New Statue Unsettles Italian City: Is It Celebrating a Poet or a Nationalist?
On a recent afternoon, a little girl gently patted the shoulder of a statue of the Italian writer Gabriele d’Annunzio, depicted sitting cross-legged and reading on a bench in a central square. “This is a girl who shows respect,” said Rosa Cacioppo Mantini, a 92-year-old retired high school literature teacher and committed Fascist who nearly every...
Are you ready for your Italian vendemmia?
Fall is one of the most exciting times of the year, mainly because it is time for vendemmia. The tradition of grape harvesting in Italy ushers in celebration and happiness. In the Roman Empire, it was a way to pay tribute to Bacchus, god of agriculture, wine, and fertility. Today, vendemmia is without a doubt one of the most interesting practices y...
Italian music, food, cinema, opera: San Francisco’s audience gets it all in one week
Starting November 17th, San Francisco will be home to a series of events about Italian music, food, cinema, and opera. There will be an opportunity for every Italy’s lover to listen to an outstanding Italian singer, to attend the opera featuring an Italian music director, to watch some of the latest movies by famous Italian directors and taste gre...
Riunione presso l’Ambasciata d’Italia a Washington dell’Italian Scientist and Scholars in North America Foundation (November 14, 2019)
The Embassy of Italy in Washington hosted the annual meeting of the Italian Scientist and Scholars in the North America Foundation (ISSNAF). The meeting, held under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic, was opened by the Italian Ambassador Armando Varricchio and by the President of the Foundation Vito Campese, who was awarded the Ord...
Rocco Baldelli named 2019 American League Manager of the Year
Narrowly edging out runner-up New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone, Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was awarded American League Manager of the Year on November 12, 2019. The Manager of the Year Award is specifically tailored for the manager of the team that most exceeded expectations. Winning the most games in franchise history since 1965, t...
Young Venetians volunteer after flood of their lifetimes
As soon as waters receded from this week’s devastating flood, about 50 young Venetians wearing rubber boots and gripped by a sense of determination showed up at the city’s Music Conservatory to help save precious manuscripts. Thanks to their work, some 50 linear meters of archival manuscripts, dating from as far back as the 1500s, lay strewn in the...
The American Friends Of The Donizetti Opera Festival Has Been Formed
THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE DONIZETTI OPERA FESTIVAL (AFDOF) has been formed to support the efforts of the Donizetti Opera Festival, an international celebration held each November in Bergamo, Italy, the birthplace of Gaetano Donizetti. AFDOF is charged with encouraging the collaboration of scholars, artists, and Donizetti devotees in the United St...
Prosecco, Italy’s Sparkling Wine
Prosecco was unknown in the US just a few decades ago and now is a common term. Why is prosecco so popular now with young professionals in major metropolitan areas? I believe the name prosecco has a classy ring to English speakers, and the wine itself is quite good and inexpensive. You can give the impression of offering an exotic bubbly wine for a...
New York Gallery Files Suit to Block Return of Ancient Artifact to Italy
A New York gallery won’t return an ancient bust of Alexander the Great to Italy without a legal fight. On Wednesday, Manhattan’s Safani Gallery filed a suit against the Republic of Italy in the city’s Southern District Court with the hope of stopping the bust—an artifact dating back to the first century—from heading back to its home country. Dubbed...
Italian restaurant in Franklin set to open before Thanksgiving
The Chateau, a family-owned Italian restaurant chain, is set to open its ninth Massachusetts location next week. The restaurant will begin serving its Italian cuisine on Wednesday at 466 King St., according to President Joe Nocera. It will open at 4:30 p.m. for dinner only, with both lunch and dinner being served starting on Monday, Nov. 25. Accord...
Team Italy manager Mike Piazza interviewed on MLB Network's Hot Stove
Team Italy manager Mike Piazza was interviewed by Matt Vasgersian and Harold Reynolds, hosts of MLB Network's live offseason morning news show--Hot Stove, on November 13, 2019. National Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza spoke in perfect Italian when asked about his level of language fluency while living with his family in Italy. A longtime advocat...
Southern Italy: Lavish Calabrese BBQs
Ever indulged in a lavish Calabrese BBQ and one in southern Italy? Unlike BBQs that I’ve been a part of in Australia or other countries, a Calabrese BBQ is unique – you’ll be surprised at the amount and the type of food served up. The freshness and amazing flavours of wholesome food in Calabria is attributed to produce being seasonal. Typically in...