WORTH REPEATING
“Among the innumerable monuments of architecture constructed by the Romans, how many have escaped the notice of history, how few have resisted the ravages of time and barbarism! And yet even the majestic ruins that are still scattered over Italy and the provinces would be sufficient to prove that those countries were once the seat of a polite and powerful empire. Their greatness alone, or their beauty, might deserve our attention; but they are rendered more interesting by two important circumstances, which connect the agreeable history of the arts with the more useful history of human matters. Many of these works were erected at private expense, and almost all were intended for public benefit.” ~ Edward Gibbons, History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Chapter 2
IN THE NEWS
November 20, 2005 - Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, SD) - Italian Influence: Five Area Artists Head to Sorano for Inspiration and Come Home Ready for a Show
Five Sioux Falls-area artists who traveled to Italy this summer are showing examples of work they did during their stay in Sorano. The exhibit is called “Sorano Cinque,” and is up now through Dec. 31 at Jean Larsen’s Nuance Gallery & Studio in Beresford. The work includes paintings by Karen Gage, Kevin Dumdei and Agnes “Bobbie” Alsgaard-Lien, jewelry by Gage and Diane Dumdei, and photography by Fred Gage. Alsgaard-Lien also has ink drawings in the show. “We have a friend who lets us use his place there in Sorano, north of Rome,” Gage said. “It was very hot, over 100, so we didn’t paint as much as we had hoped.” Still, she completed many paintings on location. Her works are done in an 8-by-10-inch format. She also made jewelry. Gage gathered acorns from Rome and cast them in silver, then coated them with gold. Other pieces of her jewelry are inspired by ancient Rome, using old methods of simple bead and stone construction.
For the complete story visit the following link:
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051120/LIFE/511200305/1004
November 20, 2005 – NY Times (NYC, NY) - To Restore a Roman Piazza, the Unknowns Get the Boot
For nearly 400 years, the Piazza Navona has been an artistic jewel at the heart of this ancient city. The Fountain of the Four Rivers by Bernini, a colossus of marble and surging water capped by an Egyptian obelisk, is here. A few yards away, Borromini, Bernini's rival, designed much of the majestic Sant’Agnese in Agone church. In an unhappily modern touch, police officers keep a constant presence to ward off vagrants and, perhaps, terrorists. The picture is about to change. Last month, to restore the piazza's focus on its architectural glory, a city government commission voted to remove all vendors there including the dozens of artists who regularly display their works in the square. They usually move out at the end of November to make room for Nativity scenes; this year, they will not be allowed back.
For the complete story visit the following link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/20/international/europe/20piazza.html
November 21, 2005 – National Post (Toronto, Canada) – Little Italian about Toronto’s Little Italy
Toronto’s “Little Italy” and “Greektown” became much more successful as brand names after all the Italians and Greeks moved away, a new study has found. Jason Hackworth, an assistant geography professor at the University of Toronto, says local Business Improvement Areas quickly learned the benefit of pooling their dollars to market the “ethnicity” of the strips. “In the past, ethnic commercial strips ebbed and flowed with the cultural group that was nearby,” he said on Friday, sitting in the Cafe Diplomatico, one of the oldest Italian-owned businesses on what is now one of Toronto's hottest restaurant strips. “But now the Italian identity is being maintained.” Using Statistics Canada data, Mr. Hackworth notes that in 1970, more than 25% of people in Toronto’s Little Italy were Italian-born. By 2001, only 7.3% were Italian-born. Their activities reproduced “Italian culture” including “garish ‘Little Italy’ street signs sprinkled throughout the neighborhood.”
For the complete story visit the following link:
http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=51a953a0-40c6-4999-ad34-9f6e168596de
November 21, 2005 – Guardian (Rome, Italy) - New Idea: Inject Sea Water to Raise Venice
A group of engineers and geology experts said Monday they are considering injecting seawater under Venice to raise the waterlogged Italian city by one foot to rescue it from the tides and floods that bedevil it. That would enable Venice to regain nearly the same height it lost in the last 300 years, said Giuseppe Gambolati, the head of the project. The $117 million project entails digging 12 holes with a diameter of one foot within a six-mile area around the city, and pumping seawater into the ground at a depth of 2,298 feet, said Gambolati, an engineer and professor at the University of Padua. The seawater is expected to expand the sand that lies underneath, which combined with a topping of waterproof clay would eventually push up the soil, Gambolati said. Gambolati said the experts were first planning to test the project on small area. “If the pilot project proves successful, we will see an immediate benefit, even though gradual, while the complete elevation will be achieved in around 10 years,”' he said.
For the complete story visit the following link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5430194,00.html
November 22, 2005 – ANSA (Rome, Italy) - New Museum Spotlights Jewish Rome Rome’s Jewish community, the oldest in Europe, on Tuesday opened a museum to document its long and eventful history. The 600-square-meter exhibition space is under the city’s synagogue, near the river Tiber and close to the heart of the area which was once the capital’s Jewish ghetto. It contains a collection of rare manuscripts, gold and silverware, old robes and fabrics, which illustrate in various ways the stages of the community’s 2,200-year life. “If you really want to know Rome you have to have visited the Jewish Museum,” said director Daniela Di Castro, adding that its contents touched on history, archaeology, art history, religion and folklore. The first Jews settled in Rome in the second century BC and Roman Jews are mentioned in reports of the mourning after the death of the emperor Julius Caesar in 44 BC.
For the complete story visit the following link:
http://ansa.it/main/notizie/awnplus/english/news/2005-11-22_1906473.html
November 23, 2005 – ANSA (Rome, Italy) - Roman Cultural Majesty in the 1700s
A major new show which has opened in Rome challenges stereotypes of the 18th century as an era of cultural stagnation and casts the period in a fresh light. Il Settecento a Roma (The 1700s In Rome) overturns long-held clichés of fashion and frivolity, instead painting the century as one of cultural illumination and development. “It’s a journey through the 1700s that sees a century pieced together from numerous elements,” said one of the show’s curators, Anna Lo Bianco. “This is the Rome that was home to the art of truth and reason, a city that was both realistic and ironical. The first of these, a kind of introductory section, gives an overview of the people and the city. It includes a series of portraits of well-known individuals living in the city at the time, from artists to aristocrats. There are also two renowned paintings of Rome by Giovanni Paolo Pannini.
For the complete story visit the following link:
http://ansa.it/main/notizie/awnplus/english/news/2005-11-23_1917389.html
November 23, 2005 – Mail & Guardian (Rome, Italy) - Gondolas, Horses and Ferrari to Carry Olympic Flame
Venetian gondolas, horses and even a Ferrari will help transport the torch across Italy for the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. The Olympic flame begins a 64-day, 11,300 km relay through every Italian province on December 8, sailing Venice’s Grand Canal on gondolas, crossing the Dolomites on horseback and parading in a sports car through the Ferrari factory. The flame will be lit on Sunday in ancient Olympia, Greece. After a 10-day relay in Greece, the torch will be flown to Rome. Stefano Baldini, the Italian winner of the men’s marathon at the 2004 Olympics, will be the first of 10,000 torch-bearers. Each will carry the flame for about 400 m. On its first day in Italy, the torch will pass by St Peter’s Square to receive a blessing from Pope Benedict XVI. Later, soccer stars Francesco Totti of AS Roma and Paolo di Canio of Lazio will set aside the traditional rivalry of their teams to light each other’s torch as they run one after the other in the relay.
For the complete story visit the following link:
http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__sport/&articleid=257354
November 24, 2005 – Herald-Spectator (Chicago, IL) - Italian Heritage Ball Will Present Six Young Italian Women
The Italian Heritage Ball and Cotillion, sponsored by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans Women’s Division, will be held at the Grand Ballroom of the Chicago Hilton and Towers in downtown Chicago. Six young women of Italian heritage will be presented before Bishop Francis Kane and an audience of family, friends, community leaders and well-wishers as they make their debut. The debutantes, their escorts, the pre-debs and post-debs, all spend many months preparing for the ball. Each young person involved dedicates time to community service, the mastery of social skills, and the exercising of their Christian values. They are also immersed in their heritage, giving them a rich foundation in which they can have great pride.
For the complete story visit the following link:
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/cgi-bin/ppo-story/localnews/current/ni/11-24-05-745144.html
November 25, 2005 – The Record (Troy, NY) - U.S. Bocce Champion Christens Troy Courts
With help from friends and neighbors, Rocco De Fazio brought a little slice of Italian culture to the city with the grand opening of his new bocce ball courts. Over the past year De Fazio has been putting the finishing touches on two sets of bocce courts that are sure to please old-school veterans of the sport and newcomers who never heard of the game. “This is part of our way of revitalizing the downtown neighborhood one small step at a time,” said De Fazio. “It was all done by volunteers and friends, and I think a lot of people are going to appreciate it in the spring.” “They are beautiful. ... I’m impressed with the work done and with their heart in promoting bocce ball,” said Nicosia, who is originally from Sicily. On what turned out to be a windy and snowy Thanksgiving Day, Nicosia joked playing in such weather should be left to the pros. “Only the Italian people can plan in the snow,” he joked and admitted he plays on indoor courts in the winter. “Just get us some Zambucca (liqueur) and we'll be fine.”
For the complete story visit the following link:
http://www.troyrecord.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15639851&BRD=1170&PAG=461&dept_id=7021&rfi=6
November 27, 2005 – Tandem (Canada) - A Culinary Celebration of Abruzzo: Italy’s Eastern Coast Region Boasts Many Different Food Staples
Abruzzo is found halfway down Italy’s eastern coast. It is mostly made up of rugged mountains and valleys, and in the past, much of the economy revolved around shepherding. This Italian region has long held its particular culinary traditions throughout the ages. “La Cucina Povera” refers to a type of cuisine that was created from humble means. And this particular term can be aptly applied to the cuisine of this region. Here, generosity of spirit, inventiveness and a passion for food far outweighed the humble beginnings from which a recipe was created. And this can be seen in the region’s food traditions. Abruzzo holds many food staples near and dear. Pecorino is perhaps the top. The process of creating this aromatic cheese is a tradition that is still passed from generation to generation.
For the complete story visit the following link:
http://www.corrieretandem.com/viewstory.php?storyid=5764
November 27, 2005 – Tandem (Canada) - Keeping Youth Close to Our Roots: Lazio Delegates Collaborate and Discuss Concrete Projects
The issue has an epochal scope, and sooner or later it had to be confronted. The risk of young Italian-Canadians - much like young Italian-Americans, Italian-Argentines and so many other descendants of Italian emigrants all over the world - losing every contact with their land of origin, its history, culture and language, is very concrete and looming closer and closer. Indeed, it is already upon us and needs addressing, before it's too late. The Canadian Confederation of Clubs and Associations Laziali intend to confront the issue head on, getting youth involved.
For the complete story visit the following link:
http://www.corrieretandem.com/viewstory.php?storyid=5763
COMMUNITY EVENTS CALENDAR
For a listing of many Italian and Italian American programs visit the John D Calandra Italian American Institute’s Community Events Calendar at the following link:
http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/calandra/community/commoct.html
BOOK REVIEW
History on the Road: The Painted Carts of Sicily by Marcella Croce & Moira F. Harris, with preface by Mary Taylor Simeti. The painted carts of Sicily (carretti) have been around for less than two centuries. Once there were many thousands of them, carrying the products of the island and participating in its celebrations. The carts were fashioned from beautifully carved wood and intricately wrought metal. All visible parts were colorfully painted with religious, chivalric, historical, or other culturally symbolic designs and figures. They carried passengers, foodstuffs, wine barrels, minerals, and other cargo from place to place. Described as ungainly and awkward, they were pulled over less than satisfactory roads by horses, mules or donkeys which themselves were decorated in colorful harnesses and feathers. These carts are Sicily. They are part of Sicily’s art, culture, and history on the road. They are lovingly described and illustrated in this new book. The book has 120 pages, 95 illustrations, most in full color, index, and bibliography. ISBN: 10-1-880654-32-6.
ITALIAN TABLE ETIQUETTE
Children are taught etiquette at an early age. They often accompany their parents out to dinner and have many chances to learn proper etiquette at the table.
Watch your hands, elbows and...
Keep elbows close to the body so as not to disturb those sitting on either side.
Keep both hands visible on the table (not resting on in your lap). In times past this was necessary to show that the person was not holding a weapon under the table! It works well for Italians because they can gesticulate with both hands while conversing.
Food is managed with both hands. The fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand (or vice versa for left-handed people).
Pieces are cut one at a time.
One eats with the fork in the left hand while holding the knife. This style of eating is almost universal in the Western World, the U.S.A. is different.
Come bearing gifts...
If you have been invited to dinner, never arrive late. Chances are the hostess is preparing a first course risotto or pasta and neither one can wait to be eaten.
You should arrive with a gift - a bottle of excellent wine or flowers. This thanks the hostess in advance for preparing a good meal. “Vengo a bussare con i piedi” I will come and knock on your door with my feet means that your arms are filled with gifts.
Be prepared for the shortest cocktail hour on record - more like a cocktail minute. You will be offered an aperativo which is usually a drink with a tiny bit of alcohol in it. Everyone goes “Salute”, drinks it down and then you move to the table.
Setting the table...
The knife and soup spoon are placed to the right.
The fork(s) are placed on the left.
Water and wine glasses are placed to the upper right.
The large plate for the second course holds the smaller plate for antipasto.
When the smaller plate is removed, it is replaced by a bowl for soup or risotto or pasta.
Serving...
The most important lady is served first; then the most important gentleman is served and the hostess is served last.
Serving plates are passed around informally.
The antipasti can be passed around twice.
Bread should be in small pieces so it is not necessary to cut it at the table. After it is served to you, you may rest the bread to one side on the tablecloth - do not ask for a bread plate.
Each course is served in a serving plate.
Broth and soups should be served in soup bowls the serving bowl is not passed around and seconds are never offered.
Pasta, on the other hand, should be served in a large serving plate and seconds can be offered.
Fish is served whole and divided afterwards.
Roasts are served already cut or divided into pieces. Never carve a roast at the table.
Salad is served in a plate put to the left of each person and must be dressed after it arrives at the table and served before the course it accompanies. Salad is served in a glass, china or wooden bowl never in a metal bowl.
When cheese is served, at least 4 different kinds must be offered. The cheese should be removed from the refrigerator at least one hour before it is served.
Before dessert is served the bread must be removed from the table.
Sweets and gelato are served immediately after the cheese and before the fruit.
Cakes are presented whole and then cut into pieces at the table.
Pastries are served on a tray with dessert wines and coffee.
Clean plates and food are served to the left and plates are removed from the right one at a time.
Wine and Water...
Water is on the table when the guests are seated. The water glasses are filled never more than one-half full.
Wine can be served by the man of the house at any time. Again, the glass is filled only half full.
Water and wine are served from the right.
If different wines are served, the glasses must be changed.
Wine should be served in the following order:
light, white wine
light red wine
heavy red wine
Red wine should be opened ahead of time.
Dessert wine is served at the table.
Coffee and liqueurs should be served in the living room.
ESPRESSO CUISINES: TRADITIONAL DRINK DESCRIPTIONS
What follows is a description of the various beverages that make up the espresso cuisines of the United States and Northern Italy.
Espresso. One-third (Italy) to two-thirds (United States) of a demitasse of espresso coffee, or 1 to 2 ounces, black, usually drunk with sugar.
Espresso Romano (United States; Italian-American). Espresso served with a twist of lemon on the side.
Espresso Ristretto (United States), Corto (Italy), Short (Pacific Northwest). The restricted or short espresso carries the “small is beautiful” espresso philosophy to its ultimate: The flow of espresso is cut short at about ¾ ounce or less than a third of a demitasse (Italy) to 1 ¼ ounces or one-half of a demitasse (United States), producing an even denser, more perfumy cup of espresso than the norm.
Espresso Lungo (Italy, United States), Long (Pacific Northwest). A “long” espresso, filling about two-thirds or more of a demitasse. A term not much used in the United States, since most American espresso servings are already long by Italian standards.
Espresso con Panna. A single or double serving of espresso topped with whipped cream in a 6-ounce cup, usually topped by a dash of unsweetened chocolate powder.
Double (United States), Doppio (Italy). Double serving, or about 2 ½ ounces (Italy) to 3 to 5 ounces (United States) of straight espresso, made with twice the amount of ground coffee as a single serving.
Cappuccino. One serving (about 1 ¼ ounces in Italy, up to 2 ounces in the United States) of espresso, topped by hot milk and froth. In the classic Italian-American cuisine, a good cappuccino consists of about one-third espresso, one-third milk, and about one-third rather stiff foam, in a heavy 6-ounce cup. In Italy, the milk is not frothed as thoroughly as in the United States, and is presented as a heavier, soupy foam that picks up and combines with the espresso, rather than floating on top of it, as is often the case with the lighter, drier froth typical of American production. The hot, frothed milk is always added to the coffee in the cappuccino. Like most espresso drinks, the cappuccino is usually drunk with sugar. This popular drink is often customized, both in the United States and in Italy. It is not unusual to hear an Italian order a cappuccino senza spuma, “without froth,” and Americans versed in the ways of Seattle-style espresso have the option of ordering their cappuccino wet, with very little froth, or dry, with mostly hard, bouyant froth and little milk.
Caffe Latte, Latte (United States). In the United States, one or two shots of espresso and about three times as much hot milk, in a big bowl or wide-mouthed glass, topped with a short head of froth. Caffe latte has a greater proportion of milk to coffee than a cappuccino does, and tastes weaker and milkier. Strictly speaking, the milk and coffee should be poured simultaneously, from either side of the bowl or glass. Such combinations of hot milk and coffee have long been the favored breakfast drink of southern Europeans, although the term caffe latte itself appears to be little used in Italy, where those who want a breakfast coffee with more milk than froth usually order a latte macchiato, or perhaps a cappuccino without foam. In fact, a sure way to reveal that you are an American in Italy is to order a cappuccino after lunch, or a caffe latte at any time. In the United States, caffes often distinguish between caffe latte (made with espresso) and café au lait, which substitutes ordinary American filter coffee for the espresso.
Espresso Macchiato. A serving of espresso “stained” (macchiato) with a small quantity of hot, frothed milk. Served in the usual espresso demitasse.
Latte Macchiato. A glass filled with hot frothed milk, into which a serving of espresso has been slowly dribbled. The coffee colors, or stains, the milk. In both Italy and the United States, this drink is presented with a relatively short head of froth. Note that in the cappuccino, the milk and froth are added to the coffee, in the caffe latte they are poured simultaneously into a large bowl or glass, mixing them, while in the latte macchiato, the espresso is poured into the milk and froth, creating a layered effect as viewed through the serving glass.
Caffe Mocha (United States). Not to be confused with Mocha Java, a traditional American-roasted blend of Mocha and Java coffees. In the classic Italian-American espresso cuisine a caffe Mocha is one serving (ideally 1 ¼ ounces) of espresso, mixed with about 2 ounces of very strong hot chocolate, topped with hot frothed milk. The milk is added last, and the whole thing is usually served in an 8-ounce mug. With a classic mocha the hot chocolate is made very strong, so it can hold its own against the espresso and milk. With increasing frequency American caffes simply add chocolate fountain syrup to a caffe latte and call it a Mocha. So be it. The Mocha does not appear on Italian espresso menus, although the drink is probably based on various coffee-chocolate drinks once popular in Northern Italy.
Coffee Review: http://www.coffeereview.com/reference.cfm?ID=197
HISTORY OF BOCCE
Throwing balls toward a target is the oldest game known to mankind. As early as 5000 B.C. the Egyptians played a form of bocce with polished rocks. Graphic representations of figures tossing a ball or polished stone have been recorded as early as 5200 B.C. While bocce today looks quite different from its early predecessors, the unbroken thread of bocce’s lineage is the consistently common objective of trying to come as close to a fixed target as possible. From this early objective, the basic rules of bocce were born. From Egypt the game made its way to Greece around 800 B.C. The Romans learned the game from the Greeks, then introduced it throughout the empire. The Roman influence in bocce is preserved in the game’s name; bocce derives from the Vulgate Latin bottia, meaning boss.
The early Romans were among the first to play a game resembling what we know as bocce today. In early times they used coconuts brought back from Africa and later used hard olive wood to carve out bocce balls. Beginning with Emperor Augustus, bocce became the sport of statesman and rulers. From the early Greek physician Ipocrates to the great Italian Renaissance man Galileo, the early participants of bocce have noted that the game’s athleticism and spirit of competition rejuvenates the body.
As the game enjoyed rapid growth throughout Europe, being the sport of nobility and peasants alike, it began to threaten with the health of nations. The popularity of the game was said to interfere with the security of the state because it took too much time away from archery practice and other military exercises. Consequently, Kings Carlos IV and V prohibited the playing of bocce, and doctors from the University of Montpellier, France, tried to discredit the claim that playing bocce had great therapeutic effect in curing rheumatism.
In 1576, the Republic of Venice publicly condemned the sport, punishing those who played with fines and imprisonment. And perhaps most grave was the condemnation by the Catholic Church which deterred the laity and officially prohibited clergyman from playing the game by proclaiming bocce a means of gambling.
Contrary to the rest of Europe, the great game of balls thrived in Great Britain. Such nobility as Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Drake were avid fans. According to legend, Sir Frances Drake refused to set out to defend England against the Spanish Armada until he finished a game. He proclaimed, “First we finish the game, then we’ll deal with the Armada!”
The sport first came to America in the English version called bowis from the French boule meaning ball. In accord with how the game was played in Britain, American players threw the ball not on stone dust (as is done today in bocce) but on close cropped grass which some say is the origin of the modern lawn. It has been noted that one early American playing field was Bowling Green at the southern tip of Manhattan and that George Washington built a court at Mount Vernon in the 1780s.
In modern times, the first bocce clubs were organized in Italy. Notably the first Italian League was formed in 1947 by fifteen teams in and around the town of Rivoli (Torino). 1947 also marks the beginning of the yearly Bocce World Championships.
Thanks to many Italian immigrants at the turn of the century, bocce has come to flourish in the United States. During its beginnings in the U.S. there were as many versions of the game as there were towns the immigrants had left. Bringing some order to the game is the Collegium Cosmicum ad Buxeas, the preeminent bocce organization headquartered in Rome, Italy.
It should be added that the oral traditions of bocce are just as much an important part of the game. Throw out a pallino and become part of the long heritage of the game from great thinkers such as Galileo and da Vinci, to rulers Augustus and Queen Elizabeth, to the noble Sir Francis Drake and even America’s own George Washington. Enjoy the world’s oldest sport, a sport known to revive the body and mind, and next to soccer, the most popular game in the world.
Practice: The Latin-European Tradition
Italy and France have produced two main games, codified relatively recently, with broad similarities. They began and remain predominantly open-air activities, played on long, rectangular pitches originally improvised from rough village spaces during hot, dry summers. These have surfaces of raked sand or gravel on which the tossed balls fall and stick, rather than roll. Both games are still often played informally in the village and cafe tradition by men of all ages, but they have now acquired national and international competitive networks and, in many cases, dedicated indoor facilities that allow for year-round play in urban areas.
Bocce uses a “court,” “alley,” or “rink” approximately 18.3 meters long by 2.4 meters wide (60 feet by 8 feet). Increasingly, facilities usually provide several of these side by side, as do dedicated areas found in many public parks. There are foul areas at each end of the court. The small target ball, the pallino, is then tossed from one end and must land at least 1 ¼ meters (5 feet) beyond center. Each player then aims to throw his bowl, which is heavier than the pallino, as close as possible to the target. This is usually done after a walk-up of several steps within the foul area. The throw is complicated by variations on the way the target is approached, according to regional practices.
Competitors comprise two players with two shots each or teams of three to six people using fours shots each. If a bowl displaces others already in place it is disqualified. The winner of a game is the first to score 9-15 points in pairs, or 9-18 in a team competition.
Italy stages a number of regional competitions, reinforcing the country's strong regional rivalries. International play is largely limited to Italy and France, which occasionally compete at adult and juvenile levels in grandly titled tournaments. There is a cup provided by the prince of Monaco, whose territory lies between the two main contenders, and the results have long been dominated by Italy. Although it now has the superstructures of a modern sport, bocce is still largely local and recreational in its appeal. Given its peasant origins, it is hardly surprising that it remains male-dominated, although a small number of women play. Despite its growing complexity, its appeal lies in its being a “sport simpatico e popolare” in the words of a recent enthusiast --something essentially part of an Italian summer.
http://www.bocce.org/history.html
UPCOMING EVENTS
- November 29, 2005 — Lecture: Phillip Baldwin, Theatre Arts Department, Stony Brook University. Topic: La Bella Figura: Architecture, Urbanism, and Landscape of Historical Italy. Stony Brook University, Harriman Hall, Room 137. 2:20 PM.
- November 29, 2005 — a lecture by Prof.sa Maria Miscella on Sardinian author Grazia Deledda, Recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature, 1926. 7:30 PM. Garden City Public Library. This lecture is being hosted by the Long Island Society for Italian Culture.
- December 4, 2005 — Gino DiNapoli Entertainment. Farmingdale Library.
- December 6, 2005 — Talk: Robert Cess will speak on his hobby and interest: A History of Italian Automobiles: specifically, the Alfa Romeo and Italian Automobiles as an Art Form. Stony Brook University, Harriman Hall, Room 137. 2:20 PM.
- December 11, 2005 - The children’s musical play, The Legend of La Befana, will be performed Frizzi & Lazzi the Olde Time Italian-American Music & Theatre Company at 139 Division Street, Tonawanda, NY. Bring your families and friends for this celebration of Italian Christmastime tradition and culture. Refreshments will be provided. Admission is free. For additional information contact: (716) 213-0554.
- December 11, 2005 - The children’s musical play, The Legend of La Befana, will be performed Frizzi & Lazzi the Olde Time Italian-American Music & Theatre Company at 52 Broadway, 2nd floor, New York City. Bring your families and friends for this celebration of Italian Christmastime tradition and culture. Refreshments will be provided. Children will receive gift bags and biscotti. Admission is free. Reservations required by Dec. 4, 2005. Phone: 212 - 237-8574.
- December 18, 2005 — Cristina Fontanelli. Celebrate the Tradition! A vocal journey through Italy’s best loved songs, arias, Neopolitan and Christmas classics with piano, mandolin and guitar accompaniment. Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center, 2:30 PM, 129 W. 67th St., NY. Box office: 212-501-3330. Online: www.kaufman-center.org.
- January 27, 2006 — 13th Annual Winter Charity Ball, Chateau Briand, Carle Place.
Respectfully submitted:
Robert Necci, Chair
Italian Heritage & Culture Committee
2101 Bellmore Avenue
Bellmore, NY 11710-5605
HeritageandCultureReport@nysosia.org
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