Carolyn's Italian Journal

Ghiott - An Enduring Tuscan Tradition

2010-07-29T22:59:29Z

Today's tale from NYC's Summer Fancy Food Show brings us to the Ghiott Company. Florentine confectioners with a rich history, their creations still accompany coffee, vin santo and conversation throughout Italy and beyond. You can find them in the evocative Chianti region of Tuscany, very near the famous Passignano Abbey. Located on a branch of the road known locally as the Strada Senese del Sambuco, it was the Florentines' preferred way to Siena until at least 1200, after which better routes were found. In 1953 in Florence, Italy, Enzo Salaorni was continuing the proud tradition of his ancestors - Tuscan confectioners. This gave him access to recipes dating back to the Renaissance. Salaorni took one of the cantuccini recipes, changed it a bit, and created Ghiottini. This almond-based delicacy became so popular that today it is the Company's most famous product. (Cantuccini are what we think of as biscotti, but in Italy, all cookies are biscotti. Cantuccini are the oblong, twice baked creations that are perfect for dunking). Ghiottini are BVQI certified, which is an international standard ensuring both the quantity and quality of ingredients; that are both traceable and typical of the region of production without artificial coloring or preservatives. In this case, it means whole, skinned, Mediterranean almonds, 'A' class egg yokes and Millefiori honey. Ghiott's other beloved products include Brutti e Buoni (the ultimate Tuscan cookie, crunchy with a soft, sweet center), Amaretti (soft cookies made with stone- ground rice flour, sweet and bitter almonds, sugar and whipped egg whites), Panforte Morbido (soft, round cake filled with candied fruit and almonds) and Ricciarelli (soft, oval pastry with almond paste that are considered good luck. They also make a chocolate version). Although the Company has modernized its production technology to keep up with international demand, the Salaorni family retains its focus on manual processing methods and simple, high quality ingredients. To learn more, visit ghiott.com.

Carlo Aonzo - Bridging the Musical Past Into the Future

2010-07-24T18:24:36Z

Carolyn: Carlo Aonzo is one of the finest classical mandolinists in the world. From his home in Savona, Italy, Carlo continues to perfect his mastery of the Italian classical mandolin. Over the years, he has received numerous awards for his musical ability, including winning the 27th annual Walnut Valley Mandolin Contest in Winfield, Kansas and the Vivaldi Prize at the 6th Annual Vittorio Pitzianti National Mandolin Competition in Venice. He created and directed the winter Festival Internazionale di Mandolino in Varazze, Italy and in 2006 he founded the International Academy of Italian Mandolin. He directs the Orchestra a Pizzico Ligure and has collaborated with the La Scala Philharmonic in Milan. His passion for this music extends to the research, preservation and dissemination of its history, and he is a contributor to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Carlo has recorded numerous CDs over the years and was featured in the book and CD, Mandolin 2000. He also recorded an in-studio video concert of solo mandolin repertoire for Mel Bay, called Carlo Aonzo: Classical Mandolin Virtuoso. Carolyn: I understand that the person who first taught you mandolin was your father, right? Carlo: That's right. My father is the ...from the old and fashionable past of Italian string virtuoso and brought all this culture to me in the family. Carolyn: So you were brought up surrounded by mandolin music? Carlo: Yes of course. My father used to play every night with friends as soon as he could get his mandolin. Actually he's still doing that today. Carolyn: what kind of a mandolin does he play? Carlo: Well, the only kind of mandolin that we knew, the Italian classical mandolin. Carolyn: OK, so the bowl back? Carlo: Right. The true mandolin. Carolyn: The true mandolin, OK. Now we know what you think. (Laughter) Ok. So when you started I suppose it was the influence of your family and hearing this in your home that first drew you to the mandolin, but then what keeps drawing you, even now? Carlo: This instrument is part of our genetics. Because almost everybody was playing this instrument especially at the end of the 1800's and on. When also our queen, the first queen of Italy, Queen Margarita, was herself a mandolin player. So of course this tradition, this history is still inside of us and it is what draws me to keep playing the mandolin discovering its history. Carolyn: Carlo studied at Padova's Cesare Pollini Conservatory and was taught by the virtuoso Ugo Orlandi. Orlandi not only taught Carlo the music of the mandolin, but also inspired a continuing fascination with its history. Carlo: Ugo Orlandi, for sure the best scientist of the mandolin in the world. By myself I did a lot of research, especially on the paintings, studying the use, trying to find all the sources on paintings about the mandolin. It was very interesting research and I do the presentation often about it. People like it very much because it is an instrument that everybody knows but nobody knows really because they know only as the media show to us. So we have an idea of the Italian mandolin as this instrument for Neapolitan songs and that is only a little part of the identity of the instrument. For example, the great Niccolo' Paganini is very well known as a violin player, he was the best virtuoso of the history of the violin. But he started to play on the mandolin. His father taught to him the mandolin before any other instrument. So for example this is something that I like to tell. It is something that nobody knows. Well, actually I invented a little joke about this. We mandolin players say that he first learned the mandolin and as soon as he realized that the mandolin was too difficult, he passed it to play the violin and became a great virtuoso on the violin. Actually, our instrument has this characteristic. That is the first approach is pretty easy and it is very useful instrument to have ensemble music. So we have a lot of amateur that like to hear the mandolin and play together with other people in mandolin orchestras. But to play it as a concert player is really hard. You have to work a lot before you can get a good result. Carolyn: Carlo recorded Paganini's work on the CD entitled Paganini: The Complete Works For Mandolin and French Guitar. This CD marks the first time that Paganini's mandolin music was recorded on period instruments, including the mandolino Genovese, dating back to the second half of the 18th century, which Paganini himself used. The pieces presented on this CD are taken from the only manuscripts for this instrument available today. Carolyn: what's different about the mandolino Genovese? Carlo: The difference is mainly in the tuning. The mandolino Genovese has 6 double strings and the tune is like the guitar but one octave higher. They call it also guitarino because it was like a little guitar, with the same tuning. Carolyn: For the past 10 years Carlo has presented a mandolin workshop in Manhattan. This highly anticipated workshop takes place over a long weekend and is attended by students throughout the United States and Canada. Together, they work on pieces by classical and contemporary composers, culminating in a public recital. Carolyn: Sitting in a room with about 25 mandolin players; you close your eyes and you're transported to another century, completely. It's a beautiful effect. It has a beautiful resonance not only in the ear but also in the soul. There's something about the mandolin that connects with almost everyone. Carlo: That's true. Because this sound, this invention of the tremolo is something that goes directly to your heart. Carolyn: Every August Carlo organizes a workshop in Europe called the International Italian Mandolin Academy. This year, 2010, the workshop will be in Savona, Italy from the 22nd - 29th. Students of all levels are invited to this event and the musical offerings will be varied and challenging. Carlo: The Accademia will be much focused on the Italian classical mandolin but we will have also examples of jazz mandolin by Don Stiernberg from Chicago and some blues mandolin from Richard DelGrosso from Houston and some South American mandolin by Dudu Maia. And we will have also a special course for orchestral directors made by Stefano Squarsina that is a professional conductor, great musician that will show us all the tricks to conduct a mandolin orchestra. The city is waiting for that event very much because we will have evening concerts and always it's a very intense week. What is so remarkable is that we have special courses for newbie, for people that never played the mandolin before, and also for kids. So it's a very complex but easy week. It can be intended as a vacation with the mandolin in Italy also. Carolyn: Carlo tours extensively throughout Europe and North America and directs a professional, international mandolin orchestra. He also plays with Mandolin Cocktail, a project that features not only classical pieces but South American, North American swing, bluegrass, blues, Italian folk music and new compositions. But no matter what type of music he's playing, Carlo only plays one type of mandolin. Carlo: I play only my Pandini mandolin. It's like the Cannone for Paganini. Carolyn: (Laughter) OK. So I won't be seeing you with a flat back mandolin anytime soon. Carlo: There are a lot of really good instruments but the only point is that I play Italian classical mandolin so it is good to bring our culture around and show that we have a big past and a very nice present and also a big future that is waiting for us. That is the instrument that brought the Italian culture all around the world so it's right to honor it. Carolyn: To learn more about Carlo, visit www.aonzo.com.

Calabrian Figs That Make Your Mouth Water

2010-07-15T21:00:31Z

Imagine orchards of fig trees with their wide, green leaves fluttering in the breezes off the Tyrrhenian Sea. Their branches are heavy with ripe, round figs as you reach up to pick one on a late summer day. As you bite into this juicy, delicious fruit, you know you have to take home as many as you can carry. Some you will bake in the oven, maybe stuff with walnuts or almonds or fill with limoncello. You'll enjoy these figs all year, if you can keep yourself from eating them all at once. Can this beautiful vision really be true? It's happening now, in the small village of Amantea, not far from Cosenza in the region of Calabria, Italy. Fichi Marano is a company started in 1930 and currently run by the Marano Brothers (Fratelli Marano). The brothers learned the business from their father, who taught them the techniques and ancient recipes handed down through generations from the time of Magna Grecia (when the Greeks settled Southern Italy). It is believed that figs were brought to Calabria by travelers from the Middle East and thrived in their new climate. The hills of Cosenza are covered with Dottato figs, a variety that ripens to rich flavor in the Calabrian heat. The figs are picked green from the trees and sun dried during the day on bamboo racks called cannizzi. Every night they're brought into a closed, dark space and this process continues until the figs reach perfection. Fichi Marano creates wonderful products, some of which I was lucky enough to sample at the Summer Fancy Food Show in NYC. First, they enticed me with Bocconcini della Nonna. These figs are dried but moist, stuffed with walnuts and flavored with sugar and cinnamon. Then there was the Bocconcini - moist, dried figs stuffed with almonds. Next I tried Paciocchi, which are figs covered with melted chocolate or white chocolate and filled with almonds. They told me that these delicacies will stay fresh for a year without refrigeration. A year? They wouldn't last 10 minutes in my kitchen before I found a way to eat them all! They also offer figs flavored with liqueurs like rum, grappa or limoncello, fruits like orange or lemon and even a spicy variety with peperoncino. They also create a variety of chocolate candy and beautiful, small gift baskets filled with their tasty treats. To learn more about this company and order its products, visit fichimarano.it

Ambasciata dei Sapori: Sicily's Flavorful Export

2010-07-09T17:37:38Z

Imagine Sicily with an Embassy of Flavors, populated by tasteful Ambassadors bringing the best of its artisanal food and wine to the rest of Italy and the world. No need to imagine; it's real. Ambasciata dei Sapori (Embassy of Taste) is a new, private initiative out of Sicily that promotes small and medium food and wine producers through presentations, tasting events and theme dinners. I caught up with these culinary ambassadors at a press conference at the Summer Fancy Food Show in NYC and learned some very interesting things. For starters, Ambasciata dei Sapori works with only artisanal producers, not industrial sized firms. Currently representing 22 producers, the Ambasciata allows them to join forces, strategize and reach markets that they would never have the capital, time, manpower or experience to reach alone. It does not charge the producers a membership fee, nor does it demand their exclusivity. So far, Ambasciata dei Sapori has traveled to Milan, Berlin and now Manhattan. The founders of Ambasciata are fellow Sicilians, Marco Scapagnini and Livio Mandara'. They chose to bring samples of 10 of their producers to the Fancy Food Show. According to Mr. Scapagnini, it would have been logistically impossible to bring samples from all 22 producers. As it was, US Customs kept his phone ringing almost incessesantly. Some of the Ambasciata producers buy their wheat from a cooperative that manages acreage that has been confiscated from the Mafia just outside the town of Corleone. This initiative was begun by a local priest who petitioned the Italian Parliament to allow these once-criminal assets to serve the common good. I've listed the products on hand at the press conference, but not all were available for sampling: Pasticceria Bonomo: Chocolate from Modica. This company makes its chocolate as the Aztecs did in the New World: stone ground with raw sugar and flavorings, like cinnamon and other spices. Its texture is grainy and the chocolate taste is strong. It's wonderful. www.pasticceriabonomo.it Antica Cioccolateria Acese: Chocolate from Acireale. Creamy, melt in your mouth chocolate filled with Sicilian flavors like hazelnuts, pistachio, almonds, figs, coffee or orange rind. A pleasure to eat. www.anticacioccolateriacese.it Iblealat: Luscious cheese from Ragusa, paired with jams and honey. Delight from Corleone: Pasta and pecorino cheese from that infamous town. Pevin: Wine, Vino Cerasuolo di Vittoria, D.O.C.G. This label stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita and is a strict quality assurance standard indicating that the product was produced within a specified geographical region using defined methods. Production of Vino Cerasuolo di Vittoria began about 4 centuries ago from the Nero d'Avola (also known as Calabrese) and Frappato grapes. www.pevin.it Marchetta: Wine, Malvasia delle Lipari, D.O.C. This label stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata and is also a quality assurance label indicating that the product was produced within a specified geographical region using defined methods. Malvasia delle Lipari is an ancient wine produced on the Aeolian Island of Lipari. Marisco: Fruit jams and jellies. I sampled the Confettura di Mela, made with apples and quince. When paired with the Iblealat cheese I could have eaten it all day. Marisco is also a lovely agriturismo outside of Palermo. www.marisco.it L'Oro di Laura: Artichokes, olives, mushrooms hand-picked and cut by local women. The vegetables are cultivated and harvested from Parco delle Madonie, Madonie Natural Reservation Park, an environmentally protected area. www.lorodilaura.com Cinque Colli: Extra virgin olive oil Monti Iblei DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta or Protected Designation of Origin). The olives for this oil are harvested by hand from the area around Catania, Ragusa and Siracusa. www.cinquecolli.it Azienda Agricola Muscara': Extra virgin olive oil produced in the hills of Piazza Armerina from the Muscara' family farm. www.collidialiano.it

TuttoCalabria: Can You Take the Heat?

2010-07-06T14:38:30Z

This is another tale of the Summer Fancy Food Show in NYC, June 2010. While in the Italian Pavilion I found myself in the Calabrian section. One reason I was drawn there is that I am part Calabrian. The fact that there were life-sized images of the stunning Bronzi di Riace at the entrance of the section also didn't hurt. For heaven's sake, I'm only human. The famous Bronzi di Riace graced the entrance to the Calabrian section. So I spent some time with Paolo Giovanni Celli at the TuttoCalabria booth, sampling food and learning about the company. It is based in Marcellinara, not far from Catanzaro. Founded by Antonio Celli in 1970, TuttoCalabria was one of the very first Calabrian food companies to produce and commercialize its region's food products. Antonio Celli was a farmer who understood that the tantalizing tastes of the food he grew were made possible by the unique climate and soil of his region of Calabria. He knew that outsiders would never enjoy these flavors without visiting Marcellinara. So Antonio and his wife, Adele, began selling their products in little glass jars and today, TuttoCalabria can be found in Europe, America, Japan and Australia. The tagline of the TuttoCalabria Company is Piccanti Per Passione or Spices For Passion (yeah, they get right to the point). After sampling some of their creations I can say that yes, the spices get the blood circulating. One wonderful concoction is Nduja, a spread made from salami, pancetta, vegetables and peperoncino. It was served as an antipasto on thinly sliced toast, but can also be mixed with pasta and extra virgin olive oil. It's tasty, spicy and a treat for the mouth. I couldn't resist the Hot Pepper Sauce (Mousse di Peperoncino). It's basically hot and sweet peppers in a jar whipped to a smooth consistency. Depending upon your spice tolerance, it's a wonderful addition to many things, from sandwiches to pizza to sauces to marinades to dressings. If you're like me, you might add it alone to some crusty Italian bread and enjoy the fireworks. TuttoCalabria loves to stuff its hot peppers, too. They use fresh Quartirolo cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano and anchovies and tuna. Many products have wonderful names like "Esplosiva" and "Diavola", but not everything they make is spicy. But all of their products, whether artichokes, mushrooms, olives or tomatoes, bring the sun, soil, air and water of Calabria to your palate. To order some TuttoCalabria for yourself, go to tuttocalabria.com

Parampa'mpoli: The Liquore You Set On Fire

2010-07-02T01:00:51Z

This is the first of several tales from the Summer Fancy Food Show at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City in June, 2010. As you might expect, I spent all of my time in the Italian Pavilion. As I was walking down an aisle, I saw a woman stirring a small amount of dark liquid in a pot that was heating on a portable 2-burner stove. Then she lit the liquid on fire with a lighter and poured it into small white and purple cups, and served. I had to stop and see what she was doing. She was Maddalena Giordano, from the family that owns the Rifugio Crucolo Company. She was demonstrating one of their unique products: Parampa'mpoli. It was invented by Giordano Purin in front of a fireplace in the 1950's by combining coffee, grappa, sugar, honey and other flavors. When the flame was added, Rifugio Crucolo's signature drink was born. I tried it (of course!) and loved it. Although the drink was literally flaming, it cooled quickly in the cup and I was able to enjoy it almost immediately. It's both relaxing and energizing, and I took a bottle home. Here's how you make it: shake the bottle well and pour the desired amount in a small pot. Heat on a high flame and as soon as the first boiling bubbles appear, set fire to it with a match or lighter and pour it into cups as the flame burns. (Make sure that the cups can withstand the heat.) Sit back and enjoy. The Rifugio Crucolo Company has an interesting history. Located in Val Campelle, it's just outside of Valsugana, between Venice and Trento. At the start of the 19th century, the Purin family managed a small inn called Crucolo, which in time became known as Rifugio Crucolo (Mountaintop Refuge). Its guests were shepherds and farmers who passed by while bringing their flocks and herds from Valsugana to the high pastures. At Crucolo they enjoyed a good meal, wine, conversation and rest. During World War I, Crucolo was turned into a military outpost, burned down and rebuilt. Through the years it has become a favorite spot to enjoy traditional meals and atmosphere. It's known for its cellars, which in addition to Parampa'mpoli, hold wines, grappas, cheese, salami and cured meats. The Rifugio Crucolo Company ensures the quality of its food by controlling every aspect of its production, from raising to butchering to processing. The results are authentic products, locally produced in Valsugana and whose every ingredient can be traced to its origin. To order some Parampa'mpoli for yourself, get a few Crucolo recipes and learn more about the company, visit crucolo.it

Salina Film Festival: An Aeolian Treasure

2010-06-24T21:58:44Z

The Aeolian Island of Salina, close to Sicily, is the setting for an intriguing event in September: SalinaDocFest, Immagini, Suoni e Realta' del Mediterraneo (Images, Dreams and Realty of the Mediterranean). Now in its fourth year, SalinaDocFest presents the best in narrative documentary filmmaking on the beautiful island of Salina. The Festival's theme in 2010 is Il Mio Paese: L'identita' (My Country: The Identity), the concept of identity in all its forms: male and female, private and public, individual and political. The Festival will begin with an international contest of narrative documentaries whose subjects are connected to the countries and people of the Mediterranean Sea and contemporary social issues. The entire island joins in the Festival, with different small towns hosting various events. Click here for an interactive map of Salina, complete with photos of the towns and locations of hotels and B&Bs. Click here for a description of the accommodations, contact information and websites. More information can be found at salinaisolaverde.it. SalinaDocFest runs from September 12-19, 2010. To learn more about the Festival, go to salinadocfest.org. Giovanna Taviani The Art Director and creative force behind the Festival is Giovanna Taviani, a talented documentary filmmaker in her own right. In 2004, her film I Nostri 30 Anni: Generazioni A Confronto, debuted at the Torino Film Festival. In 2006 her second documentary, Ritorni, won the Special Jury Prize at the Potenza Film Festival and was screened at the annual Film Festival in Rome. A student of cinema and literature, she has written various works on the subject published by the University of Calabria and G.B. Palumbo Editore. Since 1997 she has been the editor of Allegoria magazine and a contributor to Cinecritica and Eidos. Though born in Rome, Giovanna describes herself as a "Sicilian by heart". The island of Salina has long been one of her favorite destinations. Like so many places, Salina's economy is tied to tourism, which surges during the summer months and drops off drastically in the fall. "This is a shame, because September and continuing into the fall are so beautiful on the island. It's our harvest season and shouldn't be missed." This sentiment was echoed by her long time friend, Alberto Oliviero, who is the President of SalinaIsolaVerde, a tourism association focusing on the cultural and natural beauty of the island. Oliviero encouraged Giovanna to create a cultural event that would bring tourists to the island in the off-season. And so SalinaDocFest was born. I had the pleasure of meeting Giovanna Taviani recently while she was in New York City. She is intelligent and warm with a distinct point of view. For those who may not know, Giovanna Taviani is the daughter and niece of the enormously successful Italian directors and screenwriters, Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, known among their devoted fans as I Fratelli Taviani (The Taviani Brothers). Their narrative films tell stories wrapped in fable-like elements where the laws of Nature don't always apply. Giovanna, in contrast, is building her career with documentaries, specifically, narrative documentaries. This type of film blends both genres; real people, not actors, tell a true story while archival footage, reminiscence and perhaps clips of past films are added to bring depth to the story. When I asked her why she chose this type of filmmaking she explained, "The more personal reason is that I needed to create my own distinct style, and not just copy that of the Taviani Brothers. I had to find my own space within the world of filmmaking. But at the same time, I am my father's daughter and I love to tell stories. So by blending the realistic style of documentaries with story-telling elements of narrative films, I present stories with my personal point of view, my own voice. The other reason is I believe that as human beings, we really need to return to reality. We are saturated with false stories and what we call Reality TV is not reality at all. It is a world of controlled images and events pretending to be reality. Real stories are not being told. With documentaries, we can get inside what is really happening." Like the American film The Truman Show, Giovanna says we are living in a constructed environment and we don't even know it. She believes in the power of the narrative documentary to break through our collective fantasy into reality. Giovanna's point of view is strong and clear and she doesn't shrink from controversial topics. Her current focus is Italy's immigration policies, which she finds regrettable and wrong-headed. She can't help but marvel at the irony of the issue: the Italians who immigrated to America were looked down upon and had to struggle for every aspect of a decent life. And now Italy's strict policies treat those from other countries with the same suspicion and marginalization. "When we harshly repel immigrants in the Mediterranean Sea, we forget both our past as emigrants and our present as a country of emigrants, where the young are forced to leave their land looking for a job and to escape from their dreadful and uneasy situation...Sicilians, as well as other Italians, were created from the blending together of ethnic groups from different countries. We cannot forget this." Cinematic Inspiration Comes Full Circle Just as the Taviani Brothers influenced Giovanna's love of film, Giovanna's techniques and ideas have now inspired them. Because of her passion for the narrative documentary, the Taviani Brothers are making plans to film their first narrative documentary. Their chosen subject is an Italian prison where the inmates perform productions of Shakespeare. The Taviani Brothers give Giovanna full credit for their newfound fascination with the genre, but stopped short of allowing her to be involved in their filmmaking process. "I told them that I would love to help them with this project, but they said, 'No, we'll do it ourselves.' So I have to wait and see what they will create."

Reminders of Beauty in a Time of War - The Career of Alberto Rabagliati

2010-05-24T20:33:20Z

"The music of Alberto Rabagliati helped Italians dream at a very difficult time." So stated Prof. Stefano Albertini, Director of Casa Italiana Zerrilli-Marimo' at NYU, at the Casa's Homage to Alberto Rabagliati. Swiss tenor Gilbert Rolle and pianist Frank Ponzio, under the direction of Maestro Alfredo Bonavera brought this music to life in song and story. Rolle seemed very much at home in Rabagliati's repertoire. Born in Milan in 1906, Rabagliati's early career opportunity was tied to the death of Rudolph Valentino. Valentino's untimely passing in 1926 created what has been described as mass hysteria in his female fans. Hollywood wanted to capitalize on Valentino's immense success and sponsored a worldwide lookalike contest with the promise of roles in Hollywood films for the winner. Rabagliati won the contest over about 2 million other men and found himself on a ship crossing the Atlantic. He later reflected, "For someone like me, who had seen no more than Lake Como or Monza Cathedral so far, finding myself on board a luxury steamer with three cases full of clothes, a few rolls of dollars, grand duchesses and countesses flirting with me, was something extraordinary." Upon reaching Hollywood, it seemed his benefactors had forgotten their promises of film roles and his acting career stalled before it began. However, he learned to enjoy the many gifts of America (including women) and danced to the ubiquitous swing and jazz music emanating from radio and nightclubs. After about four years his money ran out and Rabagliati returned to Italy. He launched his singing career and in 1934 joined the Cuban band, Lecuona Cuban Boys, then touring in Italy. Rabagliati had a hit with Maria La O and, for reasons no one seems able to explain, performed with LCB in blackface. In 1939 Rabagliati auditioned for the Italian state radio station, EIAR, and became the vocalist for the station's orchestra. His voice was an instant success and soon his own show, Canta Rabagliati (Rabagliati Sings), was causing a sensation. His hits included Ma l'Amore No, Mattinata Fiorentina, Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccina, Silenzioso Slow and Bambina Innamorata. His signature style was Swing Made in Italy and he based it on the American swing and jazz singers of the day. Rabagliati toured Italy with a 100 piece orchestra in 1941 and started a trend of rhythmic symphony concerts. Touring made him even more popular with the Italian people and females tossed him red roses at every performance. A popular cartoon of the day showed Rabagliati dancing in the street while every person (and a horse and a statue!) mimicked his freewheeling style. Crowned the King of Swing, Rabagliati's joyous music was a desperately needed counterpoint to the devastation and uncertainty of the war going on all around him. All of this is even more amazing when we remember that at the time, Mussolini had banned all foreign influences from Italy, including music. Swing and jazz were distinctly American art forms. However, Rabagliati's popularity was so overreaching that he was allowed to flout the ban and Il Duce even used one of his recordings as a campaign anthem. With this much popularity, the Italian film industry wasn't far behind. Beginning in 1940, his appeal translated easily to the screen and his film career spanned over 25 years. (Casa Italiana brought this aspect of Rabagliati's career to life by showing delightful clips of some of his more popular works.) One of his most iconic roles was 1943's La Vita E' Bella with Anna Magnani (not to be confused with Roberto Benigni's film of the same name). Rabagliati played a young count who considers suicide when he loses his fortune. His friend, a doctor, convinces him to submit to a serum injection that will kill him in 10 days, but could save many lives. The doctor tells him, "You've wasted your life, don't waste your death, too". In the ensuing 10 days, the now destitute count becomes a farmer and falls in love. He returns to the doctor insisting that he is no longer seeking death and wants to live. The doctor assures him that the serum he administered was harmless, and that he "only wanted to give an injection of life. Life is beautiful; go live it!" This story touched the deep suffering of many Italians at the time. It offered a way to move through the starvation, torture and death that was everywhere. It prompted the Corriere Della Sera to observe, in a 1998 retrospective of Rabagliati, that he "reminded Italians how beautiful life was in a time of war." And anyone who can do that deserves to be remembered.

Visions of Verdi - October 1 - 28, 2010 - Parma, Italy Invites Us to Celebrate Its Favorite Son

2010-05-24T15:15:59Z

Nestled on the ancient Roman road between Milan and Bologna, the city of Parma and its surrounds present treasures far beyond its diminutive size. For food, it offers mouthwatering Prosciutto di Parma, Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese, Colli di Parma wines, and balsamic vinegar aged in antique barrels from nearby Modena. For history, ancient castles grace its countryside and the beautiful Palazzo Ducale, its interior. For music, the birthplace of Arturo Toscanini, Paganini's Studio and resting place, and of course, Giuseppe Verdi. One of opera's most influential and best loved composers, Verdi was born in Roncole, a village outside of Busseto on the outskirts of Parma. Every year, Parma itself becomes an enormous stage as it erupts in celebration of Verdi's birthday. This October, Parma's streets will be filled with movement, sound and colour for 28 days through music, artistic exhibitions and colorful puppet shows. Cafes, bars and restaurants will showcase the Tastes of Verdi. If past Festivals are any indication, many a patron will burst into spontaneous operatic song, inspired by the sheer joy of the experience. On October 13 and 16, the Arturo Toscanini Conducting Competition will be held at the Auditorium Niccolo' Paganini di Parma. As described by Giancarlo Liuzzi, the Communications Director for Teatro Regio di Parma, the excitement of the Competition is "...to see a new career born in that precise moment." And we haven't even discussed the Festival's 15 days of operas yet! This year, the Main Events are: Il Trovatore at the Teatro Regio di Parma. Featuring Marcelo Alvarez, Norma Fantini, Claudio Sgura, Marianna Tarasova, Deyan Vatchkov, conducted by Yuri Temirkanov. I Vespri Siciliani at the Teatro Regio di Parma. Featuring Fabio Armiliato, Daniela Dessi, Leo Nucci, Giacomo Prestia, conducted by Massimo Zanetti. Attila at the Teatro Verdi di Busseto and Teatro Magnani di Fidenza. Featuring Roberto De Biasio, Giovanni Battista Parodi, Teresa Romano, conducted by Andrea Battistoni. To learn more about this amazing Festival, download the Festival booklet in English. (Although the webpage is in Italian, I assure you that the booklet is in English.) Please keep in mind that the city of Parma is small, and rooms fill up very quickly for the Verdi Festival. Luckily, nearby cities like Milan and Bologna are about a half hour's drive away and offer many more accommodations. For travel arrangements, contact info@parmaincoming.it.

Rhythm is the Cure Workshop in Tuscany this August!

2010-04-11T21:47:52Z

From August 22-29, 2010, you have the chance to experience Tuscany in a unique and life-changing way. Join internationally renowned percussionist, singer, composer, arranger and performer Alessandra Belloni on her 10th annual, soul-enhancing healing journey called Rhythm is the Cure. A few years ago I attended this workshop and it remains one of the highlights of my life. If this experience calls to you, ANSWER! Register early as it is limited to 25 students. The Workshop Rhythm is the Cure is a transformative week filled with intensive study, play, and joy. It is a healing workshop featuring Southern Italian ritual dances used as music and dance therapy for centuries throughout the Mediterranean. You'll learn the unique style of tambourine playing and the ancient healing trance dance of the tarantella, used to cure the mythical bite of the tarantula. (To learn more about this rich history, see my interview with Alessandra here.) The sessions feature the ancient chants used as invocations to the healing energy of the sun, the Black Madonna (whose origins date back to Cybele, the ancient Mother Earth Goddess of female energy), the moon, and the Goddess of Water and Love (known in different parts of the world as Aphrodite, Yemanja and Madonna del Mare). You will learn the history of this powerful percussion style which dates back to the rites of the Mother Earth Goddess Cybele. The instruments look like oversized tambourines and are more accurately called frame drums or tamburellos. These rites were originally performed mainly by women, and this experience returns us to our lost drumming tradition. In addition to drumming, Alessandra teaches healing dance rituals: Tammorriata - This is a beautiful, sensual dance from Naples performed with castanets to the rhythm of a large drum, called the Tammorra. The movements and rhythm are set to an African beat played in 4/4 time. This powerful dance is done during the summer rituals held in honor of the Black Madonna. Pizzica Tarantata - The wild 6/8 rhythm of the Pizzica, played on medium size tambourines and accompanied by dance and song, was performed for centuries as an exorcism ritual that produced a trance-like state beneficial for healing many mental-health disorders and imbalances. As part of a re-enactment of this healing ritual, Alessandra will lead the participants in a circle dance where they'll create spider-like movements on the ground, releasing stress and blockages of sexual energy, as well as opening the heart and throat chakras. Ritmo e Danza Di San Rocco (Spinning Dance) - This dance, originating in Calabria during the Middle Ages, was performed during the time of the plague to help people release the overpowering fear of death. Due to the trance-inducing movements and incessant spinning, many people enter ecstatic states during this dance, similar to the Whirling Dervish ceremonies. Tarantella Alla Montemaranese - A fun Carnevale dance in honor of Baccus, god of wine and ecstasy, also known as Dionysius. The Tarantella alla Montemaranese is danced in a circle to a very syncopated 6/8 rhythm while wearing masks and playing castanets. Special guest philosopher and writer Angelo Tonelli: In addition to the intensive dance and percussion study you'll do with Alessandra each day, you'll practice meditation, visualization, and energy work with Italian writer, philosopher, theater director and shaman Angelo Tonelli during his residency. Angelo is a Jungian specialist who combines ancient Greek rituals with Tibetan traditions to conduct enlightening group interactions and exercises. Cultural Excursion: An excursion will take place to the stunning marble Duomo of nearby Siena to view a statue of the Black Madonna and multiple images depicting the ancient female drumming tradition. This will be followed by a pilgrimage to the Abbey of San Galgano, a spectacular ruin of a Cistercian gothic abbey, to hold a special drumming ceremony. (To see an image of the Abbey, click here.) At sunset, the group will drum while walking up the hill to the extraordinary Hermitage Montesiepi, which houses another powerful Black Madonna. Alessandra Belloni Alessandra Belloni is the author of Rhythm is the Cure, Southern Italian Tambourine, the result of 25 years of field research and the foremost book on the subject. She is a singer, percussionist, dancer, composer, Artist in Residence at New York's Cathedral of St. John the Divine and co-founder and director of the Italian theatre Group I Giullari Di Piazza. She is the only woman in the U.S. and Italy specializing in Southern Italian percussion, ritual dances and singing. She has participated for over twenty years in authentic drumming festivals in remote areas of Southern Italy held in honor of the Black Madonna and rituals of purification. Often called a "Mediterranean Volcano", Alessandra was born in Italy and is committed to preserving the rich traditions of her culture. She has been nominated among the Best Drummers of World Percussion by Drum Magazine along with Baba Olatunji, Mickey Hart and Arthur Hull. She can be found in feature stories in the New York Times, Modern Drummer and Rhythm & Drum Magazine. Alessandra has performed in some of the world's most prestigious spaces, including Alice Tully Hall & New York City Ballet, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Recital Hall (New York) & Carnegie Hall in Pittsburgh, The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Caramoor Center for Music and Arts, Madison Square Garden Felt Forum, New York's Symphony Space, Metropolitan Museum, The Cloisters, St. Mark's Church, Theatre of the United Nations (NY), World Music festival in Hawaii (Leehman Arts Center) Teatro Castro Alves, Bahia, Brazil - Teatro SESC Ipiranga in San Paolo, Cultural Center in Tel Aviv, Israel, Cleveland Palace Theatre & Cleveland Museum of Art with Dancing Wheels Monterey World Music festival, World Festival of Sacred Music (Los Angeles) Epcot Center (Walt Disney World), Universal Studios and UCLA in Los Angeles, YALE University, Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C., Kennedy Center (Washington DC) Field Museum Park in Chicago. The Villa The workshop is held at La Chiara di Prumiano, six centuries old in the Chianti region of Tuscany, near Siena. Even if you can't translate the villa's website, prumiano.it, from Italian, I recommend looking at the photographs. I have stayed at this villa, and it is wonderful! Spacious and decorated with tile floors and dark, polished wood, I entered the villa and felt the pressures of my regular life slide off my shoulders. Each bedroom, whether single, double or triple, has modern bathrooms and is beautifully appointed. The food at Prumiano can only be described as spectacular. Breakfasts are continental and completely satisfying (which is not true everywhere you go). Lunches and dinners are feasts that the kitchen staff creates from fresh ingredients grown on the villa property. They pride themselves on serving cuisine that is beneficial to the body and mind and tastes like heaven. These wonderful meals are eaten at long tables under a large, vine-covered pergola on the patio. Prumiano offers a swimming pool and stables on the grounds. Imagine horseback riding in the Tuscan hills...I've done it, and it's unforgettable. The villa also offers shiatsu and ayurvedic massage. In addition, you'll find spas, mudbaths and a lake nearby. For additional information, contact tuscanyworkshop@aol.com. Learn more about this special workshop, including prices and registration by downloading this brochure. Just click on the orange Menu button and select Download Doc. Be sure to download all 4 pages:
Belloni workshop p1 -
Belloni workshop p2 -
Belloni workshop p3 -
Belloni workshop p4 -

Puppets From Bergamo Bring Out the Child In All of Us

2010-04-10T00:12:24Z

If you think you're too sophisticated to enjoy an old fashioned puppet show, I invite you to think again. Isn't it wonderful to get lost in a story? To escape the everyday, to be focused so entirely on the actions happening before your eyes that all else is temporarily forgotten? This is how it was when we were children, our eyes wide with wonder, enraptured in the moment. And this is how it was for all of us watching the puppet show Arlecchino Malato d'Amore (Arlecchino Lovesick) at NYU's Casa Italiana on March 31, 2010. Maria Teresa Zenoni poses with Smeraldina. Photo by Rosanne Masone. The plot goes like this: Arlecchino loves Smeraldina but her father Pantalone rejects Arlecchino in favor of the apparently rich Marquis, whose wealth is a sham and who schemes with his deceitful servant, Brigella, to pay off his debts with Smeraldina's dowry. Arlecchino and his faithful friend, Gioppino, expose the truth and win Pantalone's approval and thereby, Smeraldina's hand in marriage. Does the plot seem familiar? Of course it does. It's just one of a host of centuries-old morality plays drawn from Italy's rich tradition of Commedia dell'Arte. Commedia dell'Arte developed in the mid-15th century as a form of professional improvised theater incorporating characters throughout Italy. The characters are drawn from Italy's distinct regions, towns, and dialects and over time, became stock characters such as Arlecchino, the Doctor and Pulcinella. The art of pantomime, Harlequin and England's favorite puppet characters, Punch and Judy, all owe their beginnings to Commedia dell'Arte. Some of its plot lines found their way into opera buffa by such composers as Verdi, Rossini and Puccini. What began as actors on a stage later branched into puppet shows on rolling carts that entertained people in virtually every Italian town. This tradition was brought to America during the great migration of the last century. Many people still recall these shows, held in the streets of Brooklyn and Little Italy (to name but a few), with delight. Today, master puppet maker Daniele Cortesi continues this tradition. Straight from Caravaggio in the province of Bergamo, near Milan. Cortesi and his small band of dedicated artisans traveled to New York City for a rare appearance. The colorful costumes, endearing characters, beautiful sets and universal themes captured the attention of all the children in the room, aged 1 to 100. Brigella, Smeraldina and Arlecchino. The sheer mechanics of the show are daunting. The stage itself had to be constructed in New York, as it was impossible to bring the Bergamo stage abroad. Each puppeteer plays multiple characters, each with different voices and mannerisms. The puppeteers are hidden, standing behind and under the stage with their arms stretched overhead with puppets on each hand. The signature slapstick of the show required precise movement and timing for comedic effect and these experts made it look effortless. To watch a short video of a performance, click here. Daniele Cortesi describes his mastery of puppet making and performing as a mysterious calling that is difficult to explain. After studying puppet making at La Yorik di Milano, he later studied with master sculptor Natale Panaro at Il Teatro Verdi, also in Milan and Velia Mantegazza. With them, he worked on the children's television show L'Albero Azzurro. Carolyn Masone poses with Gioppino. Photo by Rosanne Masone. Cortesi's puppets exemplify distinct characters from Bergamo, and he credits his mentor maestro Benedetto Ravasio with teaching him the very best in Bergamo's puppeteer tradition, from conception to woodworking to performing. For example, Gioppino Zuccalunga, Arlecchino's faithful friend, is made with goiters on his neck. This is because centuries ago the citizens of Bergamo lacked sufficient amounts of the mineral iodine, causing many of them to suffer from goiters. This trait of Gioppino has remained unchanged through the centuries, as with all the Commedia dell'Arte characters. The rich history, tradition, heart-tugging stories and hilarious comedy are what makes Commedia dell'Arte as relevant today as ever. And all of these elements are lovingly preserved by Daniele Cortesi and his troupe. To learn more about Daniele Cortesi, including his DVD, Fuori e Dentro La Baracca, and his book, Dare l'Anima, click here. To learn about future events at NYU's Casa Italiana, click here.

Learning From a Virtuoso; Carlo Aonzo in New York City

2010-03-30T23:36:27Z

From March 18-21, 2010, Carlo Aonzo presented a mandolin workshop at Chelsea Studios in New York City. Aonzo is one of the finest classical mandolinists in the world, and his highly anticipated workshop is in its 10th year. According to Chiam Caron, who has organized the workshops from the beginning, "One day in 2001 I was driving around New York with Carlo, and he said, 'I think I'd like to have a mandolin workshop in New York.' That first workshop was about 9 people in my apartment." Since that time, both the notoriety and attendance have steadily grown. Now, mandolin players join together from all over the US and Canada for the opportunity to experience the mandolin through the heart and soul of Carlo Aonzo. One such student is Kristine Massari, owner of Trumpets Jazz Club and Restaurant in Montclair, NJ. Massari plays a classical, bowl back mandolin as second chair in the Bloomfield Mandolin Orchestra, and even she found the material challenging. "These are serious musicians who play at a high level." Although the music is distributed to students months before the workshop, she observed that since the demands of each person's life are different, not everyone could devote the same amount of time to the preparation. During the workshop, Aonzo teaches the finer points of nuance, style, dynamics and ensemble playing. "I learned how to be conducted and he made us aware of how certain passages should be played. He also exposed us to pieces by classical and contemporary composers, and taught us to listen more critically," says Massari. "Carlo has a nice way of dealing with people and his interpretation of the music is very special because he is such a sensitive player." The workshop provided not only the opportunity to grow as a musician, but to share the love of this music as well. Depending upon where you live, playing the mandolin can be isolating if there is little community support for the instrument in orchestras or ensembles. By bringing players together from all over North America, the workshop experience created camaraderie, solidarity and the opportunity to reinvigorate the players' passion for the instrument. To learn more about Carlo Aonzo and future workshops, click here. Carlo's newest CD, Fantasia Poetica, with Elena Buttiero, explores repertory for mandolin and piano and can be purchased through his website.

The Evolution of Italian Cuisine in the American Psyche

2010-03-27T21:59:15Z

John Mariani is a journalist and author of over 10 books on food, wine and gastronomy. The Philadelphia Enquirer called him "the most influential food-wine critic in the popular press." He has been nominated three times for a James Beard Journalism Award. On March 24, 2010, NYU's Casa Italiana hosted his presentation of The History of Italian Cuisine in New York City. Joining Mariani in the discussion was Tony May, owner of SD26 Restaurant & Wine Bar in NYC and Chairman of Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani. Prior to SD26, May owned one of Manhattan's most celebrated restaurants, San Domenico's, and before that, Il Palio. Mariani began his presentation in Italy's distant past, summarizing its culinary development from Pre-Roman times through the Middle Ages, the revelations of Christoper Columbus to the Great Migration from Italy to America. One of the highlights was the work of Pelligrino Artusi who published a cookbook, L'Arte di Mangiar Bene (The Art of Eating Well), in Italy in 1891. According to Mariani, this was a book whose time had come. Italy had a literate middle class for the first time in its history and Artusi's book was written for them. Written in Tuscan Italian, it sold 283,000 copies by 1910 and its popularity had a tremendous effect on not only the development of Italian kitchens but also on the Italian language. Any conversation of Italian American cuisine has to include pizza and spaghetti, and Mariani did not disappoint. The Pizza Margarita we all know and love was named for Italy's 19th century, very popular queen. The dominance of tomato, basil and mozzarella was in homage to the Italian flag. Pizza was unknown outside of Naples until America's first pizzeria, Lombardi's, opened on Spring Street in NYC in 1910. As an indication of Neapolitan pizza's continuing influence, the European Union protected it in November 2009 with its Traditional Specialty Guarantee (TSG) label. Spaghetti was known in Italy as macaroni in the 13th century and as vermicelli in the 14th. The word 'spaghetti' wasn't used until 1837. But the real question surrounding spaghetti is, why did Italian Americans invent spaghetti and meatballs? Even today, our relatives in Italy disavow any contribution to this ubiquitous American dish. Sometimes they just shrug their shoulders, and other times are almost horrified at the idea. Mariani provided the best explanation I've heard so far about the creation and popularity of a big bowl of steaming spaghetti topped with meatballs the size of tennis balls. According to Mariani, a side dish of small rounds of meat, known as polpetta, was known in Southern Italy. However, Italian immigrants left behind a country that could barely feed them anything, much less meat, with any regularity. After experiencing the relative abundance of America, these same immigrants infused their kitchens with the symbolism of their new lives. They took polpetta and made them much larger and placed them atop the steaming platter of spaghetti as if to say, 'meat is so plentiful in America we can have as much as we want, with whatever we want.' The importance of Italians in America's food industry continued to grow, from shops to restaurants, wine and canning factories. When Delmonico's Restaurant opened its doors in New York in 1837, it was the first restaurant in the world outside of Paris. Just take a moment and think about that. We take this kind of dining experience so much for granted, but there was a time when the thought of being seated at a table, presented with a menu and being served exactly what you ordered was a very strange idea. Italians were on the leading edge. Mariani believes that 3 major events advanced the American palette regarding Italian food: 1) modern access to authentic Italian ingredients in restaurants and so many boutique and grocery stores; 2) cultural cues such as the popularity of Italian fashion and the eating habits of its icons as well as popular films depicting Italian characters' emphasis on cooking and eating (The Godfather, Big Night); 3) the recognition of the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. Tony May joined the discussion by emphazing that authentic Italian cuisine is based on products; the better the quality of ingredients, the better the product. Like Mariani, he credited the invention of the jet plane with allowing American chefs to access genuine Italian ingredients in a way never known before. Services like FedEx and DHL rush prized constituents from the hills of Parma or the Bay of Naples to American tables. Although he believes "we still have a long way to go", he credited food journalists with pushing American taste forward, beyond garlic and tomato sauce (not there's anything wrong with that!). To learn about future events at NYU's Casa Italiana, click here.

Daughters of Cybele Celebrate the Spring Equinox at St. John the Divine in NYC

2010-03-23T23:46:06Z

Women's voices, drums, sweat and passion rang in the 2010 Spring Equinox on March 20 at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. The Daughters of Cybele are billed as "a unique ensemble of women honoring the healing power of the female energy", and they live up to every word of it. The Daughters are the result of a long-held dream by Alessandra Belloni, recognized as one of the world's finest percussionists and an expert on Southern Italian dance and drum rituals. Cybele is the Mother Earth Goddess from Turkey after whom Belloni chose to name her troupe. She thrives on the physical and spiritual strength conveyed by women over the centuries in chants and dance. This strength, says Belloni, is what women today need to rediscover and make their own. This strength can be drawn from a vital connection with the Earth and Nature's forces. Saturday's performance took place on the altar of St. James Chapel, with its ceiling-high stone carved marble figures as a breathtaking backdrop. The seven women dressed in flowing red and white costumes raised their voices and drums performing centuries old healing and work chants from Italy, France, Spain and Brazil. Also included were compositions by Belloni, drawing from her profound life experiences and global musical influences. The songs themselves spoke deeply to the whole spectrum of feminine experience, whether honoring powerful Goddesses or laying low in the desolation of betrayal. One of Belloni's works, Requiem Per Mamma Elvira, is a memorial of her mother's passing and honors the unconditional love of the Universal Mother and rebirth of all things. Another of Belloni's compositions, Figlia Di Oxun, portrays the Brazilian shamanic journey in honor of the Goddess Oxun and the Black Madonna. In a more lighthearted vein, the Brazilian chant, Canto Da Sereja, is sung to coax the mermaids out of the sea to play in the sand. Besides Belloni, the members of the ensemble include Susan Aquila on the acoustic and electric Viper 6-string violin, dance, shakers and vocals; Olympia Avignone on African percussion, frame drums, bells and chekere; Lorraine Calculli on frame drums, tambourine and shakers; Allison Scola vocals, clarinet, tambourine, shakers and ritual dance; Eve Sicular on drumset, dumbeck, frame drums, shakers; Cynthia Enfield provided narration, vocals, shakers and ritual dance. Members of the ensemble performed traditional dances and sometimes encouraged the audience to join them. It was especially in those moments, dancing and whirling in the Chapel aisle amid the chants and beats of frame drums, shakers and tamburello that the evening hit its emotional highpoints. Dancing the steps, hearing the words and feeling the connection to every woman who ever lived and will live was the rare gift of the Daughters of Cybele. Alessandra Belloni conducts workshops throughout the world on the feminine power of drumming and dancing. Every August, you can journey with her to Tuscany for her signature workshop, Rhythm is the Cure. This year, the dates are August 22 - 29. To learn more, visit alessandrabelloni.com

From Images to Music and Back Again - An Evening with Vinicio Capossela and Gianfranco Firriolo

2010-03-18T14:57:22Z

Vinicio Capossela. On March 4, 2010 Manhattan's Italian Cultural Institute played host to Vinicio Capossela and Gianfranco Firriolo as they showcased their film, La Faccia Della Terra (The Face of the Land). As a creative force, enigmatic storyteller and vagabond Capossela defies easy categorization. He is a musician, composer, author, performance artist, actor and screenwriter (so far). Firriolo is a film director, photographer and host for the Italian TV magazine, Nonsolomoda. Capossela and Firriolo collaborated on the film to illustrate the creative process of Capossela's latest CD, Da Solo, and to document part of the U.S tour. The storyline turns in on itself, weaving circles and figure-eight's, blending beginnings and endings. Rather than shoot another 'behind the scenes' style documentary, Firriolo shot La Faccia Della Terra more as an impressionist painting emerging in a sea of realism. It's not necessarily the journey you expect, but if agree to go along for the ride, your world will expand. Gianfranco Firriolo. The film opens and closes in a very similar way; the same snow-covered tram glides on the tracks of the Milanese street and the same song is heard. The same man in the same flannel shirt carries wood in the falling snow. According to Firriolo, this tram is significant because "it passes by Vinicio's house and it carried me when I was a boy." The film itself lies between these repeated images. Vinicio is seen in his home writing the film on a typewriter. From there, certain images reference the songs he had already written for Da Solo, and other images gave birth to songs that would later appear on the CD. Circles within circles. Throughout, the film plays with sounds, images and expectations. Capossela coaxes music out of a toy piano and unevenly-filled water glasses. In Texas he and his band play at the Broken Spoke Bar. Capossela says it made him feel "very exotic. Usually you find some Italians in every place, but not at the Broken Spoke." The audience, dressed in cowboy boots and hats, were ready for their usual night of line dancing. Despite his unexpected appearance, Capossela says he was received warmly by the crowd. Jump to New York City where a cabdriver re-tells the day he saw Sophia Loren on the sidewalk. He called her name, she smiled and nodded as if to say, "Yes, it's me." A Midwestern carnival and sideshow provided a somewhat disturbing segment, where passersby were encourage to step inside the trailer to see assorted oddities of Nature, including a stuffed 2-headed animal. According to Caposela, the sideshow provides a metaphor for, among other things, the way we invite people into our lives to see how beautiful we are, but "underneath we are so flawed; we are circus freaks." Another segment introduces us to Christopher Magic Wonder, a magician who Capossela says "can hypnotize himself and a chicken at the same time." When the film was over and Capossela played the piano for us, Magic Wonder appeared from the audience and performed some magic tricks. When he was finished, he lifted up his shirt to show "TA DA" tattooed large on his stomach. Vinicio Capossela and Christopher Magic Wonder. Capossela and Firriolo answered questions from the audience about the film, the music and their impressions of America. It was an evening of surprises as they gamely tried to explain what is ultimately unexplainable; how they blended images and music to tease the intellect and stir the emotions.