Italian American Digest DigestSpring2019RevisedFinalDraft | Page 14

SPRING 2019 PAGE 14 Italian American Digest Community Calendar March Lecture: Michelangelo and the Popes Thursday, March 14th at 6:30pm at the AICC A long line of Popes with an eye for talent commissioned Michelangelo to create works of art and architecture which continue to captivate audiences today. Tom Cortazzo will explore the rapport Michelangelo held with the Popes of his lifetime. General Admission: $10.00 & AICC Members: Free April Mastersigner’s Meet And Greet – Rigoletto Monday, April 8th from 6:00 - 9:00pm at the AICC For our Mastersigners, come meet and greet members of the performing company. Sponsored by the New Orleans Opera Association. General Admission: $10.00 & AICC Members: Free Concert: Una Notte Italiana with Classes: Sophia & Oghi Spring 2019 Italian Language Classes Thursday, April 11th at 6:30pm at the AICC Beginning the week of March 18th You’re invited to join us for an evening of Italian music with Sophia Parigi and Did you know the St. Joseph’s Day altar tradition began in Sicily in the Middle Oghi Kanev! This will be a beautiful evening of Italian arias, Italian American Ages and when Sicilians came to Louisiana, they took that tradition with them? classics, & much more. Sophia Parigi is a state certified gifted & talented student Learn more about Sicilian culture and Italy’s connection to New Orleans and attends Patrick F.Taylor Academy, she studies jazz piano at the Jazz & through the AICC’s spring 2019 Italian classes. All classes are taught by Heritage Festival Foundation, and is an active member of the New Orleans Alessandro, a native Italian, and have a friendly, motivating atmosphere. Our Opera-Youth Chorus. Oghi Kanev is a small class sizes allow personalized instruction and foster friendships amongst General Admission: $15.00 & AICC Members: $10.00 students and the teacher. Classes taught in NOLA & Metairie. Lecture: Challenging What You Thought About Sicilian New Orleans Thursday, March 21st at 6:30pm at the AICC In this talk, Dr. Justin Nystrom of Loyola University New Orleans will share some of the bigger surprises that came out of the research for his recent book, Creole Italian: How Sicilian Immigrants Shaped the Culture of America’s Most Interesting Food Town. This work documents the important role that Sicilian immigrants played in making New Orleans one of the world’s great food cities. General Admission: $10.00 & AICC Members: Free Parade: 49th Annual St. Joseph’s Parade Saturday, March 23rd at 6:00pm See the parade route and details on P. 3 Parade: 37th Annual Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade Sunday, March 24th at noon See the parade route and details on P. X Movie Night: Monumental Journey Wednesday, March 27th at 6:00pm at the Prytania Theater Join us at the Prytania Theater for the world premiere of The Monumental Journey! This documentary shares the journey of Italian artist Franco Alessandrini and the AICC in creating and gifting a statue of St. Pope John Paul II to the city of New Orleans for the city’s 300th anniversary. The Sansepolcro flag throwers will perform in front of the theater and lead us into the showing. Tickets are $12 for General Admission & AICC Members: $7.50 (includes popcorn and soft drink). Pizza at the Piazza Friday, March 29th from 5:00 - 7:00pm at the AICC with a special performance by Sansepolcro flag throwers at 5:30pm Join us for a pizza party at the Piazza d’Italia and check out the AICC’s newly renovated second floor event space while mingling with the Sansepolcro flag throwers! This will be a fabulous evening with friends, food, & fun! Tickets are $20 for General Admission & AICC Members: $15.00 which includes unlimited food and a wine ticket. May Book Talk: Dianne Hale’s La Passione: How Italy Seduced The World Wednesday, May 8th at 6:30pm at the AICC Join New York Times best-selling author Dianne Hales for a presentation & signing of her newest book: La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World. “[Hales’] love affair with Italy shines through as she recounts the histories of colorful characters who made their names through war, art, food, wine, music, and more. She brings the reader with her to experience the country’s long-lasting traditions and the people whose dedication keeps that legacy alive today… Frothy as a cappuccino and rich as tiramisu, La Passione is a delightful excursion into the heart of Italian culture.” –BOOKLIST General Admission: $10.00 & AICC Members: Free Lecture: Italians and the Birth of Jazz Thursday, May 16th at 6:30pm at the AICC Join award-winning author Jason Berry for a presentation and signing of his latest book, City of a Million Dreams: A History of New Orleans at Year 300. In City of a Million Dreams, Berry delivers a character-driven history of New Orleans at its tricentennial.The lecture will focus on the birth of jazz and the role Italians played in its popularization. “His optimism, a faith of sorts, is grounded in the very story he tells, of a city still defined by ‘pageantries and memory rituals of its varied people’ and ‘where people of different colors and cultures have daily interactions as they have done for generations.’ His book, an indispensable history, explains both what we might take care not to lose and why it’s so easy to believe it will always be so.” -- Larry Blumenfeld, The Wall Street Journal The book, which retails for $35, will be available for purchase. General Admission: $10.00 & AICC Members: Free