. |
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Paolina Civiletti (later Catalano), 1903
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The House in Pacific Heights where Luigi, Paolina and Nelina Played for Wealthy Music Lovers
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| 2698 Pacific Street, built 1906 by Julius J. Mack, whose wealth came from the wholesale drug company, J.J. Mack. The room on the lower left was the music room of this gracious mansion where musical evenings were held for the social elite of San Francisco, including Alma Spreckels, the doyenne of San Francisco society, who found the room's acoustics "beautiful;" and Sigmund Stern and his wife Rosalie Meyer Stern (sister of Washington Post founder Eugene Meyer), who went on to donate and fund Sigmund Stern Grove, the lovely outdoor theater home of summer concerts in San Francisco. |
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| This 1912 article from the San Francisco Chronicle is the first time that Luigi's name appeared in a newspaper, but it wasn't the last! Kohler and Chase Hall was at 26 O'Farrell St. and held many classical music concerts over the years. |
Luigi Catalano, Director of the Strand Theater Orchestra, Modesto CA, 1921
At the beginning of 1921, Luigi and his family moved to Modesto, California from San Francisco so that Luigi could take up his new position as the Director and Conductor of the Strand Motion Picture Theatre Orchestra.
According to Wikipedia, "From the beginning, music was recognized as essential, contributing to the atmosphere and giving the audience vital emotional cues. Once full feature films became commonplace, however, music was compiled from "photoplay music" by the pianist, organist, orchestra conductor or the movie studio itself, which included a cue sheet with the film. These sheets were often lengthy, with detailed notes about effects and moods to watch for. Starting with the mostly original score composed by Joseph Carl Breil for D.W. Griffith's groundbreaking epic The Birth of a Nation (USA, 1915) it became relatively common for the biggest-budgeted films to arrive at the exhibiting theater with original, specially composed scores.
By the height of the silent era, movies were the single largest source of employment for instrumental musicians (at least in America)."
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Letter to Luigi from His Niece, Dora Schiro, July 1921
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| Letter to Luigi from his 8-year-old niece Dora Schiro--she clearly really loves her Uncle Luigi! |
Luigi Conducts the Orchestra at the Haight Theater, San Francisco 1922
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| The Haight Theater, in about 1939, long after sound films replaced theater orchestras |
Luigi Catalano in Modesto, Orchestra Leader and Virtuoso Violin Teacher,1922-24
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| June, 1922 |
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| April 4, 1923 |
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Catalano Family Homes in San Francisco
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| The lower left flat was home to the Catalanos in the 1910s. Daughter Vera was born in 1912. |
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| On the family's return to San Francisco from Modesto in 1924, with their second daughter Gloria, they lived here at 898 Union St. |
A Musical Gift from Luigi's Former Music Professor
Vespertina, A Medieval Song for Violin and Piano, by Rosario Profeta
of Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Illustration by F. Cutino
The printed dedication reads (in French): To Mademoiselle Altes Lycresy,
In the days of happiness...
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The handwritten inscription reads: To My Dear Luigi Catalano, whose artisitic merit is equaled by his integrity- [From] His old teacher, R. Profeta. It is dated the 22nd of August, 1928.
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