The City Council of Palazzolo Acreide has appointed Dave Monaco as Ambassador of the city.

The decision was unanimously approved during the council meeting held on June 8, in recognition of the young tenor’s role in promoting the image, culture and traditions of Palazzolo Acreide both in Italy and abroad.

Monaco, who is currently rehearsing for “Enrico di Borgogna” in Venice, said, “It is an immense honor, and I would like to thank the City Council, the municipal administration and my fellow citizens, who have overwhelmed me with messages of congratulations. Receiving such a distinction from the city where your roots lie, where lifelong friends still live, where your closest relationships were formed and where your identity took shape, carries a very special meaning. I was born in Brescia and now live in Bologna; my profession takes me constantly on the road and often far from home. For this reason, when people ask me where I come from, the answer is never straightforward: I was born in Lombardy, I live in Emilia-Romagna, but I grew up in Palazzolo Acreide. Over the years, I have come to understand that neither the place where you are born nor the place where you live can fully define who you are.

“What shapes you is the place where your roots are planted,” he continued. “My roots are in Palazzolo Acreide. If today I am able to bring my art to stages across Italy and around the world, it is also because this is where the foundations of the man I strive to be every day were laid. I will do everything I can to carry the name of Palazzolo Acreide far and wide, and to share the story of our city: its two-thousand-year history, its civilisation, its extraordinary beauty, its archaeological heritage, its historic palaces and churches, two of which – dedicated to Saint Paul and Saint Sebastian – have been recognised as UNESCO World Heritage sites. I do not see this title as a personal accolade, but rather as an even stronger bond with the community that raised me. I owe it to all us palazzulisi, because we know that nurturing and cherishing our roots is what allows the branches to grow strong and flourish, wherever the wind may carry them. I hold you all dearly in my heart and thank you sincerely. I will do everything in my power to be an Ambassador worthy of the affection and trust you have shown me.”

Monaco is the third prize winner of the Operalia competition and has performed with the Canadian Opera Company, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Teatro Malibran, and Rossini Opera Festival, among others. He is known for his Rossini roles and has performed such works as “La Cenerentola,” “Il Barbiere di Siviglia,” “L’italiana in Algeri,”  “Il turco in Italia,” and Tancredi.”