October 20, 2024
As promised, here’s the update on the Italian-American Museum in Little Italy. Located just off the corner of Mulberry and Grand Streets, it sits in the heart of what was once the largest Italian community in the United States during the first quarter of the 20th century. While the museum itself isn’t new, its location at 151 Mulberry Street is. The building’s modernist metal and glass facade stands out in this neighborhood of ancient tenements and sidewalk cafes. What’s inside though is what makes a visit here so worthwhile: the Manteo Puppet Collection.
Epic: “Orlando Furioso”
Susan Bruno (Above, left) told the Gazette that her mother, Anna Manteo Bruno, made costumes for these puppets. Susan helped her mother translate from Italian to English and said if her parents were alive today,“they’d tell you the story of every character, even quoting from the book.”
The Manteo Puppet Collection is a Century-old troupe of almost three dozen nearly life-sized, handmade, marionettes. They are the cast of Orlando Furioso, an epic 16th Century work by Ludovico Ariosto, that was performed a hundred years ago in the Manteo Puppet Theater located back then at 109 Mulberry Street.
Manteo Puppets
A sign at the exhibit explains that the puppets were created with a mix of materials including wood, metal and fabric. They stand 4 to 5 feet tall and weigh 50 to 100 pounds. Their period costumes were made with fabric obtained from discarded gowns and other elegant attire. Armor was sometimes fashioned from hubcaps, toasters and scrap metal. Voices of the puppets belonged to members of the Manteo family. Papa Mike Manteo wrote the dialogue.
“The Manteo family carved, clothed, and brought these inanimate objects to life every night to the delight of crowds who would flock to Mulberry Street to see their favorite characters battle each other in their tales of chivalry.”
Members of the Manteo Family and puppets.
Michael John Manteo (Above, center, white shirt) said, “It’s great that this art has been preserved.” The puppets spent more than a decade stored in a basement on Mulberry Street before being rediscovered. Michael said the technology is different but Orlando Furioso is an epic tale like Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and The Iliad. “The family is bound together by this art form and it’s something to pass on to the next generation. This is what our ancestors did.”
He said his family is part of the fabric of America and they remember their roots. “This is a contribution to America.”
The Italian American Museum has been in contact with a Sicilian Puppet Theater Company in Catania, “Fratelli Napoli.” They want to bring them to the Museum for several live performances so visitors can experience this unique art form, which can otherwise only be seen in Sicily.
“In our Museum, we seek to tell our whole story from Columbus to Cuomo and everything in between, our struggles and our accomplishments through hard work, ingenuity and perseverance. It has not always been easy but we have much to be proud of, for our contributions to American society are enormous. Now we will have a secular cathedral for all to see, experience and appreciate where we came from and what we have achieved.”
~Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, Founder and President, Italian American Museum.
Columbus Day at the Museum.
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The Museum is open 12 to 5 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Sundays and Wednesdays are appointment only.
Admission is $15 for adults; $10 for Senior Citizens and children under 12.
151 Mulberry Street, NYC