Note Worthy
Internationally famous opera singer and Cabot native Marianne Cornetti is slated to perform “Hansel and Gretel” with the Pittsburgh Opera in November.
But baseball fans got an early taste of her talent when she sang the national anthem before the June 24 Pirates-Arizona Diamondbacks game.
Recognized as one of the leading Verdi mezzo-sopranos in the world, Cornetti was at PNC Park to work for a cause close to her, raising money for the Neurofibromatosis Clinics Association's Pittsburgh Chapter.
It's important to her because Cornetti's 15-year-old niece, Marykate Cornetti, was diagnosed with the disease when she was 2 years old.
Neurofibromatosis is an inherited condition that carries a high risk of tumor formation, especially in the brain.
“Marykate will soon be 16 and she's had two brain surgeries. This is a genetic disease where benign tumors can grow anywhere on the body, and she, unfortunately, has them on her brain,” said Cornetti. “She's had two surgeries at Children's Hospital that have been very successful. But she has to get an MRI every three months.”
That's because tumors can grow wherever there is a nerve ending such as an optic nerve or the brain.
Sinikka Davis, a social worker for the NF Clinic at Children's Hospital, said, “A case of neurofibromatosis can be very mild or it can be very severe.
“Neurofibromatosis is a little bit complicated to learn about. There's not a cookie-cutter diagnosis,” said Davis.
Despite the many trips to the doctor and the recurrence of her tumors, Cornetti said her niece, the daughter of Dennis and Barbara Cornetti of Sarver, is “a beautiful child, she has a heart that is amazing.”
In fact, Cornetti said Marykate is the one who convinced her to become a fundraiser for the Neurofibromatosis Clinics Foundation.
Cornetti said, “How all this started was four or five years ago I was at a movie with Marykate and there was an ad for the Cancer Society.
“She said, 'Mimi (Cornetti's nickname) everybody knows them. Everybody gives to them.'
“She said, 'Mimi, you are the only one that can do anything about this,'” Cornetti said.
Wanda Harper, the president of the board of the foundation, said, “Four years ago she called out of the blue and offered to help. We have been blessed by the association with her.”
Harper added, “All of the money goes to the local association which is dedicated to raising awareness of the disease and improving the quality of life of our clients.”
Cornetti has been raising money for the foundation by singing at a Pirate game for four years.“It's an annual event. Two months before a game I choose a section and get 80 to 100 people to go.” she said.The Pirates will give a portion of the ticket price of the seats purchased to the foundation.“The Pirates have been so very generous. They actually gave a $1,000 donation the first year,” said Cornetti.Cornetti cites her Butler County upbringing for her success.“I get asked that a lot. How did a kid from Cabot become an international opera singer?” she said.The daughter of Pat and Wilson Cornetti, Cornetti credits her family and friends with helping her achieve her goals.She said, “My mother used to say, 'Close your eyes, if you can see your dream, you can be in your dream.'”“It's a gift from God born of passion and the village around you,” she said. “Family and friends do a lot of sacrificing to get you there.”And Cornetti's local roots came in handy during the game when she visited a stadium suite hosted by Blumling & Gusky LLP, a law firm whose managing partner, Robert J. Blumling, like Cornetti, is an alumnus of Winfield Township Elementary School and Knoch High School.She mingled with a group of fellow Knoch alumni and other fans and was presented with donations to the foundation. Cornetti has performed at opera houses in New York City, London, Rome, Berlin, Florence and Barcelona.But she said she's taking the summer off after 30 years of touring the world.
But that doesn't mean she isn't preparing for her next role, that of the Witch in “Hansel and Gretel.”“The witch is a fun, fun role. I've already begun the process. Next week I'm flying to London to work with my coach and teacher,” she said.And just as she sang “God Bless America” during the seventh-inning stretch for the first time at PNC Park, she is taking on a new challenge by singing the witch's role in English, for the first time.“I've always sung in another language,” Cornetti said. “This role is written in German but it will be sung in English. That's the first time I'll sing in English.”In the meantime, she said she is happy to raise money for and awareness of neurofibromatosis.Her niece, Marykate Cornetti, said, “'I, along with so many others who have NF are so blessed to have such great doctors, friends, family, teachers and some really amazing and kind people who care for us. It touches my heart that so many people care.”For more information, contact the Neurofibromatosis Clinics Association, PO Box 14185, Pittsburgh, 15239; phone: 412-795-3029; email: info@nfpittsburgh.org.
