Restoring Milan's Duomo, one statue at a time
In a workshop in the Milan suburbs, sculptor Giovanni Calderino completes his latest project -- a battered statue from the top of the Italian city's gothic cathedral, and its gleaming white replacement. Depicting a bearded man wearing a tunic, the marble statue has adorned one of the Duomo's 135 spires for two centuries. But decades of harsh weathe...
Francis Ford Coppola, a 2024 Kennedy Center honoree, looks back on his groundbreaking career
Francis Ford Coppola, the visionary director behind "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now," was named a 2024 Kennedy Center honoree earlier this year, celebrating his lifetime of artistic achievements. Over a career spanning more than half a century, the 85-year-old filmmaker has earned five Oscars, six Golden Globes, two Palme d'Or awards and a BAFT...
No. 1 book of the century, ‘My Brilliant Friend’, is subject of UC Berkeley research, courses
My Brilliant Friend, by the pseudonymous Italian author Elena Ferrante, is the New York Times’ No. 1 book of the century. This recognition, and the recent adaptation of Ferrante’s four-novel Neopolitan Quartet into an HBO series, underscores this writer’s profound influence. Ferrante’s popular novels, translated into English by Ann Goldstein, are...
Why I’m documenting my nonna’s recipes – and the history behind them
Every year, one month before the holidays, my mom and my grandmother would start planning. The two of them hosted Christmas: One would take Christmas Eve, the other Christmas Day. My mom would start by writing out a work-back schedule, scribbled notes peeking out of cookbooks that included ideas for specialty cocktails and cookies. She excelled at...
Olive oil journey in Puglia
This tour, in which Gambero Rosso has accompanied the most important consortium in the Italian olive oil sector, has featured dinners and tastings in search of the perfect pairings, alongside events and seminars that have introduced the general public to the excellence of Puglia’s “green gold.” The last leg of this journey took place from 11 to 15...
Hofstra Prof Pens Journalism Textbook on Strategic Storytelling
Chris R. Vaccaro, the director of graduate journalism and an associate adjunct professor at The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, has penned a new journalism textbook emphasizing strategic storytelling. Focusing on how the modern newsroom operates, News Writing and Reporting: A Strategic Approach to Storytelling (Sage Publications) prepares...
Italy’s Christmas lexicon: dialects, greetings, and cultural wisdom
Italy’s regional cultural diversity means that the country’s traditions, food and, indeed, way of speaking are manifold. Such variety also influences its Christmas traditions, with each region celebrating the festive season with unique customs and, indeed, expressions and words. This linguistic variety stems from Italy’s complex history of regional...
Celebrating Italian Space Day: Bridging Italy’s Legacy with Michigan’s Innovation
Tuesday night, the Consulate of Italy in Detroit hosted a momentous Italian Space Day event, marking the 60th anniversary of Italy’s entry into space with the historic launch of San Marco 1 in 1964. Italy’s groundbreaking achievement positioned it as the third nation, after the United States and the Soviet Union, to launch an artificial satellite i...
Italy's Neos Air adds New York-Bari nonstop
Italian leisure airline Neos Air will fly nonstop service between New York JFK and the southeastern Italy city of Bari. The weekly summer seasonal flight will operate weekly between June 3 and Oct. 15. It will be the first transatlantic service from Bari and the third Neos route to the U.S., joining flights to JFK from Milan and Palermo. Neos will...
Italian Women in Chicago, Volume II, Siamo arrivate (We have arrived)
The Casa Italia Library/ Italian Cultural Center (Chicago) announces the release of Italian Women in Chicago, Volume II, Siamo arrivate (We have arrived). This anthology is a collection of stories, spotlights, poetry, and much more. You can order Italian Women in Chicago vol ii from Casa Italia here. Focusing on “Saving Our Stories,” “Pop Culture,”...
Rome Jubilee 2025: Everything you need to know
The Jubilee, or Holy Year, is a deeply significant event in the Catholic Church, celebrated approximately every 25 years. In 2025, Italy will once again host millions of pilgrims from around the globe for this extraordinary spiritual occasion. Rooted in the ancient tradition of pilgrimage and renewal, the Jubilee offers believers an opportunity to...
We Can Learn Much from Italian Traditions
From time to time, Frank Tropiano will drive past the tiny structure he called home after he and his parents, three sisters and his grandparents arrived in this country in 1966, a structure that was attached to the rear of the house on 7311 Susquehanna St. in Homewood, PA. "Our address was literally 7311 Susquehanna Rear," he explained. The humble...