Art Museum of Milwaukee: Raphael's masterpiece "The Woman with the Veil"

On Friday, March 26 an inauguration of an exhibit dedicated to one of Raphael's masterpieces, "The Woman with the Veil," was held at the Art Museum of Milwaukee. Visitors may admire this famous and celebrated painting of the Italian Renaissence through  June 6, 2010. "The Woman with the Veil" is on loan from Palazzo Pitti of Florence.

Presenti all'inaugurazione Cristina Acidini, soprintendente per il Polo Museale di Firenze, Alvise Casellati, Direttore Generale della Foundation for Italian Art & Culture, David Alan Brown, Curator of Italian Painting, National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, Alessandro Cecchi, Direttore di Palazzo Pitti, Firenze, Alessandro Motta, Console Generale d'Italia in Chicago e Tina Cervone, Direttore dell'Istituto Italiano di Cultura.

Valerio Massimo Manfredi presents his latest historical thriller, The Ides of March

Novelist, archeologist, topographer of the ancient world and screenplay writer Valerio Massimo Manfredi presented his latest historical thriller, The Ides of March, to a packed house at the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago last night. Director Tina Cervone introduced Manfredi noting that, “we’ve hosted many internationally renowned contemporary writers, including Umberto Eco, Beppe Severgnini, and Gianrico Carofiglio. I’m pleased to renew our collaboration with Europa Editions, which brings leading European writers to the American public.”

Faithful Valerio Massimo Manfredi fans had clearly been anticipating the release of his latest bestseller, The Ides of March, a tautly constructed narrative of Caesar’s last eight days that cuts back and forth between the harrowing journey of one of Caesar’s most trusted centurions through mountains and over rivers as he races to warn Caesar that he’s in danger; the secret meetings of the conspirators planning Caesar’s assassination; and the daily life of Caesar himself, including his last dinner party with Rome’s elite, an evening that was documented by Plutarch and that ended with a conversation about death in which Caesar, when asked what sort of death is best, replies "one that is rapid and sudden.”

Professor Manfredi’s conversation with the audience was wide ranging and people asked questions that provided for profound discussion. To begin with, what is difference between history and the historical novel?

TIZIANO FRATUS PICTA VI-IMAGE VI

On the occasion of Tiziano Fratus' tour in the Midwest we are pleased to present one of his poems recently translated into english. For more information please visit Tiziano Fratus page in iic website






IMAGE VI
celtic christianity breathes from the ruins of the abbeys that
stand out still proud on the basalt peaks that
with stony resolve challenge the cries of the masses
the seas mixed with the water of the oceans
the rivers confused in dialect with universal languages gutted in the
course of centuries by the beaks of seagulls
the minutely detailed codes and whispers in northern european lands
the false relics in which mothers
and widows discretely deposited secrets especially if unmentionable
twenty tons of formaldehyde surrounds an australian shark
that rests with its mouth ripped open meant to frighten
we say to intrigue children who end with their noses pressed against the
glass lips arranged innocently in the shape of a perfectly asymmetrical “o”



PICTA VI
il cristianesimo celtico respira fra le rovine delle abbazie che
spiccano ancora orgogliose sulle punte di basalto che
rocciosamente sfidano le grida delle masse
i mari mischiati in acque con gli oceani
i fiumi confusi nel dialetto con le lingue universali sviscerate nel
corso dei secoli dal becco dei gabbiani
i codici miniati e sussurrati nelle terre del nord europa
le reliquie piuttosto false nelle quali le madri
e le vedove dall’occhio sottile hanno depositato i segreti soprattutto se
inconfessabili venti tonnellate di formaldeide circondano uno squalo australiano
che sta con la bocca squarciata a spaventare
diciamo a incuriosire i bambini che finiscono con il naso schiacciato contro
il vetro le labbra sistemate in una ingenua “o” perfettamente asimmetrica

Surgeon Pier Cristoforo Giulianotti and Robotics in the field of surgery

On Tuesday, March 16 we heard a fascinating presentation by surgeon Pier Cristoforo Giulianotti on the operating room of the future and the use of technological robotics in the field of surgery. Professor Giulianotti has performed over 2100 minimally invasive surgeries of which more than 914 have been robotic procedures.

Arclinea Event: Italia in Cucina: Live Cooking Day

Arclinea of Chicago held a very special event last night: Italia in Cucina. Billed as a worldwide cooking marathon, cooking demonstrations are being held in 21 different showrooms to support and celebrate artisanal Italian products. Selected by the Ministry for its international acclaim and innovative artistry, this major event is an exciting extension of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture's Made in Italy program, which serves to promote local Italian products.

Last night we were treated to an unforgettable feast: Italy's best wines, parmesan, various meats, olives, and an unforgettable asparagus risotto created in the beautiful Arclinea kitchen by Executive Chef of Phil Stefani's 437 Rush, Federico Comacchio.

Director Tina Cervone from the ICI attended, and Consul General Alessandro Motta of the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago provided the audience with an illuminating look into the goals of the Ministry program.

Marino Marini: Christie's Auction: The Collection of Mrs. Sidney F. Brody

One of our ICI regulars very kindly sent us interesting news about a Christie's auction that one of Marino Marini's works will be sold at. Marini's "Piccolo cavaliere" was part of the modern art collection of Mrs. Sidney F. Brody. Estimated worth of the collection is over $150 million dollars.


Here is the description that the Christie's press release provided of the Marino Marini piece:


Piccolo cavaliere by Marino Marini (1901-1980), a beautiful, 20-inch tall bronze of Marini’s favorite horse-and-rider theme that features a vigorously hand-chiseled and painted surface.  
The Brody work is an exceptional example of Marini’s signature contribution to 20^th century sculpture in which he developed an innovative technique of working the surface of the bronze to a textured and nuanced finish (estimate: $1.5-2 million).

Vinicio Capossela at the Lakeshore Theater in Chicago

Vinicio Capossela came to Lakeshore Theater of Chicago last night and treated us to a concert that included stilt walkers, an array of fantastic costumes, poetry, poignant short stories, a live chicken, magic, and of course, brilliant music.

Capossela's range is nothing short of extraordinary, and he lived up to his reputation for theatricality and musical excellence by taking us on a sound journey that began with romantic ballads and whimsical pop, crossed over into rock, and then returned to his lyrical home: he closed with a song that was pure poetry, Ovunque Proteggi.

I should add that all this was accomplished on a small stage in the space of a very generous three and a half hours.

After the show Vinicio Capossela spent time with the representatives of the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago and the ICI. He made sure that everyone who wanted had a photograph or autograph. To his reputation for musical brilliance this quality should be added: the gift of genuine kindness.

If you'd like to read more about Vinicio Capossela and his US tour, check out this article in I-Italy.

Two Events: "Inside The Elixir of Love" and "Lyric Opera and Sir Andrew Davis"

Opera lovers had a double treat in February when the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago held two events showcasing Italian opera.

The first event (February 11) was "Inside The Elixir of Love" - a conference on Gaetano Donizetti's ever popular opera, which has engaged audiences since it opened to great acclaim in 1882. Before a packed roomful of people, Maestro Bruno Campanella and singer Alessandro Corbelli discussed the experience of producing The Elixir of Love, Bel Canto, and the state of opera today. They shared personal stories and offered insight into all aspects of the Italian musical tradition.

After the conference, both Maestro Campanella and Alessandro Corbelli graciously joined us for a reception where they answered questions and mingled with dedicated opera fans.


Our second event (February 17) was "Lyric Opera and Sir Andrew Davis." This discussion centered around Lyric Opera of Chicago and its Music Director and Principal Conductor, Sir Andrew Davis.

The Director of Music Staff at Lyric, Maestro Philip Morehead, and Italian conductor Emanuele Andrizzi, provided a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of one of Chicago's most beloved institutions. This special evening was filmed by CAN TV for their archives. We're happy that it will be aired on March 7, 2010. We hope you'll be able to check it out!

Conductor Riccard Muti: February 25 Press Conference

Representatives from the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago, including Director Tina Cervone, attended Conductor Riccardo Muti's February 25 press conference, held in Orchestra Hall's lovely Grainger Ballroom.

Maestro Muti spoke about his vision for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's future, qualifying his remarks by saying that in Italy visions are usually reserved for the most important saints. Here are excerpts from an article published in I-Italy. Follow the link if you'd like to read the entire piece.

"Maestro Muti set a relaxed, jovial tone at the press conference inaugurating his tenure with the CSO when he declined to stand and speak behind a podium, saying that he wasn't a priest. Preferring to stand informally behind a table, when he was asked to sit so that the TV cameras could capture him, Maestro Muti joked that people at home were seeing the most important thing - one of his best ties, bought in Naples. To much laughter, he then untucked his tie from his vest so that everyone could admire it.

The relaxed, warm atmosphere of the press conference didn’t stop serious subjects from being discussed. Maestro Muti spoke of music’s power to transform the world for the better by touching hearts and souls, providing for a bond that transcends cultural differences. In fact, Maestro Muti has organized musical outreaches in prisons, and spoke of an outreach at which he played the piano for prisoners, choosing composers who had suffered much and died young, like Schumann and Schubert. By relating stories such as this one with great feeling, all of us in the audience were reminded of music's spiritual power, the very thing that had brought all of us there and that united us."