Tony Pinza – A Memorable Operatic Legend

Steven Pinza, President of The Pinza Group and licensed California Attorney. Since 1999 he has sold more than 125 apartment complexes.

Pinza sent Benakli and other tenants a letter demanding they vacate their apartments by July 31 due to major building repairs being conducted on the building.

Early Life and Education

Pinza studied civil engineering before being persuaded by his father to switch careers and start singing opera at Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma at Cremona. Later he made his Milanese debut at Teatro alla Scala; later still he graced the Metropolitan Opera stage for 22 seasons with great acclaim.

Pinza’s fame as an opera singer skyrocketed when he made his Broadway musical debut as one of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific productions in 1949, which ran for an amazing 1,925 performances! It became one of the greatest hits ever.

Benakli and her neighbors organized with a tenant rights group to stage a protest at 1120 Virginia Lane and 1760 Diane Court, where tenants have refused to pay 30% rent increases from Pinza’s property management company and demanded jury trials — something experts consider rare in eviction proceedings.

Professional Career

Pinza’s exceptional vocal, musical, and dramatic skills enable him to perform an array of roles. He has appeared in opera productions worldwide as well as recording numerous albums.

Pinza, according to CoStar, is the President of the top apartment sales brokerage in East Bay. Additionally, he holds both real estate brokering and attorney licenses and owns over 100 apartment buildings within Bay Area region – which set him apart from any other broker in this region.

Tenants at 1120 and 1127 Virginia Lane and 1760 Diane Court in Concord have organized a rent strike to stop Bodhi Family Investment LLC and Steven Pinza from increasing their rent by 27-30%. According to reports from tenants at these properties, Pinza has attempted illegal entry and attempted harassment before forcing tenants into paying his increased fees.

Achievement and Honors

Pinza was an unforgettable presence on the opera stage with his sleek locks and fedora, creating an inimitable image on stage. A beloved artist at the Metropolitan Opera for 22 years, he excelled in performing major Verdi roles such as La Forza del Destino, Simon Boccanegra, Aida, and Rigoletto – as well as appearing at Covent Garden, Paris Opera and Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires.

CoStar Group, a commercial real estate information, analytics, and online marketplace firm, awarded The Pinza Group and Steven Pinza with the Top Sales Firm and Broker awards based on total sale transactions closed annually – an achievement less than one percent of brokerage firms achieve annually.

CoStar ranks The Pinza Group as the premier apartment sales firm and broker in East Bay.

Personal Life

Tony enjoyed making friends everywhere he went from heavy metal concerts to football games and always had an engaging smile, hearty laugh, and quick wit. He especially cherished spending time with his son Josh and enjoying family traditions such as visits to the Washington State Fair on Fourth of July.

Steven Pinza of the Pinza Group purchased Benakli’s building and issued 60-day eviction notices, telling tenants they must move out for two months of repairs and pay an increased rent when returning – prompting Tenants Together to organize a rent strike which ultimately forced Bodhi Family Investment LLC to suspend a 30 percent rent hike while Pinza ceased managing it altogether.

Net Worth

At his peak in his fame at the Metropolitan Opera, Pinza was also in high demand throughout Europe and at Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, particularly for his performances of leading Verdi roles such as Pontifex Maximus, Simon Boccanegra, Aida, and Rigoletto.

In his autobiography, he recalls an incident during a performance of Mefistofele wherein he sang the high note “mondo” while with his father present and their truss snapped upon reaching this note.

Tenants Together, a Concord nonprofit organization, alleges that Pinza raised rents by 30% at one building that he manages and threatened tenants while trying to enter their apartments. Bodhi Family Investment LLC suspended this increase; Tenants Together plans on appealing this decision in court.