Scacciapensieri: the enchanting Sicilian jaw harp with a hypnotic sound
Chances are that, if you watched a movie set in Sicily, you unknowingly heard the unmistakable, twangy sound of the scacciapensieri. Small and unassuming, it is known as “jaw harp” or “Jew’s harp” in English, and produces a metallic vibration that is both rhythmic and quite hypnotic. Scacciapensieri has been a staple of Sicilian folk music for cen...
Art Teacher and Cartoonist Doris Nitti Dies at 92
Art teacher and cartoonist Doris Nitti, formerly of Provincetown, died peacefully on Feb. 13, 2025 at Greenridge Place, an assisted living community in Rocky Hill, Conn. She was 92. Doris was born on Dec. 14, 1932 in East Haven, Conn. Her Provincetown neighbor Padric Meagher said she was the adopted daughter of Joseph and Julia (Pecoraro) Nitti, wo...
The underrated Italian islands with smouldering good looks
Anita Motta takes a sip of her ginger margarita and considers the kind of people who visit the Aeolian Islands. “They’ve changed,” she says, as we sit on the veranda of Il Principe di Salina, the elegant boutique hotel she co-owns on Salina, the second largest of the islands. “When I was little my parents brought me on the overnight ferry from Napo...
The Differences Between Food Health in Italy and the U.S.
Many travelers from the United States are often shocked when they arrive in Italy and are met with food options such as pasta, bread, cheese, wine, and pizza. Although this might seem like a daunting diet, Italian food and ingredients often have a very different effect than if one were to eat this diet in the United States. Why is there such a diff...
Italian Wine Exports Hit Record High in 2024
Italy’s wine exports reached a record €8bn in 2024, with nearly 22 million hectoliters shipped abroad, buoyed by strong international demand and stockpiling in the U.S. ahead of potential new tariffs on EU goods, reaffirmed by Donald Trump in recent weeks. Exports grew 5.5% in value, while volumes rebounded 3.2% after last year’s decline. Sparkling...
Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra Celebrates Founder Maestro Matteo Giammario's 100th Birthday
The Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra (GPYO) is proud to celebrate the 100th birthday of its esteemed founder, Maestro Matteo Giammario. A visionary in music education and performance, Maestro Giammario's legacy continues to inspire generations of young musicians. Born in Trenton, NJ, to Italian immigrant parents from the Puglia region, Matteo Giam...
Rome villa with rare Caravaggio mural opens to visitors of blockbuster show
A historic Rome villa with the world's only known ceiling painting by Caravaggio will open its doors exclusively to visitors of the blockbuster show dedicated to the Baroque genius. The Casino di Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi, better known as Villa Aurora, is home to the 25th work in Caravaggio 2025 - the Rome exhibition that everyone is talking about...
Immigrant entrepreneurs and the growth of businesses in Italy
In the last ten years, while the total number of Italian businesses has decreased by 1.7%, companies led by entrepreneurs born abroad have increased by 32.7%, surpassing 659,000 in 2023 and representing over 11% of the total. Sole proprietorships remain the majority (482,918, accounting for 73% of the total), but the real change lies in the expone...
Albergo diffuso e slow tourism, two extraordinary Italian excellences in the world of tourism
These days marks the twentieth anniversary of the Associazione Nazionale degli Alberghi Diffusi, which embraces and protects these hotels integrated with the landscape, offering many options for all types of travelers, for all budgets: a truly Italian invention. Farmhouses, refuges, trulli, masserie, and cabins. In the countryside, high altitudes,...
The impact of US tariffs on Italian exports and economy
The Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) has analyzed the danger to the Italian economy posed by the tariffs repeatedly announced by the new U.S. administration, which are currently expected to take effect on April 2, unless reconsidered. In Italy, exports have been a fundamental resource for many production sectors in the past five yea...
Celebration of World Poetry Day. Opening of the exhibition "Voice Portraits” at the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco
On March 21st, in celebration of World Poetry Day, the Italian Institute of San Francisco inaugurates the exhibition "Voice Portraits: Evenings Will Return… The Voice of Italian Poetry", curated by Italian artist Giovanna Iorio, at its venue in historic Jackson Square, 710 Sansome Street. The exhibition is open to the public until May 31st. The tit...
Ammara•Prosseda Piano Duo ~ Music Tour from Italy to NoHo
When: Sun, Apr 6, 2025 at 4:00 PM - Where: 11455 Burbank Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 91601 Get ready for an unforgettable evening of classical music with the brilliant Ammara• Prosseda Piano Duo all the way from Italy! Join us on Sun, Apr 06, 2025 at 4:00 PM in the NoHo Arts District for a mesmerizing performance. Experience the magic of four hands play...
