Philadelphia Inquirer
By John F. Morrison
Tue, Nov. 09, 2004

Many South Philadelphia lovers of great singers have two idols: Frank Sinatra and Mario Lanza.

But Arturo Coppola was rapidly winning their hearts.

"In the last year or two, the Italian-American community really adopted him," said Mike Baldini, general sales manager of WPHT/1210 AM, which co-sponsors GravyFest, the celebration here of Italian culture. "He had an incredible talent."

It was at the GravyFest event three years ago that Coppola first came to the attention of Philadelphia audiences.

But his career was cut tragically short when he died yesterday of complications of pneumonia at the age of 52. He lived in Providence, R.I.

"He probably would have been a superstar in the next couple of years," said popular local bandleader Carmen Dee, with whom Coppola performed during his appearances in the Philadelphia area.

"He put me in mind of Sergio Franchi," Dee said. "He sang just as well.

"He was a super guy. The musicians in the band all loved him. They couldn't say enough about the guy. Everything he did was so smooth; he had all the right mannerisms. This is just an unbelievable tragedy."

Coppola, a native of Providence, R.I., had been performing around the country for years, but he was a fresh face when he came here three years ago to perform at GravyFest.

The annual event at the Wachovia Center, which also is sponsored by WOGL-FM and the Daily News, features many prominent performers as well as a gravy contest.

He was scheduled to perform at this year's GravyFest on Nov. 20.

"He was greatly admired in the city," said well-known South Philly tenor Frank Tenaglia, who, with his brother, John, a baritone, frequently performed with Coppola. "He was so magnetic on stage."

Coppola last performed here at the annual Vendemmia harvest festival in Girard Park in South Philadelphia Oct. 3.

Dee, whose orchestra backed him, said, "I thought he looked a little tired. I asked him how he felt and he said he was OK."

But it wasn't long after that that he was diagnosed with double pneumonia, which resulted in an infection that spread to his other organs.

Tenaglia said Sergio Franchi's widow, Ava, gave Coppola her husband's arrangements because she was so impressed by him.

"She believed in him so much," Tenaglia said.

Coppola was not only a great singer - a man who could sing anything, from opera to popular tunes - but a concert-quality pianist and arranger.

He was also a devoted family man.

"He took care of his elderly parents," Tenaglia said. "He had a wonderful family. He was the kind of guy who never had a bad word to say about anybody."

Coppola had appeared with the Tenaglia brothers for several years. They sang in Las Vegas, Hollywood, Calif., and elsewhere in the country.

A critic recently said, "Arturo Coppola is a concert artist whose thrilling voice, charming manner and showmanship embrace audiences whenever he performs.

"With a unique style of projection for all types of songs, an engaging stage presence and a certain elegance of the heart, Arturo is equally at home in operatic and popular concert material, and particularly, Continental love songs, Broadway hits, American popular standards and songs of passion."

He was born in Providence to Rodolfo and Gilda Coppola. He made his singing debut at the age of 9 in a school production and began taking accordion lessons.

At the Berklee College of Music in Boston, he became an accomplished piano player and majored in arranging and composition. While in school, he sang at local nightclubs.

After college, he took a road tour of the U.S., winding up in Las Vegas where he eventually headlined his own show, "The Romantic Moods of Arturo."

He frequently returned to Las Vegas to perform with other prominent entertainers.

Besides his parents, he is survived by two sisters, Debra and Marilyn, and a brother, Michael.

Services: 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. Mary's Church in Providence.

morrisj@phillynews.com
Philadelphia Daily News | 11/09/2004 | Arturo Coppola, 52, rising singing star
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