Monthly Meetings – Torino and the (Re)Born Bambina

Linwood Community Arts Centre, cnr. Stanmore & Worchester Rds, Wed. 14 May, 7:30pm
Evelyn and Alistair Robertson spent several months in Europe last year travelling around in their campervan. On 4 July they went to Torino for the launch of the new Fiat 500. Evelyn will talk about what happened in Piazza Vittorio Veneto and show photos of the new car and some of the special events which took place during the day. After visiting Torino, Evelyn and Alistair walked the Cinque Terre, then headed north to Genoa and crossed into France via Alba and the Colle di Tenda.

After the talk there will be complimentary supper - and coffee made with our new Bialetti mega-caffettiera.

Cartolina 30 April to 2 June

Cartolina radio programs “for those who remember Italy and who dream of it”.

Cari amici, apologies from Cartolina and from PLAINS FM for airing the wrong interview on 2 April. The lost program is being rescheduled in June.

30 April & 5 May: Tramping. Francesco and Cam Greco from Pisa, and Noeline Keeling from Christchurch talk about mountains in both Countries, and food & friendship, as the two tramping groups they belong to exchange visits. Francesco has also opened a sub-section of the Pisa C.A.I. in Seattle, so look out if the Tower there starts leaning…

14 & 19 May: Re-elected On. Marco Fedi and Sen. Nino Randazzo talk about the elections, their work in the past government and their goals in the new one. Being at the opposition will not hamper projects already started, on which there is general consensus (e.g. citizenship to Italians abroad who have lost it). Increasing funds for the Italian language and culture abroad is part of their focus.

28 May & 2 June: Patricia Hurley tells of a wonderful opera tour that she’ll be leading soon with Christchurch Symphony Orchestra CSO Murray Shaw, starting on 19 August in Verona and ending on 13 September in Villa Petrolo in Tuscany. The tour will also touch Parma and Lucca, with excursions to Siena and Arezzo. And, if everything goes according to plan, in Parma flautist Luca Manghi will be playing host in his home region, where he’ll be spending his holidays. It looks like a dream tour, with the Prada outlet not too far from Villa Petrolo as just the icing on the cake…. Actually, it should be also Porcini season….

How to listen.

* Radio on demand through the internet: just visit: http://www.plainsfm.org.nz/Podcasts/programmes

Select “Cartolina” and you’ll get the list of all available programs.

* For the actual radio broadcast, tune in on PLAINS FM 96.9 on alternate Wednesdays at 7.30 pm, or listen to the repeat program on the following Monday, at 10.30 am.

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Cartolina - April

2 & 7 April : Abruzzi. Gail Hopkins talks about how she visited and fell in love with the Abruzzi, an Italian region full of great secrets. From her first trip there, she went on to connecting with “il Trovacasa”, and then establishing “the Housefinder”, to help people find and buy a house in Abruzzi, and specifically in the Val Peligna area.

16 & 21 April: Coro della Portella. Wilma Laryn takes you for a musical journey in the Abruzzi region, through the songs of Il coro della Portella, an all-male Alpini choir that was formed in 1982 near l’Aquila, and that specializes in researching and promoting the regional repertoire. All the songs are in Abruzzese dialect, (translation provided beforehand). Many of them are adaptations of ancient, even medieval tunes, while others are the typical mountain songs. We talk also about Abruzzi-filmed Spaghetti Western and explain how to make spaghetti alla chitarra. We give a traditional recipe: Agnello brodettato Abruzzi style, that is lamb with a lemon and egg sauce.

30 April & 5 May: Tramping. Francesco and Cam Greco from Pisa, and Noeline Keeling from Christchurch talk about mountains in both Countries, and food & friendship, as the two tramping groups they belong to exchange visits. Francesco has also opened a sub-section of the Pisa C.A.I. in Seattle, so look out if the Tower there starts leaning…(Click "Read more" to read more!)

Cartolina is the program of Italian culture and life for those who remember Italy and those who dream of it….
It airs on PLAINS FM 96.9 every second Wednesday at 7.30pm and repeats on the following Monday at 10.30am.
It’s also radio on demand: you can now play complete programs on your computer; visit www.plainsfm.org.nz and click on “pod cast" to see the list of Cartolina programs that you can listen to. The recipes from the radio programs are also available on the Christchurch Dante website.
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Art exhibition – “Italia”

Alexis International Fine Art, 57 Mandeville Street, Riccarton, opens on 10 Apr.

Following on from his 2006 success in New York, 2007 has seen Keith Morant enjoy even greater success in Europe. Keith was presented with the ‘Premio alla Carriera’ –‘The Lorenzo Il Magnifico Award for a Lifetime Achievement in Art’.

This time the Alexis International Fine Art presents what Keith terms the “fruit of his foray” into Italy. In May he opens in Bologna through his Italian curators, Trevisan International Art, a show titled ‘Little Treasures’. For more information visit www.alexisart.co.nz

Monthly Meetings – House-finding in Abruzzi

Linwood Community Arts Centre, crn. Stanmore & Worchester Rds, Wed. 9 Apr., 7:30pm
Since visiting regularly the Abruzzi region and helping lots of Cantabrians find the home of their dreams there, Gail Hopkins has plenty of stories to tell and pictures to show. Abruzzi, where the spaghetti western movies are filed, is the latest real estate hot spot following Tuscany and Umbria. Abruzzi is unspoiled, with harsh mountains and mellow sea, Roman ruins and Medieval towns...and plenty of good food and hospitality.

After the talk there will be complimentary supper - Spaghetti with Sauce Abruzzi style and coffee made with our new Bialetti mega-caffettiera.

March Activities!!!

Rather than our regular meetings, we start the year with two very different but equally exciting activities.

On Monday 10 March at 7:30pm there is a concert by Italian pianist Filippo Faes. Filippo Faes is professor of chamber music at the Conservatory of Castelfranco Veneto. He holds masterclasses in Europe and the USA (North Texas University) and is often a member of the jury of international competitions. Since 1999 RAI SAT Television has already broadcasted three times the ten sequels of "Conversations at the piano with Filippo Faes", a program he created and played in. He is one of the candidates for the current Piano vacancy in University of Canterbury; and we wish him all the best. The concert is at the Great Hall of the Arts Centre, tickets cost $15 or $10.

On Saturday 15 March the Dante Society will again join the other ethnic communities for the Culture Galore (12pm - 4pm,Ray Blank Park, Maidstone Rd). Please come and have some real espresso and to know more about our activities this year. No matter you are Italians living in Christchurch, students of the Italian language, or someone just being interested in the Italian culture, we are looking forward to seeing you there!!