Italy del Giorno

Concierge in Umbria is owned and operated by the husband and wife, opera singing, travel consulting team of Maria Gabriella Landers and Brian Dore.  We married 11 years ago after meeting in a production of the coOPERAtive in New York City in which we were both singing.  Maria Gabriella, born in Frankfurt Germany and raised in Springfield, IL, moved to New York to study art history at Columbia University and opera performance at The Juilliard School.  As a soprano, Maria Gabriella has performed in such New York venues as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Central Park. Between singing jobs, she became a vice president at JPMorgan Partners in New York, where she managed technology and infrastructure support and delivery for this private equity and venture capital group.  She first visited Italy in 2000, when she visited Perugia with winnings from a vocal competition to study the Italian language. Maria Gabriella is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable admirer of ancient civilizations and the centuries old art found in the churches and structures of Italy.  In 2006, Maria was named an ?Ambassador of Italian Culture in the World? by the Universita? per stranieri in Perugia.  She is also a prodigious shopper and can direct our clients to the most elegant custom table linens, fine Italian papers and stationery, the most unique ceramics, and cashmere.

Brian is originally from Westbrook, CT, and has a degree in American History and Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from Manhattan School of Music.  A baritone, Brian, has performed with many opera companies and organizations in the United States and Europe including Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Boston Lyric Opera, Opera New England, Sarasota Opera and PORT Opera in Portland, Maine.  Currently, he is a regular performer at Theater Dortmund in Dortmund, Germany.  For several years, Brian supported his vocal training by cooking in some of New York?s premium restaurants including Sarabeth?s Kitchen, Bolo and Caviar Russe.

In our travels, we have enjoyed discovering the culinary and artistic treasures of Italy and are eager to share our knowledge with clients.  We have traveled extensively throughout Europe, and now divide our time between Umbria, Germany and Connecticut.