Our speaker, John Garganigo, was born in Italy.  He studied Spanish, Italian and French literature at the University of Illinois, where he received his Ph.D., and later spent a year at the University of Florence as a visiting professor.  In addition to being Professor of  Romance Languages at WU, Director of the University’s Arezzo Program, Chair of Latin American Studies, and a renowned scholar of contemporary Latin American poetry, our distinguished speaker somehow also finds time to be a popular culinary critic (Ladue News), a real expert of la cucina italiana ed i vini italiani, and a volunteer chef at the Sunshine Mission.  He also travels extensively throughout the world and maintains a home in Como, Italy.  Our April program promises to be an interesting and multi-dimensional evening. 

Since the beginning of its history, water has played a major role in the development of Venice, initially providing protection from the ravages of northern barbarians and later serving as the highway for the city’s lucrative trade with Constantinople and the east.  The city’s focal position on the Adriatic Sea, which  provided easy access for its galleys (the jetliners of Medieval and Renaissance times) to the Mediterranean Sea, and the political and business acumen of its people combined to make La Serenissima the greatest maritime power of the European world for several centuries.  Commerce with the Orient brought great riches to Venice, which reached the apex of its grandeur in the 15th and 16th century. 

The influence of the east is seen everywhere in Venice, especially in the Byzantine style of its mosaics.  A major glass center throughout the centuries, the city was ideally suited for the use of mosaics, an art form that uses the effect of light on colored glass.  It is no wonder that the Venetians readily embraced the use of oil painting, which combines light and color and gives the effect of a mosaic with light shining shining through it.  In contrast to the Tuscan artists, who used lines to create their paintings, the Venetians used color, masses of vibrant colors radiating light.
But the same water that contributed to the development and wealth of the region also caused the deterioration of its paintings, sculptures, and buildings.  Sadly, salt water and high humidity accelerate the rot of surfaces, also covered by the dirt and grime that naturally accumulate over the years, making the restoration particularly difficult.  Dr. Mann showed numerous slides of severely deteriorated works before and after the restoration performed by the wonderful American organization called Save Venice, Inc., whose efforts to raise funds to restore and preserve Venetian art treasures has been enormously valuable.  The work of art restoration is extremely meticulous, extraordinarily time consuming, and highly expensive - but well worth doing.  It is not at all unusual for a single restoration project to take 10 years of time and painstaking effort and cost millions of dollars, and Judi showed a number of Save Venice, Inc projects of that type.  At the conclusion of her presentation there were numerous questions, including one concerning certain ethical aspects of restoration.

Many thanks to Dr. Judith Mann for a wonderful presentation.  The Club is truly honored to have her as an Honorary Member.  Thanks also to Save Venice, Inc, which, in its 25 years of work, has done so much to save the glories of Venetian art.  As a token of appreciation to Judi, as well as to help Save Venice, Inc. in its work, the Club has made a financial contribution to the organization.

Visit Save Venice, Inc at http://www.savevenice.org

Another exhibit worthy of notice is displayed in the Bernoudy Gallery of Architecture.  This one is called Italian Pavements:  Patterns in Space, produced by the artist, mathematician, and architect Kim Williams, who invested ten years in the study of Italian pavements.  For centuries, architects have used pattern in pavement as an ornament to help define or reveal the structure of a building; with this exhibit, in precisely scaled, hand-colored drawings, Williams shows how art may be achieved through architecture. 

We recently asked for help (Abbiamo bisogno d’un po’ di aiuto) in getting La Rondine printed, stamped and mailed to our members each month.  Joann and Catherine volunteered to help with this important task.  Member support, as typified by the assistance of Joann and Catherine, is of vital importance and we are greatly appreciative of their willingness to help.

Have your ever dreamed of buying and magnificently restoring an old farmhouse in Tuscany?  Frances Mayes did exactly that and survived to describe, in loving detail, what it was like to deal with Italian real estate agents, quirky  contractors, and strange building regulations in her best-selling book Under the Tuscan Sun.  Mayes will speak about her experiences when she gives the Women’s Society Adele Starbird Lecture at WU’s Graham Chapel on Wednesday, April 21 at 11:00 AM.  Free and open to the public
 

I was recently informed that long-time member Joseph Insalaco passed away late last year.  Normally, the Club notifies the membership very quickly upon learning of the death of a member; unfortunately, however, in this case I had not been informed.  The Club extends its heartfelt sympathy to Mrs. Patricia Insalaco and family
 

We wish to welcome new member Agnes Carnaghi who was accepted during the March club meeting.

As reported in our March Newsletter, we now have real tablecloths, unlimited wine, and, through a generous contribution by Southwest Bank made possible by SWB President Emeritus Ed Berra, a new sound system.  Our programs are the life-blood of the Club and these new amenities will greatly enhance overall atmosphere and quality.  The new sound system greatly improves the members’ ability to hear presentations, as well as enable us to have musically-based programs and background dinner music. Dr. Charles Barrale, who with his wife Josephine, produces the Italian Radio Hour program every Sunday (1:00 to 3:00 PM @770 AM) has kindly agreed to serve as Music Director for the Club and to select and supply the tapes and CDs that will be used at every meeting.  Many, many thanks to Chuck for his assistance in this very important project.  Thanks also to vice-president Roger Gennari and member James Tognoni who are responsible for the technical aspects of the system.  There still are some details to work out, but we are making great progress in having the best programs possible.
 

June 16
Celebration of La festa della repubblica (the national day of Italy, June 2).  Presentation of the Club’s Italian Heritage Award.  Annual report by club member Joseph Colagiovanni, Honorary Vice Consul of Italy in St. Louis.

July 21
The Millennium.  Presentation by Rev. Benedict T. Viviano, OP, Ph.D., Professor of Biblical Studies, University of Frieburg, Switzerland.

August 18
A Tour of a Roman Forum.  A slide presentation by Kevin Herbert, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Classics, Washington University.

September 15
Italian Renaissance Theatre.  Maria Stampino, Ph.D., Professor of Italian Studies, Department of Classics, St. Louis University.  (Program is tentative at this time)

October 20
Italian Opera.  Vito Tamboli, Adjunct Professor, St. Louis University.  (Program is tentative at this time)

November 17
The Mario Lanza Story.  Gerald Early, Ph.D., Professor of English and African and Afro-American Studies, Department of Arts and Sciences, Washington University.
 

8.  Questa ballata dalla famosa “ripresa” è di Lorenzo de’ Medici, detto il Magnifico (Firenze 1449 -1492), che a vent’ anni si ritrovò alla guida dello stato fiorentino.  Di grandi capacità politiche e diplomatiche, fu anche scrittore e poeta e favorì la rinascita della città, attuando il sogno umanistico di una società in cui cultura e azione politica si intrecciano in modo armonioso.  La ballata consiste di sette stanze e fu scritta per il carnevale fiorentino del 1490 durante il quale fu cantata dai partecipanti al carro mascherato illustrante il Trionfo di Bacco e Arianna.  Ogni stanza veniva cantata da una voce sola, mentre il coro si elevava nella “ripresa”.
 

 
Quant’è bella giovinezza,
che si fugge tuttavia!
Chi vuol esser lieto, sia:
di doman non c’è certezza.

Quest’è Bacco e Arïanna,
belli, e l’un dell’altro ardenti:
perché ’l tempo fugge e inganna,
sempre insieme stan contenti.
Queste ninfe ed altre genti
sono allegre tuttavia.
Chi vuol esser lieto, sia:
di doman non c’è certezza.

Questi lieti satiretti,
delle ninfe innamorati,
per caverne e per boschetti
han lor posto cento agguati;
or da Bacco riscaldati, 
ballon, salton tuttavia.
Chi vuol esser lieto, sia:
di doman non c’è certezza.

Queste ninfe anche hanno caro
da lor essere ingannate:
non può fare a Amor riparo ¹,
se non gente rozze e ingrate:
ora insieme mescolate
suonon, canton tuttavia.
Chi vuol esser lieto, sia:
di doman non c’è certezza.

    (vv. 1-28)

¹ non può evitare l’amore.

Ride bene chi ride ultimo.
  Tra il dire e il fare, c’è di mezzo il mare.
Meglio un uovo oggi che una gallina domani.
 Il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio.
Meglio soli che mal accompagnati.
 Fin che c’è vita, c’è speranza
Il riso abbonda nella bocca degli sciocchi.