Italian mezzo soprano Benedetta Orsi will release a CD in early October entitled Christmas Around the World, which she has recorded to help bring attention to pediatric nerve and psychiatric disorders and the work of FANEP Onlus (Associazione Famiglie Neurologia Pediatrica), a nonprofit medical organization based in her native Bologna that has provided support and care for these children and their parents for more than thirty years.

She is pairing the CD release with a fundraising campaign on gofundme.com, (search "FANEP ONLUS") as
well as a concert tour to promote the recording, with all proceeds going to FANEP. "I have a godchild who has benefited greatly from the work of FANEP Onlus, and she has helped me to see just how many children suffer with these disorders, which is why I wanted to do something to help," said Ms. Orsi in a recent interview.

"I feel every artist needs to give back at each stage of a career, and I hope that my efforts will help bring more attention to children whose illnesses are often misunderstood because they are not as obvious as broken bones and diseases with visible symptoms."

Ms. Orsi will continue promoting the CD with a concert tour in December that will begin in New York and include appearances in Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, Liguria and cities in Spain. The CD will be available on iTunes, Amazon.com, Ars Publica and Ms. Orsi's own website, www.benedettaorsi.com

The CD is being produced in association with Barry Alexander & Cosmo Buono of Alexander & Buono International, and includes songs like Adam's Cantique de Noël, Mascagni's Ave Maria, and "Blue Christmas" by Billy Hayes and Jay Johnson, made  famous by Elvis Presley. The musical arrangements are by Giuseppe Devastato and composer Alberto Buffolano, with photography by Andrea Cencini.