Friday,
February 01, 2008
Celebrating
The
ANNOTICO Report
There
are 31,000 New Zealanders that claim and cherish their Italian Ancestry. They
must still have a lot of passion, because this celebration that occurs during Carnevale in
Their
program is very extensive and impressive!!!!!!!
The
The quirky West
Coast beach town of
The University of
Waikato, is re-confirmed as New Zealand
I was initially
misled by the name, but this is NOT hicksville,
but a beautifully situated university location.
By
Kate Monohan
Wednesday,
30 January 2008
All
things Italian are honoured with an exhibition and
events at
What
There is the food
the creamy risottos infused with truffle or porcini mushrooms, the divine
pastas made with the freshest tomatoes, herbs and seafood, not to mention the
artisan cheeses and the heaven-sent desserts (if I were to be shot by firing
squad, my last request would be for tiramisu).
There is the
wine. A journey through
Meals are a slow,
languid affair, to be enjoyed, just like life, along with good company and
stories.
Then there is
Italian design clever, innovative where function and art meet in jaw-droppingly beautiful furniture, car design and even
kitchenware.
Architecture and
art, from the Colosseum to Michaelangelo
Italian fashion,
from Prada and Gucci to Armani and Valentino, pushes
boundaries and celebrates beauty.
In
There are several
thousand Italians living in
Hamilton city councillor Joe di Maio, who comes
from Sorrento, near Naples, was so passionate about celebrating Italy, he
pushed for Te Papa
Currently on
display, "Qui Tutto Bene"
explores the stories and history of the Italians in
It is the first
community exhibition from Te Papa to travel, with many of the objects on loan
from Wellington-based Italians, including some stunning handmade Venetian
masks.
Di Maio
At the top of the
steps, fronting the exhibition, is a mint green 1968 Vespa, on loan from
And over the
next nine weeks, until March 27, there will be a range of free Italian cultural
events on Thursday evenings at the museum, including language lessons, cooking,
mask making and classic films. There will be free classic Italian
movies shown every Thursday night (except February 7) from 7.30pm. The museum
will stay open until 8pm.
"It
A group, Circolo Italiano, or the
The highlight of
the schedule is the Carnevale next Tuesday night at
the museum. It
"Carnevale happens at the same time, everywhere around the
world," says Shappell. "This night is the
last Tuesday before Lent begins, and Carnevale
literally means a farewell to meat. In
The museum has
had exhibitions celebrating other ethnic or cultural groups in
As you walk up
the stairs of the museum, and admire the Vespa and
the three-dimensional floating pieces of Italian-New Zealand artist Chiara Corbelletto, and absorb
the fascinating historical journeys of Italian immigrants, it all comes
together. The introductory words, written in Italian, Maori and English,
explain: "Ask Italians how things are going, and they will often say, `qui
tutto bene
This exhibition
is fine indeed, and well worth checking out. And you
can get your hands dirty, making pasta dough and masks, or sit back and soak it
all in with a classic Italian movie or language class.
SCHEDULE:
Tomorrow night,
there is mask making from 5pm, and pizza making from 6pm.
From 6.30pm,
there will be a talk on cheese making in central
The movie at
7.30pm is "Three Men and a Leg" (1997).
Tuesday February
5 is the big one Carnevale. It
Thursday February
14 has a Valentine
On Thursday
February 21, acclaimed food writer and chef, Rafaella
Del Monte, is speaking from 5.30pm. At 6pm, local Italian chefs show how
to make great pasta dishes, and there is an introductory Italian lesson at
6.30pm. The 7.30pm film is "Novecento"
1900 (part one).
This is one for
the boys and one to get bike and car lovers drooling. On Thursday February 28
it is Italian Car and Bike Night, with a variety of Italian bikes,
scooters and cars on display from 5.30pm. From 6pm, it
Thursday March 6
involves lessons in making fabulous pasta dishes from local Italian
chefs from 6pm, followed by an introductory Italian lesson from 6.30pm
and the film "La Meglio Gioventu:
The Best of Youth" (part one) from 7.30pm.
On Thursday March
13 local masquerade mask making guru Colleen
Hannah will give a talk at 6pm, with an introductory Italian lesson from
6.30pm, and "La Meglio Gioventu"
continues from 7.30pm (part two).
Music and
experimental film making is on the agenda on Thursday March 20, with a performance of
classic Italian aria by local soprano Brooke Baker at 6pm, followed by an
introductory Italian lesson from 6.30pm. At 7.30pm, it is one of the
highlights of the schedule,
The final evening
is Thursday March 27, with a presentation by acclaimed food writer and chef Rafaella Del Monte
at 5.30pm. At 6pm, get all rowdy and patriotic, joining with the Circolo Italiano singing Va Pensiero Verdi
See www.waikatomuseum.co.nz
for more information on the Qui tutto bene exhibition and schedule of activities.
The
ANNOTICO Reports Can be Viewed (and are Archived) on:
Italia
Italia Mia: http://www.ItaliaMia.com (3 years)
Annotico
Email: annotico@earthlink.net