Scandals & Scoundrels: The Hidden Story of Casanova, Da Ponte, and Don Giovanni
Join us for an enchanting evening with Kayleen Asbo and Theresa Nelson, and be immersed in the luxury, opulence, and decadence of XVIII century life from Venice to Paris and Vienna, as exemplified by Casanova, Da Ponte (Mozart’s librettist) and the legend of Don Giovanni. Kayleen Asbo is an acclaimed cultural historian musician, writer, and […]
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Marton Csokas reads Gabriele Tinti
Join us for an exclusive event combining ancient art and contemporary poetry. As a double bill with the Ancient Art Council’s lecture The Munich Doryphoros, Italian poet Gabriele Tinti will present poems inspired by classical sculpture, such as the Greek statue of Asklepios, one of the most prominent antiquities of the Legion of Honor’s collection, […]
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My Antonioni
Join us for My Antonioni, a special event held at the Italian Cultural Institute as a companion to the Castro series. The program is divided in three parts: My Antonioni Film scholar Noa Steimatsky presents Carlo di Carlo’s book My Antonioni, a collection of the director’s personal writings (edited by Istituto Luce Cinecittà and Cineteca di […]
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Lou Dematteis | A Journey Back
San Francisco based photographer and filmmaker Lou Dematteis covers issues of social, political and environmental importance around the world. During the ’70s he lived and traveled in Italy documenting Italian daily and political life. As one of five brothers and sisters in an Italian American family very proud of its heritage, he grew up listening […]
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Olivier Tomat | Research-based innovation in Europe & the US
Science & Technology Series There has been for years now an ongoing mythology built around some alleged features that would make the US research-based innovation ecosystem essentially superior to what is supposed to be a poorly run, in comparison, European one. This talk aims at diving a little deeper into the comparison, unveiling some less […]
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The Week of Neapolitan Pizza in San Francisco & the Bay Area
Following the recent decision of UNESCO to inscribe the art of the Neapolitan Pizzaiuolo in its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco and Dress in Dreams Movie & Costume of Rome have organized a week of events to celebrate Neapolitan Pizza in San Francisco and the Bay […]
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Culinary Secrets of Emilia Romagna and Tuscany
In collaboration with Bologna Connect Association and with the patronage of the Emilia Romagna Region, the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco is happy to present the book Culinary Secrets of Emilia Romagna, edited by journalist and author Stefano Andrini. During the meeting Stefano Andrini will be interviewed by Mary Tolaro-Noyes, a refined scholar of […]
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Calabria Old & New | From Norman Douglas to Calabrian Cuisine
Continuing our “Literary Locations” series, three women from Calabria (but with very different stories behind them) will engage in a captivating presentation of their region, its traditions, and its cultural transformations. “Such torrid splendor, drenching a land of austerest simplicity, decomposes the mind into corresponding states of primal contentment and resilience.”–Norman Douglas, Old Calabria, 1915 […]
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Women of the Mediterranean | Baroque Arias
Join Ars Minerva‘s Artistic Director and mezzo-soprano Céline Ricci in a presentation of her upcoming project. Together with mezzo-soprano Kindra Scharich, soprano Aurélie Veruni and harpsichordist Derek Tam, Céline will give us a taste of enchanting baroque arias portraying women of the Mediterranean. Music by Claudio Monteverdi, Francesco Cavalli, Carlo Pallavicino, George Frideric Handel, Pietro […]
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The Italian Garden Project
Experience the beauty and charm of the traditional Italian American backyard vegetable garden and learn about its relevance for reconnecting to our food, our families, and the earth. Mary Menniti, founder of The Italian Garden Project™, will share how these gardens serve as glimpses into the past that can lead to a brighter, more sustainable […]
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