Fall 2019 Event Calendar
DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY OF VIRGINIA
PRESENTS VIVA L’ITALIA!
A Celebration of All Things Italian
and you are invited!
Friday, September 20, 2019, 5:00 – 7:00 pm, Riverviews Artspace Gallery, 9th Street, Lynchburg, VA
The event, sponsored by the Dante Alighieri Society of Virginia in partnership with Riverviews, is open to the public without charge, but please let us know you are attending: dantealighieriva@gmail.com. Contact Gail Morrison, gailjohnsonmorrison@gmail.com with questions.
Accordion music will set the mood and greet attendees at the gallery door on 9th Street. Inside, there will be Italian wines (cash bar) and light cuisine, a pasta demonstration and tasting, as well as Italian oil and vinegar tasting. A mock classroom will feature Italian language trivia and games. A continuous overhead video will reflect 19th- and 20th-century Italian history and culture.
Attendees will be entertained with Italian music performed by Luca and Adelaide Trombetta with Keith Cooper on the guitar. Barbara Coffey will offer a demonstration and mini lessons on the accordion, and there will be an invitation to join line dancing to the sounds of Mamma Maria.
This first of its kind event will be filled with exciting activities and door prizes will be awarded throughout the evening.
The date of the event was chosen because of its special significance in Italian history. September 20, 1870 marked the Capture of Rome (Presa di Roma), the final event of the long process to unify Italy (the Risorgimento), marking both the final defeat of the Papal States under Pope Pius IX and the unification of the Italian peninsula under King Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy. Today, the date is widely memorialized throughout Italy, with a street or square in almost every city bearing its name. Stay tuned for events marking next year’s 150th anniversary of the event!
(The Dante Alighieri Society of Virginia (in Lynchburg) was organized in 1998 and is an affiliate of the international organization headquartered in Rome. It was named for Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), Italian Florentine poet and the author of The Divine Comedy, who is considered the father of the Italian language. The Society’s mission is to promote an appreciation for Italian culture and language. Monthly events and activities include lectures on Italian-related topics, programs in cooperation with other area organizations, a film/dinner series, as well as travel opportunities. Dante welcomes all who have a love of all things Italian. Funding for programs is provided by annual member dues (Single $25, Family $35, Student $5); send to PO Box 2391, Lynchburg, VA 24501.)
Wednesday, September 25 / 5:30 FILM & DINNER SERIES Riverviews Artspace Theatre. Please enter from 9th Street ROMEO AND JULIET A 1968 British-Italian romantic tragedy film based on the Shakespearean play. It was directed and co-written by recently deceased Franco Zeffirelli, famous Italian director and producer of operas and films, and stars Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, with Nino Rota composing the soundtrack. Laurence Olivier delivers the film's prologue and epilogue and also dubbed various roles. The director engaged in a worldwide search for unknown teenage actors to play the parts of the two lovers. He ultimately cast Whiting (17) and Hussey (16) as the young lovers. Zeffirelli adapted the play in such a way as to play to their strengths and hide their weaknesses: for instance, long speeches were trimmed, and he emphasized action shots. The film is set in 14th - century Renaissance Italy and was filmed in varying locations throughout Italy, including the Cinecittà Studios backlot in Rome. (Running time 2hrs 29min) Dinner follows at Main Street Eatery with choice of selections: Salmon Imperial ($23), Lemon Dijon Chicken ($20), Veal Zurich ($23), and Pasta Rosa ($20). Included are salad, roll and glass of wine. Watch for separate invitation.
Wednesday, October 2 / 7:00 pm ITALIAN ARIAS UP CLOSE 701 Main Street Opera on the James General Director Marco Nistico will discuss the opera’s fall production, WITH VOICES RAISED, to be performed on Sunday, October 6, 3 pm, at the Historic Academy Historic Theatre. (Tickets available at the Academy). ITALIAN ARIAS UP CLOSE on October 2 is free and open to the public. The program is presented in partnership with Opera on the James and will feature Italian arias performed by the opera’s Young Artists. Members of the Dante Society will host a reception following the program.
Wednesday, October 9 / 7:00 TODAY THE MIDDLE AGES ARE OVER: The Risorgimento, the Capture of Rome, and the Making of Modern Europe Riverviews Artspace Gallery. (Please enter from 9th Street.) A presentation on the importance of September 20 in the history of Italy by Marjorie WheelerBarclay, Charles A. Dana Professor Emerita of History at Randolph College. Professor WheelerBarclay specializes in modern European history, focusing on the 19th century. The capture of Rome by the Italian Army on 20 September 1870 was the culmination of a decades-long struggle, known as the Risorgimento, to achieve Italian reunification and liberation from foreign domination. Throughout the 19th century, led by two charismatic figures, Giuseppe Garibaldi and Giuseppe Mazzini, nationalists launched numerous uprisings and revolutions, leading to the unification of most of Italy in 1861. Yet, for almost a decade, Rome continued to be ruled directly by the papal government, a state of affairs that was intolerable for the leaders of the new Kingdom of Italy. The story of the Risorgimento and its ultimate triumph highlights the struggles over politics, nations, religion, and ideas that shaped modern Italy and all of Europe.
Saturday, October 19 / 12:55 Metropolitan Opera High Definition Broadcast Historic Academy Theatre, 524 Main Street, Lynchburg Puccini’s TURANDOT Introduction by Opera on the James one hour before curtain time. Tickets available at the Academy.
Sunday, October 20 / 4:00 pm, SOUNDS OF ITALY, Amherst Presbyterian Church, 163 Second Street, Amherst
A musical tour of Italy that showcases the best Italian music from classical to popular. Husband and wife duo, Adelaide Muir Trombetta (soprano) and Luca Trombetta (violin and viola), with special guest Tad Hardin (piano), will transport listeners to the sounds of Italy. Sponsored by Amherst Glebe Arts Response, Inc. For more information contact: AmherstGlebeArts@gmail.comhttp://www.amherstglebeartsresponse.org
434.946.0116/434.989.3215
Wednesday, October 23 / 5:30, FILM & DINNER SERIES, Riverviews Artspace Theatre, 901 Jefferson Street (enter from 9th Street)
THE FIRST BEAUTIFUL THING
The story of the Michelucci family from the 1970’s to 30 years later. The Mother is crowned the “Most Beautiful Mother” in an annual summer beauty contest in Livorno and from then on chaos strikes the family. Don Bruno returns to be at his Mother’s side during her last days and starts remembering most of the key episodes of his family life through a long series of flashbacks. The film was nominated for 18
awards. (Running time is 122 minutes.)
Dinner follows at Main Street Eatery with choice of selections: Salmon Primavera ($23),
Chicken Piccata ($23), Veal Marsala ($20), and Pasta Primavera ($20) Included are salad, roll
and glass of wine. Watch for separate invitation.
October 24-26, ANNUAL MEMBER NEW YORK EXCURSION,
Accommodations: The Warwick Hotel
Thursday: Dinner at Mozzarella & Vino
Friday Morning: Guided Tour of Italian Futurism Works, Museum of Modern Art
Friday Evening at the Met: Puccini’s La Boheme
Contact Fran Briley with questions: (434) 238-8788 or fdbriley@gmail.com
Wednesday, November 6 / 7:00, RENAISSANCE PAINTINGS IN VENICE, Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College
Venice contains an astonishing and potentially bewildering concentration of Renaissance painting within a few square kilometers. For those planning a visit to the city, Dante Society board member and Randolph College instructor Jay Kardan will offer suggestions on how best to
see the finest works of the five great Renaissance masters, along with a brief account of the development of Venetian painting.
Saturday, November 9 / 12:55 Metropolitan Opera High Definition Broadcast Historic Academy Theatre, 524 Main Street, Lynchburg Puccini’s MADAMA BUTTERFLY Introduction by Opera on the James one hour before curtain time. Tickets available at the Academy.
Wednesday, November 13 / 5:30 FILM & DINNER SERIES Riverviews Artspace, 901 Jefferson Street Note: Film will be shown in the Gallery, on the 2nd Wednesday, instead of the 4th Wednesday. Please enter from 9th Street. SPARROW A 1993 Italian drama film directed by Franco Zeffirelli as an adaptation of Giovanni Verga’s novel, Storia di una capinera. It was filmed in Sicily and stars Angela Bettis. In cholera-ridden Sicily of 1854, Maria, a future nun, is evacuated from her convent home in Catanie to her father’s Mount Elna shadowed villa. During her stay, she falls in love with Nino, a family friend. Things fall apart when Catanie is declared safer for her return, meaning she must renounce her love and concentrate on serving God. (Running time 2hrs 29min) Dinner follows at Main Street Eatery with choice of selections: Dill Grilled Salmon ($23), Veal Scaloppini ($23), Chicken Marsala ($23) and Pasta Rosa Vegetarian ($20), All include salad, roll and glass of wine. Watch for separate invitation.
Sunday, December 8 / 2:00 & 4:30 AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS Presented by Opera on the James, in collaboration with Liberty University. Composed by Italian-born Gian Carlo Menotti, AMAHL is an opera ideal for families to enjoy because it recaptures childhood. Since there was no tradition of Santa Claus in Italy, the children were brought gifts by the Three Kings. Historic Academy Theatre, 524 Main Street Tickets available at the Academy
Tuesday, December 10, 2019 / 6:00 FESTA di NATALE Holiday Membership Event with good friends, good wine and good food. Home of Fran and Rad Briley 416 Washington Street. Please bring a sweet or savory dish to share. If you bring a friend, encourage him or her to join Dante. RSVP by Friday, November 29 to Fran Briley / fdbriley@gmail.com Please watch for your personal invitation
ITALIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES Sponsored by Lynchburg Parks & Recreation Instructor Francesca Calabretta, Member of Dante Alighieri Society PARLIAMO ITALIANO An introduction to the Italian language. Students will learn how to express themselves in Italian in everyday situations and gain new insights into Italian culture and society through Francesca’s personal stories and anecdotes of growing up in Italy. Tuesdays 7pm, 10/1-11/19/19. Register by 9/26.
BUON VIAGGIO! ITALIAN MINI “BOOT” CAMP Get a taste of Italy with exposure to history and culture peppered with lively personal anecdotes. Students will learn essential Italian terms and phrases to assist with various scenarios, from simple introductions and greetings to expression for dining out, shopping, asking directions, socializing and more. Thursdays 7pm, 10/3-11/17/19. Register by 9/26.
PRESENTS VIVA L’ITALIA!
A Celebration of All Things Italian
and you are invited!
Friday, September 20, 2019, 5:00 – 7:00 pm, Riverviews Artspace Gallery, 9th Street, Lynchburg, VA
The event, sponsored by the Dante Alighieri Society of Virginia in partnership with Riverviews, is open to the public without charge, but please let us know you are attending: dantealighieriva@gmail.com. Contact Gail Morrison, gailjohnsonmorrison@gmail.com with questions.
Accordion music will set the mood and greet attendees at the gallery door on 9th Street. Inside, there will be Italian wines (cash bar) and light cuisine, a pasta demonstration and tasting, as well as Italian oil and vinegar tasting. A mock classroom will feature Italian language trivia and games. A continuous overhead video will reflect 19th- and 20th-century Italian history and culture.
Attendees will be entertained with Italian music performed by Luca and Adelaide Trombetta with Keith Cooper on the guitar. Barbara Coffey will offer a demonstration and mini lessons on the accordion, and there will be an invitation to join line dancing to the sounds of Mamma Maria.
This first of its kind event will be filled with exciting activities and door prizes will be awarded throughout the evening.
The date of the event was chosen because of its special significance in Italian history. September 20, 1870 marked the Capture of Rome (Presa di Roma), the final event of the long process to unify Italy (the Risorgimento), marking both the final defeat of the Papal States under Pope Pius IX and the unification of the Italian peninsula under King Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy. Today, the date is widely memorialized throughout Italy, with a street or square in almost every city bearing its name. Stay tuned for events marking next year’s 150th anniversary of the event!
(The Dante Alighieri Society of Virginia (in Lynchburg) was organized in 1998 and is an affiliate of the international organization headquartered in Rome. It was named for Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), Italian Florentine poet and the author of The Divine Comedy, who is considered the father of the Italian language. The Society’s mission is to promote an appreciation for Italian culture and language. Monthly events and activities include lectures on Italian-related topics, programs in cooperation with other area organizations, a film/dinner series, as well as travel opportunities. Dante welcomes all who have a love of all things Italian. Funding for programs is provided by annual member dues (Single $25, Family $35, Student $5); send to PO Box 2391, Lynchburg, VA 24501.)
Wednesday, September 25 / 5:30 FILM & DINNER SERIES Riverviews Artspace Theatre. Please enter from 9th Street ROMEO AND JULIET A 1968 British-Italian romantic tragedy film based on the Shakespearean play. It was directed and co-written by recently deceased Franco Zeffirelli, famous Italian director and producer of operas and films, and stars Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, with Nino Rota composing the soundtrack. Laurence Olivier delivers the film's prologue and epilogue and also dubbed various roles. The director engaged in a worldwide search for unknown teenage actors to play the parts of the two lovers. He ultimately cast Whiting (17) and Hussey (16) as the young lovers. Zeffirelli adapted the play in such a way as to play to their strengths and hide their weaknesses: for instance, long speeches were trimmed, and he emphasized action shots. The film is set in 14th - century Renaissance Italy and was filmed in varying locations throughout Italy, including the Cinecittà Studios backlot in Rome. (Running time 2hrs 29min) Dinner follows at Main Street Eatery with choice of selections: Salmon Imperial ($23), Lemon Dijon Chicken ($20), Veal Zurich ($23), and Pasta Rosa ($20). Included are salad, roll and glass of wine. Watch for separate invitation.
Wednesday, October 2 / 7:00 pm ITALIAN ARIAS UP CLOSE 701 Main Street Opera on the James General Director Marco Nistico will discuss the opera’s fall production, WITH VOICES RAISED, to be performed on Sunday, October 6, 3 pm, at the Historic Academy Historic Theatre. (Tickets available at the Academy). ITALIAN ARIAS UP CLOSE on October 2 is free and open to the public. The program is presented in partnership with Opera on the James and will feature Italian arias performed by the opera’s Young Artists. Members of the Dante Society will host a reception following the program.
Wednesday, October 9 / 7:00 TODAY THE MIDDLE AGES ARE OVER: The Risorgimento, the Capture of Rome, and the Making of Modern Europe Riverviews Artspace Gallery. (Please enter from 9th Street.) A presentation on the importance of September 20 in the history of Italy by Marjorie WheelerBarclay, Charles A. Dana Professor Emerita of History at Randolph College. Professor WheelerBarclay specializes in modern European history, focusing on the 19th century. The capture of Rome by the Italian Army on 20 September 1870 was the culmination of a decades-long struggle, known as the Risorgimento, to achieve Italian reunification and liberation from foreign domination. Throughout the 19th century, led by two charismatic figures, Giuseppe Garibaldi and Giuseppe Mazzini, nationalists launched numerous uprisings and revolutions, leading to the unification of most of Italy in 1861. Yet, for almost a decade, Rome continued to be ruled directly by the papal government, a state of affairs that was intolerable for the leaders of the new Kingdom of Italy. The story of the Risorgimento and its ultimate triumph highlights the struggles over politics, nations, religion, and ideas that shaped modern Italy and all of Europe.
Saturday, October 19 / 12:55 Metropolitan Opera High Definition Broadcast Historic Academy Theatre, 524 Main Street, Lynchburg Puccini’s TURANDOT Introduction by Opera on the James one hour before curtain time. Tickets available at the Academy.
Sunday, October 20 / 4:00 pm, SOUNDS OF ITALY, Amherst Presbyterian Church, 163 Second Street, Amherst
A musical tour of Italy that showcases the best Italian music from classical to popular. Husband and wife duo, Adelaide Muir Trombetta (soprano) and Luca Trombetta (violin and viola), with special guest Tad Hardin (piano), will transport listeners to the sounds of Italy. Sponsored by Amherst Glebe Arts Response, Inc. For more information contact: AmherstGlebeArts@gmail.comhttp://www.amherstglebeartsresponse.org
434.946.0116/434.989.3215
Wednesday, October 23 / 5:30, FILM & DINNER SERIES, Riverviews Artspace Theatre, 901 Jefferson Street (enter from 9th Street)
THE FIRST BEAUTIFUL THING
The story of the Michelucci family from the 1970’s to 30 years later. The Mother is crowned the “Most Beautiful Mother” in an annual summer beauty contest in Livorno and from then on chaos strikes the family. Don Bruno returns to be at his Mother’s side during her last days and starts remembering most of the key episodes of his family life through a long series of flashbacks. The film was nominated for 18
awards. (Running time is 122 minutes.)
Dinner follows at Main Street Eatery with choice of selections: Salmon Primavera ($23),
Chicken Piccata ($23), Veal Marsala ($20), and Pasta Primavera ($20) Included are salad, roll
and glass of wine. Watch for separate invitation.
October 24-26, ANNUAL MEMBER NEW YORK EXCURSION,
Accommodations: The Warwick Hotel
Thursday: Dinner at Mozzarella & Vino
Friday Morning: Guided Tour of Italian Futurism Works, Museum of Modern Art
Friday Evening at the Met: Puccini’s La Boheme
Contact Fran Briley with questions: (434) 238-8788 or fdbriley@gmail.com
Wednesday, November 6 / 7:00, RENAISSANCE PAINTINGS IN VENICE, Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College
Venice contains an astonishing and potentially bewildering concentration of Renaissance painting within a few square kilometers. For those planning a visit to the city, Dante Society board member and Randolph College instructor Jay Kardan will offer suggestions on how best to
see the finest works of the five great Renaissance masters, along with a brief account of the development of Venetian painting.
Saturday, November 9 / 12:55 Metropolitan Opera High Definition Broadcast Historic Academy Theatre, 524 Main Street, Lynchburg Puccini’s MADAMA BUTTERFLY Introduction by Opera on the James one hour before curtain time. Tickets available at the Academy.
Wednesday, November 13 / 5:30 FILM & DINNER SERIES Riverviews Artspace, 901 Jefferson Street Note: Film will be shown in the Gallery, on the 2nd Wednesday, instead of the 4th Wednesday. Please enter from 9th Street. SPARROW A 1993 Italian drama film directed by Franco Zeffirelli as an adaptation of Giovanni Verga’s novel, Storia di una capinera. It was filmed in Sicily and stars Angela Bettis. In cholera-ridden Sicily of 1854, Maria, a future nun, is evacuated from her convent home in Catanie to her father’s Mount Elna shadowed villa. During her stay, she falls in love with Nino, a family friend. Things fall apart when Catanie is declared safer for her return, meaning she must renounce her love and concentrate on serving God. (Running time 2hrs 29min) Dinner follows at Main Street Eatery with choice of selections: Dill Grilled Salmon ($23), Veal Scaloppini ($23), Chicken Marsala ($23) and Pasta Rosa Vegetarian ($20), All include salad, roll and glass of wine. Watch for separate invitation.
Sunday, December 8 / 2:00 & 4:30 AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS Presented by Opera on the James, in collaboration with Liberty University. Composed by Italian-born Gian Carlo Menotti, AMAHL is an opera ideal for families to enjoy because it recaptures childhood. Since there was no tradition of Santa Claus in Italy, the children were brought gifts by the Three Kings. Historic Academy Theatre, 524 Main Street Tickets available at the Academy
Tuesday, December 10, 2019 / 6:00 FESTA di NATALE Holiday Membership Event with good friends, good wine and good food. Home of Fran and Rad Briley 416 Washington Street. Please bring a sweet or savory dish to share. If you bring a friend, encourage him or her to join Dante. RSVP by Friday, November 29 to Fran Briley / fdbriley@gmail.com Please watch for your personal invitation
ITALIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES Sponsored by Lynchburg Parks & Recreation Instructor Francesca Calabretta, Member of Dante Alighieri Society PARLIAMO ITALIANO An introduction to the Italian language. Students will learn how to express themselves in Italian in everyday situations and gain new insights into Italian culture and society through Francesca’s personal stories and anecdotes of growing up in Italy. Tuesdays 7pm, 10/1-11/19/19. Register by 9/26.
BUON VIAGGIO! ITALIAN MINI “BOOT” CAMP Get a taste of Italy with exposure to history and culture peppered with lively personal anecdotes. Students will learn essential Italian terms and phrases to assist with various scenarios, from simple introductions and greetings to expression for dining out, shopping, asking directions, socializing and more. Thursdays 7pm, 10/3-11/17/19. Register by 9/26.
JOIN & SUPPORT
THE DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY OF VIRGINIA
Membership: Single $25 / Family $35 / Student $5
Send check to PO Box 2391, Lynchburg VA 24505
THE DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY OF VIRGINIA
Membership: Single $25 / Family $35 / Student $5
Send check to PO Box 2391, Lynchburg VA 24505