“We found Faith through a fluke,” said the award-winning singer and PBS-TV host Cristina Fontanelli, referring to Faith Mullaly, a 13-year-old Montauk student who will be performing at the Basilica of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Southampton on Saturday as part of a charitable concert organized by the Cristina Fontanelli Foundation.
After a career in singing that has taken her around the world to perform with legends such as Tony Bennett and given her the ability to host performances such as Andrea Bocelli’s “Live From Central Park,” Ms. Fontanelli passed the torch to the next generation of talent, dedicating the past 21 years to providing performance opportunities for young people.
“What makes us different,” she said, is that the young musicians are “not performing at a high school, they’re onstage performing with seasoned artists.” Ms. Fontanelli, who will also perform Saturday, is passionate about the power of the arts to heal “you physically, lower] people’s cholesterol and blood pressure. It helps children learn better. There’s scientific data that it will lower children’s heart rate, it calms them down.” Her foundation is working at present on a research paper to explore these concepts.
The foundation has hosted this annual concert to raise money for the historic church since 2021. At the height of the pandemic, her annual Christmas in Italy concert in New York City had to be suspended because “all the theaters were closed down.” Someone suggested she call Sacred Hearts, and a match was made. “We did it in the church. . . . I believe in God and that he gave me a venue,” she said.
To show her gratitude, Ms. Fontanelli created a new concert tradition called “A Southampton Salute to Summer,” highlighting East End talent. “I never hold auditions, somehow the right kids just come. And that’s why we have Faith and we’re so excited.”
Faith, whom Ms. Fontanelli found through St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church in Montauk, is a regular there and a participant in the New York State School Music Association conferences. She has performed at Bay Street Theater, the Old Whalers Church, the Blessing of the Montauk Fleet, the Montauk Lighthouse restoration ceremony (attended by Gov. Kathy Hochul) and, for the second year in a row, at Sacred Hearts.
“This girl was only 12 last year and she has the most amazing voice. It’s from heaven, her voice,” Ms. Fontanelli said. “I got a call from the church out there, saying, ‘Oh, by the way we have someone,’ and it was Faith.”
“I’m just looking forward to being there,” Faith said. She hopes that “people come to have a good time and listen to the amazing singers” and see the dancers. Faith will be performing “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical “Les Miserables.” Additional performances include arias from “La Boheme” and “Madame Butterfly,” as well as Broadway hits from “West Side Story,” “Hamilton,” “My Fair Lady,” and Italian songs such as “O Sole Mio” and “Granada.” Also performing will be Hannah Pak, a Southampton High School student; Antonio Watts, a Metropolitan Opera baritone, the tenor Matthew Cerillo, the dancer Christina Tsaveras, and the Russian pianist Alexander Chaplinskiy.
“We’re very fortunate that Cristina Fontanelli found Faith and we were able to coordinate and work with her,” said Cristine Asaro, Faith’s mother. “She loves to sing and share her gift with everybody. It seems to lift spirits and leave everyone happy and feeling good.”
The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $62 for adults, $20 for people 14 and younger, plus fees, and can be bought online at bit.ly/46Jb9w6 or by calling 800-316-8559.