Cine Dante Thursday 27 May

This week's film is the acclaimed Il Divo, winner of the Jury Prize at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.

Paolo Sorrentino's original and witty film about Giulio Andreotti tries to anatomise the character and explain the longevity of a man who has been Prime Minister three times and emerged unscathed from no less than 26 separate court cases on charges that include corruption and Mafia involvement.

Before the screening of Il Divo come along to Dante Aperitivo between 7.45 and 8.15 for Italian conversation. All welcome.

Note : Metro's exclusive charge to us of $12 will apply, but the showing is a private one for members of the Dante Society, the Italian community and their friends.

Cartolina 26 & 31 May 2010

Auckland-based fiction writer Nicky Pellegrino was in Christchurch recently to launch her latest book Recipe for Life (no cooking involved though … ).  In her interview, Nicky talks about the places, the people and the memories that inspire her stories. She also opens her heart on what writing means and requires.

Cartolina 12 & 17 May

La Serva Padrona, the delightful opera buffa by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, is the Italian opera that features in the  University of Canterbury festival “Platform” on 28 and 30 May in the double-bill that will take place at the Octagon Restaurant (the old Trinity Church), corner Manchester and Worcester Streets. It will be a sumptuous occasion both musically and gastronomically. But the opera can be chosen with or without dinner.

Musical Director Martin Setchell talks about opera in the 1700’s and Pergolesi’s legacy, especially in this year, when 300 years from his birth are celebrated.

May meeting 12 May - Impressions of Puglia

7:30pm, Wed. 12 May at the Linwood Community Arts Centre, corner Stanmore Rd & Worcester St.

Maria Fresia, Wilma Laryn and John Anderson will share their personal impressions on Puglia's landscape, architecture & food. 

Join us for an enjoyable and informative evening with a demonstration and taste of the local fresh pasta speciality: orecchiette and cavatini. 

Cartolina 28 April & 2 May

John Anderson is an Auckland-based architect who has lived and worked in Italy, and has strong family connections there. The Authentic Italy Tours that he organizes with his Italian brothers-in-law, take the visitors through a journey of discovery of the less known but truly magnificent Italian places that are often obscured by the classical destinations. In this program John describes all four itineraries.  

Recipe: Spaghetti with prawns and Radicchio di Treviso (click on 'read more!' for the recipe) 

Cut a couple of slices of pancetta into small pieces, soften in a little extra virgin olive oil, then add the radicchio leaves, washed and only partially dried, cover and cook until soft. Set aside.

Take the prawns from their shells; we’ll use the heads and shells to make a little stock. Dice a small carrot, half onion and one celery stalk, tenderize in oil, add one glass of white wine and let evaporate; add the shells and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Then strain through a colander, squeezing the shells.

Now dice garlic and a chili pepper, put them into a wok with a little oil to tenderize. Add the stock and two or three ripe tomatoes, chopped, and cook briefly. Then chop the radicchio and dice the king prawns. Add both to the sauce and cook a few minutes. In the meanwhile the spaghetti will be cooked al dente, and ready to be tossed into the sauce. Stir well and serve hot.
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Cartolina 14 & 19 April

Pat Unger talks about the Bill Sutton exhibition at the Cristchurch Art Gallery: Watercolours of Italy. Pat first met Bill Sutton as a mature student in his course at the University of Canterbury, then they became friends when she worked as art critic for various newspapers (including The Press). Eventually after Bill’s death in 2000, she helped as a trustee to organize his works. Her book “The biography of Bill Sutton” was published in 2008, the second is still to be published.

And here is the rest of it.