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driving force behind the opera company's various projects and has directed most of its productions. He continued to work in the construction business throughout the 1980s while at the same time producing operas in different venues, including churches, schools, old vaudeville theatres, and even department stores.
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in
Manhattan and sang in amateur choruses and musicals but initially worked in the construction business, first for his uncle, and then with his own construction firm, HHM. In 1981, he founded New York's Dicapo Opera Theatre along with his high school music teacher Diane Martindale. He became the
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on
Manhattan's East Side. Capasso conceived and designed a permanent home and performance space for the company there in 1995 when he repurposed the lower level of the church, transforming the large, unused space into a 204-seat "jewel-box" theater. He was involved in most aspects of the
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205:'s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Leonardo Da Vinci Award for Cultural Achievement from the Italian Heritage and Culture Committee of New York. In 2004, he was named "Man of the Year" by the
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and is a member of the
Accademia Italiana della Cucina, a culinary group appointed by the Italian government to certify restaurants serving authentic Italian food.
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Capasso was named
General Director for NYCO Renaissance, an organization that obtained the rights to the name and assets of New York City Opera.
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construction project, even personally manning heavy equipment to dig the orchestra pit. Since that time, he has also directed productions for
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in New York City which he founded in 1981, he is presently the
General Director of New York City Opera.
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and in 2009 received a
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Capasso is a regular participant on the popular intermission quiz of the
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According to
Capasso, he fell in love with opera as a child when he saw
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443:"Italian Welfare League Holds Annual Autumn in New York Luncheon "
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in 1998. Other film credits include his direction of scenes from
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Italian
Heritage and Culture Committee of New York (2013).
288:"Connecticut Grand Opera Tackles Verdi's Classic Rigoletto"
128:, a biographical play with music on the life and career of
345:"Toledo Opera most charming in bringing La Boheme to life"
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American opera impresario and stage director (born 1960)
326:"Toledo Opera Reaches Rank Of Major Company With Tosca"
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and stage director. Formerly the
General Director of
64:In 1991 Dicapo Opera began performing regularly in
380:National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO)
307:"Toledo Opera To Offer Rare Production Of Norma"
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427:Year of Italian Culture in the United States
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155:. Capasso's film on the life and career of
104:In celebration of the 75th anniversary of
252:"Dicapo Opera's 2007 Season in New York"
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267:Agovino, Theresa (18 February 2013).
231:Blumenthal, Ralph (21 December 1996).
463:Golden Lion 32nd Annual Awards Dinner
403:The Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation
324:Cornelius, Steven (23 October 1999).
305:Cornelius, Steven (1 November 1996).
233:"He Knows His Opera: He Dug the Pit "
203:The Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation
197:Capasso has received New York City's
151:and a concert/lecture series for the
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547:American construction businesspeople
507:Audio interview with Michael Capasso
286:Cerreta, Karen (14 November 2004).
384:Medal Of Honor: Medalists Database
343:Vallongo, Sally (6 October 2012).
124:, a satire on the world of opera;
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362:Grant, Kimberly (12 March 2010).
66:St. Jean Baptiste Catholic Church
30:(born 1960) is an American opera
497:Dicapo at 30: The Song Continues
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364:"Porgy and Bess comes to Miami"
138:; translation of librettos for
23:Opera Producer, Michael Capasso
459:Order Sons of Italy in America
211:Order Sons of Italy in America
132:; a new book and libretto for
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552:Mannes School of Music alumni
172:The Secret Lives of Dentists
147:The Daughter of the Regiment
199:Ellis Island Medal of Honor
153:New-York Historical Society
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370:. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
269:"Lights out at the opera?"
250:Barnes, Clive (May 2007).
56:. He studied voice at the
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274:Crain's New York Business
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537:American opera directors
542:American opera managers
500:, brief documentary on
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58:Mannes College of Music
207:Italian Welfare League
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169:for the feature film
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441:(21 October 2004).
368:South Florida Times
182:live broadcasts on
412:2011-11-12 at the
389:2014-06-14 at the
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122:Opera Senza Rancor
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447:HighBeam Research
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491:Operabase
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