Cartolina 19 & 24 January

Gianmaria Testa, an Italian songwriter presented by Edith Bingenheimer. Inspired by Fabrizio de André’s music, Testa developed his peculiar style of finding beautiful poetic words for “protest songs” to describe contemporary issues, and enwrapping them lovingly in wonderful music. The compilation that Edith introduces is called “Da questa parte del mare” (2006), and has received the TARGA TENCO as best Italian album of the year 2007. 


The songs are wholly focused on a single topic; they are like a poetic meditation, unbiased and non-demagogic reflections, on recent years’ mass migrations.

Cartolina 5 and 10 January

We dedicate this program to La Befana, with poems and children’s songs, from a disc called L’arca di Noè -Noah’s ark . It was specially made in 1972 for children with songs written by Vinicius de Moraes, the composer of the famous bossa nova brasiliana The Girl from Ipanema. The songs are of course about animals, and are sung by Vinicius de Moraes, Sergio Endrigo, Marisa Sannia, Ricchi e Poveri, and the Plagues.

Cartolina 22 & 27 December

Alison Ryde, a Christchurch painter who calls Montefalco in Umbria home. Alison tells us of her life and work in Montefalco, where also her children and grandchildren live, and how she’s been requested to paint the City banner, paraded during the summer festival.

If you want to know more on Alison and her Italian life, check the website: www.ryde.it If you are interested in what Alison’s children and their Italian families are doing, visit www.montefalcomob.com

We play Christmas songs, sung by Italian tenor Giuseppe di Stefano.

Cartolina

Bernardo Conticelli, a wine marketing expert from Firenze. Bernardo was in Christchurch last November to attend the event “Wine Discovery New Zealand 2010”, part of the Great Wine Capitals of the World Conference and AGM. This event brings over 80 international delegates, media, wine commentators and experts to Christchurch for a once in eight year event. Bernardo tells us about his researches and extensive travels.

We play the brindisi duet from Verdi's La traviata (Luciano Pavarotti) and the Champagne aria from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, sung by Bryn Terfel.

Cartolina 24 & 29 November 2010

Suor Teresa Grigolini was a missionary with the Comboniani Sisters in Egypt in the second half of the 1800s. She was made a prisoner of the local warlord, the Madhi, for 16 years, and forced to marry a Greek merchant, from whom she had a number of children. All throughout her life, she remained a beacon of faith and generosity for all around her. Her story has recently been revealed to her grand niece, Teresa Pickard, who lives in Christchurch.

November meeting - Alessandro Palermo "i lezioni da Darfield e L’Aquila"

7.30 pm, Wed. 10 November at Sydenham Community Centre, 24 Hutcheson Street (off Colombo St., opposite Sydenham Park)


Alessandro Palermo (University of Canterbury) will speak about "i lezioni da Darfield e L’Aquila."


The meeting will commence with the AGM and election of officers for 2011.