Nina Pane Sanseverino was born in New Haven, CT on December 2, 1939, to the late Luigi and Giuseppina Pastore Pane. Nina is the youngest of four children, Josephine, Louise and Gaetano. Nina appeared on stage for the first time at the age of three. She followed her Mother’s path singing the beloved Canzone Napoletana.
At age twenty-one she married Emilio Sanseverino. Continuing her career with her mother, she performed in theaters throughout the Atlantic Seaboard, bringing the enjoyment of Neapolitan Music to thousands of Americans and Canadians of Italian origin.
Nina was featured with many of Italy’s finest performers: Nunzio Gallo, Giacomo Rondinella, Aurelio Fierro, Peppino DiCapri, Gilda Mignonette, Claudio Villa, Domenico Modugno, and many more. She also shared the spotlights with such Italian-American artists as Paul Anka, Bobby Vinton, Toni Arden, Lou Monte, Jimmy Roselli and Vincent Gardenia. She toured convalescence homes and hospitals. On one occasion she toured the West Haven Veteran’s Hospital with notable personalities on their V.I.P. day. She sang for our veterans on this tour and she was with the great boxing champ Willie Pep this was such a memorable experience for her.
In the compassionate tradition of her late mother, Nina continues to give magnanimously of herself in performing for the benefit of churches and charities in addition to her regular appearances.
With the passing of her Mother in 1991 after sixty-nine continuous years on the stage and in the Italian Theatre, Nina has dedicated herself to fulfilling Giuseppina’s desire to keep the Neapolitan heritage alive and thriving. Her voice and her art are a tribute to both her parents as well as to the Canzone Napoletana, of which she is one of the principal promoters.
Nina has been the recipient of many prestigious awards: The New Haven Women’s Division of American Committee on Italian Migration; Wooster Square Reunion Committee; Special Congressional Recognition of Outstanding and Invaluable Service to the Community; Special Official Citation from the New Haven Board of Aldermen; just to name a few. In addition, Nina was inducted into the St. Bernadette’s Music Hall of Fame. Most recently Nina was the recipient of the St. Patrick’s Neighborhood Reunion from New Haven, CT and her award plaque read as follows:
NINA’S CAPTIVATING VOICE HAS GRACE, WARMTH, LOVE, PASSION AND PROFESSIONALISM – MUSIC IS HER LIFE AND HER PLEASURE – IT IS HER MAGNIFICENT GIFT FROM GOD WHICH SHE GENEROUSLY LOVES SHARING WITH HER AUDIENCES.
