MAY MEETING
ITALIAN GARDENS AND TOWER GROVE PARK |
Henry Shaw (1800-1889), a native of Sheffield, England, came to St.
Louis at age 19, made a fortune in the hardware business, and retired at
age 40. Tower Grove Park, the 285-acres second largest park in the
city, was part of Shaw’s extensive real estate holdings in the St. Louis
area. In 1868, Shaw gave the park to the city and continued to beautify
it with numerous gifts of buildings, monuments, and rare plants throughout
his life. In our May program, John Karel, Director of Tower
Grove Park, will illustrate how Shaw’s numerous trips to Italy influenced
the development of the park.
Educated at the University of Missouri, Mr. Karel earned a BA in American
Intellectual History and an MS in Wildlife Management. In 1979, he
was appointed Director of the Parks Division of the State of Missouri and
also served as Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. In 1987,
he accepted the Directorship of Tower Grove Park. Mr. Karel has published
numerous articles and is co-author of Exploring Missouri’s Legacy,
a major treatise on Missouri’s state parks and historic sites published
in 1992.
TOUR OF TOWER GROVE PARK
Sunday, June 27, 1999
John Karel will lead a tour of Tower Grove Park for members and
friends of the Italian Club. The tour will begin at approximately
1:00 PM and will take about two hours. Please contact Gene Mariani
at 352-5484 for more information or to make reservations. |
Next Meeting May 19
Cocktails 6:30 PM - Dinner 7:00 PM
Da Baldo's Restaurant
RSVP 644 1645 (Marie Wehrle)
RECAP OF FEBRUARY MEETING
|
The Club’s annual Frank LoPiccolo and Mario Pertici Prizes
and the matching Southwest Bank Fred Giacoma Prize were awarded
to Bethany Swanson and Amy Tarrell, students of the Washington
University’s College of Arts and Sciences. Each received a cash prize
of $500 to be applied for travel to Arezzo, Italy, for continued study
at the University’s summer language program held annually at the Ostello
Villa Severi in Arezzo.
In his presentation, Professor John Garganigo, Director
of the WU Arezzo Program, led the audience on a student’s eye view
of the various programs and activities typically covered in the six-week
program. John presented numerous slides of student groups who have
attended over the past several years and their various trips to Siena,
Florence, and Venice, all included as a part of the program. John
concluded his presentation by taking us on a tour of Arezzo including stops
at its famous antique fair, held on the first weekend of each month in
Piazza Grande, a visit at the Giostra del Saraceno, the annual re-enactment
of the Medieval joust between the Christians and the Moors (the Christians
always win), and a peek at some of the major works of Piero della Francesca
and Cimabue.
Many thanks to Dr. Garganigo for a wonderful presentation and, of
course, congratulazioni e buon viaggio to Bethany and Amy.
As a side comment: it is interesting to note that several
people associated with the Club have participated in the Arezzo program.
Member Audrey Giovanni attended the program as did Susan Giannotti,
daughter-in-law of Franco and Nerina Giannotti, and Gina Galati,
daughter of Giovanni and Jackie Galati.
A special note of thanks to Peter Puleo for producing
the wonderful slides which Dr. Garganigo used in his presentation. |
1999 ITALIAN HERITAGE AWARD
| TO ERSILIO ROLFI IN MEMORIAM |
Each year the Club presents its Italian Heritage Award to an
individual who has distinguished himself or herself in service to the community.
This year, for the first time in the history of the Club, the award
will be presented posthumously to Past President Ersilio Rolfi,
who died earlier this year. The presentation will be made to Mrs.
Etta
Rolfi at the June 16 meeting. |
MISS ITALIAN ST. LOUIS COLUMBUS DAY
CELEBRATION
| Each year, as a part of its Columbus Day Celebration, the Columbus
Day Corporation selects a Miss Italian St. Louis. The competition
is open to unmarried young ladies between the ages of 16 and 21 who are
at least ¼ of Italian descent. Anyone interested in proposing
one or more candidates should contact either Pauline Gianino, Chair
of the Miss Italian St. Louis Pageant at 832-7653 or Angela Mazzola,
Italian Club Representative to the Columbus Day Corporation at 352-8089
for application forms and additional information concerning application
requirements. Applications must be submitted prior to August 1, 1999. |
|
DID YOU KNOW?
The urban middle class of Italy basically seized power from the aristocracy
through organizations known as popolo (essentially guilds and neighborhood
groups) some 500 years before the French Revolution. This occurred
in Cremona (1210), Milano (1212), Lucca (1229), Modena (1229), Bologna
(1231), Siena (1233), Firenze (1244), and Genova (1257).
In 1847, in southern Italy, where King Ferdinand II had resisted all
demands for change, a wide cross-section of the population of Palermo rose
in rebellion and took control of the city, forcing the King to grant a
constitution. Buoyed by this victory, a string of other revolts took
place in Italy.
In 1871, the year of Italy’s unification, Naples was the most populous
city in Italy with a half-million inhabitants. Naples was almost
twice as large as Rome or Milan.
Sources:
Lintner, Valerio. A Traveler’s History of Italy.
Duggan, Christopher. A Concise History of Italy.
Submitted by Carolyn Stelzer
|
|
L'angolo del presidente
by Gene Mariani
| ITALIANO PER PIACERE |
An exciting new program will soon be available for all Italian speakers
throughout the St. Louis area. For several years, our Program Committee
has been seeking a practical way to provide more Italian-language programs
for our members. Our first venture in this regard was last year’s
wonderful presentation Le quattro pietà di Michelangelo by
member Tony Perrone. The issue was again raised during our
January 1999 meeting, when member Franco Giannotti suggested that
the Club initiate an alternative activity, within our present organization,
which would have programs entirely in the Italian language. A committee
met with Franco to explore his idea as thoroughly as possible. The
Board decided that the project was extremely worthwhile and well-worth
doing but that, for various reasons related to our by-laws, it would be
best kept as a separate organization or activity outside the Club’s formal
organizational structure. As a result, as described in the following
letter, Franco has established Italiano per piacere.
We enthusiastically encourage all interested members to participate
in this new activity – and, of course, to continue to be members of the
Italian Club. Let it be as an interesting alternative activity –
but please don’t abandon our beloved Italian Club. |
| |
|
|
|
LETTER TO LA RONDINE
| I want to thank our president Gene Mariani for taking time during a
very busy evening to announce the formation of our forthcoming all-Italian-speaking
activity and certainly for his warm personal endorsement of the program.
Thank you, Gene, also for several letters and conversations we have exchanged
over this past couple of months and, finally, a note of appreciation to
directors Peter Puleo and Roger Gennari for providing valuable insight
during earlier meetings. Needless to say, we also appreciate the
additional exposure given to us by publishing this letter on La Rondine.
While this program is independent of any Italian Club programs,
we foresee a great deal of synergy between the two entities and all activities
will be mutually beneficial and rewarding. We look forward to what
appears to be St. Louis’ very first organized Italian-speaking program.
It is significant that our first gathering will take place on June 2, 1999,
the 53rd anniversary of the Italian Republic. We cordially invite
all Italian-speakers to be part of what, within our modest means and scope,
may one day become in itself a historical event for our St. Louis Italian-American
community.
Read TERZA PAGINA for the official invitation. Thank
you again for your wonderful cooperation.
Sincerely,
Franco Giannotti |
|
|
I capolavori della poesia italiana
9. Angelo Ambrogini, detto il Poliziano, nacque a Montepulciano
nel 1454. Per le sue precoci doti di letterato si vide schiudere
le porte della casa Medici. Tutore del piccolo Lorenzo, divenne uno
dei rappresentanti del famoso circolo culturale fiorentino. E’ autore
delle Stanze per la giostra, panegirico in onore di Giuliano de’
Medici per celebrarne la vittoria in un torneo, e della Favola d’Orfeo,
primo testo teatrale italiano in volgare dal tema profano. Morì
a Firenze nel 1494. In questa ballata, detta anche Ballata delle
rose, una fanciulla racconta alle sue compagne quanto le è successo
e le invita a godere la loro giovinezza. E’ il tema del “carpe diem”
che si trova anche nella Canzone di Bacco di Lorenzo il Magnifico.
I’ mi trovai, fanciulle, un bel mattino di Agnolo Poliziano
I’ mi trovai, fanciulle, un bel mattino
di mezo maggio in un verde giardino.
Eran d’intorno violette e gigli
fra l’erba verde e vaghi fior novelli
azurri gialli candidi e vermigli,
ond’io porsi la mano a côr1
di quelli
per adornar e mie’ biondi capelli
e cinger di grillanda el vago crino.
I’ mi trovai, fanciulle, un bel mattino.
Ma poi ch’i’ ebbi pien di fiori un lembo,
vidi le rose e non pur d’un colore;
io colsi allor per empier tutto el grembo,
perch’era sì soave il loro odore
che tutto mi senti’ destare el core
di dolce voglia e d’un piacer divino.
I’ mi trovai, fanciulle, un bel mattino.
I’ posi mente: quelle rose allora
mai non vi potre’ dir quant’eran belle:
quale scoppiava della boccia ancora,
qual eran un po’ passe e qual novelle.
Amor mi disse allor: “Va’ co’ 2di
quelle
che più vedi fiorir in sullo spino.”
I’ mi trovai, fanciulle, un bel mattino
Quando la rosa ogni su’ foglia spande,
quando è più bella, quando è più gradita,
allora è buona a mettere in ghirlande,
prima che sua bellezza sia fuggita:
sicché, fanciulle, mentre è più fiorita,
cogliàn3 la bella
rosa del giardino.
I’ mi trovai, fanciulle, un bel mattin
di mezo maggio in un verde giardino.
1 cogliere.
2 cogli. 3cogliamo.
|
|
OPERE DI ITALIANI AL MUSEO DI ST. LOUIS
24. Pietro Longhi. Festa mascherata
(Olio su tela, 1775)
Fu soltanto verso i quarant’anni che il famoso pittore veneziano,
Pietro Longhi (Venezia 1700 - 1785) trovò lo stile a lui adatto,
lo stile che gli diede il successo che fino a quel momento lo aveva eluso.
Da giovane era stato allievo del pittore veneziano Antonio Balestra e più
tardi del bolognese Francesco Crespi, da cui aveva imparato ad apprezzare
il genere di pittura in cui si specializzerà più avanti,
cioè la rappresentazione della vita di tutti i giorni. Al
contrario di molti altri pittori, Pietro Longhi non ebbe bisogno di cercare
mecenati fuori di Venezia, la sua città: le commissioni provenirono
dalle nobili famiglie veneziane di cui egli dipinse le attività
giornaliere con un senso di attento e benevole realismo e con un leggero
tocco satirico.
Lo stile inconfondibile di Pietro Longhi è evidente nel
quadro qui esaminato. Tutte le persone ritratte sono mascherate,
ad eccezione dell’uomo che tiene in mano il vassoio su cui presumibilmente
stava il bicchiere che si trova nella mano destra della giovane donna seduta.
La mescolanza di persone mascherate e non mascherate dà un’aria
misteriosa ed ambigua alla scena e l’aspetto un po’ minaccioso della mezza-maschera
(che in veneziano si chiama “baùta”) contrasta con l’apparente serenità
della situazione. A quel tempo la maschera era in uso a Venezia durante
tutta la stagione del carnevale ed era portata soprattutto da coloro che
appartenevano alla classe più elevata. I personaggi sono ritratti
all’interno di un cortile le cui colonne dal capitello corinzio ricordano
quelle del Palazzo dei Dogi. |
Lettera aperta a tutti gli amici italiani
Siamo felici di annunciare alla nostra comunità la formazione
di una nuova attività socio-culturale, Italiano per piacere
che ha lo scopo di promulgare la lingua italiana tramite letture e conferenze
su soggetti d’interesse storico e attuale condotti esclusivamente in lingua
italiana
.
Abbiamo scelto il ristorante Da Baldo per le nostre riunioni
che si terranno il primo mercoledì di ogni trimestre dalle 18.30
alle 21.30 e che includeranno un’ottima cena all'italiana* ed ampia opportunità
per discussioni libere e conversazioni con altri amanti della nostra lingua.
Per partecipare non è necessario essere associati ad alcuna società
o club: l'unico requisito è la conoscenza della lingua italiana.
Vi invitiamo cordialmente ad attendere la prima riunione, mercoledi
2 giugno, giorno dell’anniversario della Repubblica italiana. Vi
promettiamo una serata molto interessante, sia per l'aspetto culturale
che per quello sociale.
Per prenotazioni o ulteriori informazioni chiamate Franco Giannotti,
presso la Venmar Systems, al 428-2266. Se risponde la segreteria
telefonica premete 8# e seguite le istruzioni. Potete anche
usare la posta elettronica, indirizzata a francog@venmar.com.
Cordialmente,
Franco Giannotti
Amministratore
* La cena tipicamente include pasta, insalata, secondo piatto, contorno,
dolce, caffè e vino. Il costo è $17.00
per persona, pagabili a “Da Baldo” tramite assegno personale (preferibile)
o in contanti. Segnate sul vostro calendario anche le date
successive, 1 settembre e 1 dicembre 1999.
|
|
|
