by Harry Reinert | Dec 5, 2019
When: February 26, 2020
Speaker: Annalisa Bellerio
Topic: Leonardo Da Vinci: Cinque secoli di un mito
About the Speaker:
Annalisa Bellerio is an Italian journalist, editor and writer. After graduating in History of Art from the University of Pavia, she worked in publishing as editor-in-chief, copywriter, published author and consultant for Italian publishers, magazines and literary agencies. In Milan, the city where she comes from and returns every year on vacation, Annalisa has also worked as a teacher of Italian language, Literature and History, as a guide for art exhibitions and as a volunteer in a middle school specialized for disabled children.
In the United States, where she has lived for six years, she is an Italian language teacher at South Seattle College and Bellevue College. She has been certified “Competent Communicator” by Toastmasters International and “Docent” by Bellevue Arts Museum, where she works as a volunteer.
His paintings have been exhibited in private and collective exhibitions.
About the Presentation:
Leonardo da Vinci
Cinque secoli di un mito
Cinquecento anni dopo la sua morte, Leonardo continua ad attirare folle di visitatori, a sfidare studiosi e biografi, e a ispirare scrittori, artisti e visionari di tutto il mondo. Milioni di pagine sono state scritte su di lui nel corso dei secoli, ma la sua persona rimane ancora in gran parte avvolta nel mistero. In questo incontro esploreremo la vita e le opere, il contributo innovativo e l’eredità culturale di questa icona del Rinascimento italiano, che ha posto domande cruciali e trovato risposte spesso centinaia di anni in anticipo sui tempi.
Leonardo da Vinci
A Five-Century Lasting Myth
Five hundred years after his death, Leonardo continues to attract crowds of visitors, to challenge scholars and biographers, and to inspire novelists, artists, and visionary innovators around the world. Despite the millions of pages written about him over the centuries, his person still remains mostly shrouded in mystery. In this meeting we will explore the life and works, the innovative contribution and cultural heritage of this Renaissance man icon, who asked crucial questions and found answers often hundreds of years ahead of his time.
by Harry Reinert | Dec 5, 2019
When: February 12, 2020
Speaker: Prof. Lloyd Howard
Topic: The Power of Music on the Shore of Dante’s Purgatory
About the Speaker:
Lloyd Howard received his PhD from the Johns Hopkins University in 1976, after which, the subsequent year, he was appointed to a tenure-track position at the University of Victoria, where he taught until his retirement at the rank of Professor in 2016. Along with teaching in the Department over 39 years, he served as Chair of the Department of Hispanic and Italian Studies for a total of 15 years, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Humanities for six-month terms in 1997 and 2000, and Director of the Medieval Studies Program for 3 years. His research focussed initially on the extant poetry of Guido Cavalcanti, before turning to Dante’s Commedia. His approach to interpreting this work follows an alternate, non-linear journey through Dante’s three realms of the afterlife. The signposts that mark the way consist of recurrent linguistic patterns, or formulas, by which the reader is guided through the space that comprises the poem’s 100 cantos. Along with numerous articles, he has written two books adopting this method: Formulas of Repetition in Dante’s Commedia: Signposted Journeys across Textual Space (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2001); Virgil the Blind Guide: Marking the Way through the Divine Comedy (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2010). Scholarly recognition of his methodology includes the former book being chosen as an “Outstanding Title” for 2002 by the American Library Association, and one of its chapters being selected by Harold Bloom to form part of Bloom’s edition on the Commedia: Dante Alighieri, published in 2011. His articles in more recent years have been published by Letteratura Italiana Antica in Rome.
About the Presentation:
Professor Howard will begin his talk with a brief description of Dante’s world and how the Commedia was transmitted both in written form and orally by singing Dante’s text. He will then turn to the second canto of the Purgatorio, where Dante introduces the soul of the musician, Casella, who, while living, sang Dante’s love poems. He will explore how Casella’s “encore” performance of Dante’s song, “Amor che ne la mente mi ragiona,” goes wrong, as opposed to the Psalm “In exitu Israel de Aegypto,”sung in tonus peregrinus by all the delivered pilgrim souls earlier. Lastly, Professor Howard will discuss the Paradiso where, by flight through the music enhanced spheres, Dante, a famed writer of worldly love songs, reaches the Celestial Rose and, in contrast to when his attention was focused on unworthy loves, the once straying poet fixes his attentive eyes upward to the Virgin Mary, whose intercession brings Dante the pilgrim home to God.
by Harry Reinert | Dec 5, 2019
When: January 22, 2020
Speaker: Arnie Millan
Topic: Annual Wine Dinner
About the Speaker:
Arnie is a Sommelier certified by the Guild of Sommeliers. He has been a wine aficionado for nearly thirty years. During his first visit to France in 1973, Arnie toured several French vineyards and began to learn about wine from wine merchants and collectors. Arnie has been consulting to restaurants about wine since 1987. In 1997, he opened his own restaurant, Avenue One. Avenue One was highly regarded for its extensive and carefully chosen wine program, winning four Wine Spectator Magazine Awards of Excellence and accolades from Wine Press Northwest, Seattle Magazine and other publications. He recently appeared in the video, “Wineworks: The Complete Video Guide to Wine,” available in selected wine shops and book stores.
Arnie has been a guest sommelier at Taste Washington and he has been in charge of acquiring the wines for the 2002 – 2006 Beaujolais Nouveau Festival at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, sponsored by the French-American Chamber of Commerce. Since 2003, Arnie has been a Guest Sommelier for the Auction of Northwest Wines at Chateau Ste. Michelle, He has been a member of the Seattle chapter of the Chaine des Rotisseurs and other food and wine organizations. Arnie also has been privileged to judge the Boeing Wine Fest for four years, Seattle Magazine’s Washington Wine Awards as well as the Seattle Wine Awards in 2007 and 2008. In 2004, Arnie was elected to the Board of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food.
Arnie speaks fluent French and German. Last year he conducted his first wine tasting entirely in French (a 3 hour event!) for Seattle’s Alliance Française.
by Harry Reinert | Dec 5, 2019
When: January 8, 2020
Speaker: Andrea Aldrich
Topic: Italian Gardens
About the Speaker:
Andrea Aldrich, tour guide and founder, has been guiding small groups to her favorite destinations in Italy for more than ten years. She has lived and studied in Florence, speaks Italian and has traveled extensively throughout the regions of Italy. A background as an artist and teacher has been instrumental in her ability to develop tours that give a greater understanding of this country’s rich art, culture and history.
Through photographs and narrative we will explore the history and the cultural shifts that influenced the design of some of the most incredible gardens in the world. Our journey will take us from the Italian Renaissance to the twenty-first century.
by Harry Reinert | Dec 5, 2019
Our annual Festa di Natale is this Wednesday, December 11
As usual we’ll celebrate the season with the traditional Italian game of tombola – a kind of Italian Bingo for those not familiar with the game. There are several prizes to be awarded so you might be a winner! It’s lots of fun for all.
Bruce Leone will be our tomboliere this year.
And of course we’ll have Italian Christmas music. Be prepared to sing as Joyce Ramee will lead us in a few Italian Christmas songs.
Traditionally the Festa meal is a potluck. In the spirit of the Italian love of food, please bring along a main course, antipasto or dessert. And a bottle of vino to share is always a good addition. The microwave and oven are available if any of the dishes need to be heated up at the last minute. You can always count on a lot of great food to add to the holiday merriment at our Festa.
And to toast the spirit of the season, there’ll be a few bottles of prosecco to start things off in style.
If you plan on attending, please indicate by:
- registering online here or,
- calling our Reservation Line at our NEW number, (206) 289-0419 or
- emailing your request to our NEW reservation email, reserve@danteseattle.org.
And let us know how many are in your party.
Festa will take place in the Parish Social Hall at St. Patrick’s Church, 815 East Edgar Street, on the North side of Capitol Hill.
Parking is available in St. Patrick’s parking lot, off E. Edgar street. The meetings take place in the Parish Hall, located in the basement of the church which is entered from the West side of the church from the parking lot.
To reach St Patrick’s from the North, follow I-5 S. Take exit 168A for Boylston Ave toward Roanoke St. Merge onto Boylston, turn left at light onto E Roanoke St. Turn left at the first cross street onto Harvard Ave E. and then take the first right onto E. Edgar Street.
To reach St. Patrick’s from the South, follow I-5 N. Take exit 168A for Lakeview Blvd E. Turn left onto Lakeview Blvd E, and continue onto Boylston Ave E. Turn right at the light onto E Roanoke St. Turn left at the first cross street onto Harvard Ave. E. and then take the first right onto E. Edgar Street.
The festivities officially start at 6:30. Your help setting up before the meeting (and especially in cleaning up afterwards) is always appreciated. So come early to start celebrating.
A presto –
Dan DeMatteis,
Presidente,
Dante Alighieri Society of Washington
Gabriella Vagnoli was born in Pisa, Tuscany, home of the famous Leaning Tower. She grew up in a multicultural family thanks to her Brazilian mom and remembers teaching Italian for the first time as a child to her Brazilian cousins. She obtained a Laurea in English and Spanish Language and Literature at the Università degli Studi di Pisa and during her college years spent a year in the University of Reading, UK, studying mainly the works of Shakespeare. After obtaining a Certificate as a Teacher of Italian (DITALS II) at the Università per Stranieri di Siena, she has taught in a full immersion school in Florence, a children's full immersion program in Chicago and a Community College in Illinois.
Tiziana was born and raised in Sardinia, a beautiful Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. She has always been passionate about foreign languages and cultures, and studied French and German at the Scuola Superiore Interpreti e Traduttori in Milan, where she obtained her first Foreign Languages and Interpreter BA degree. She then pursued her MA in English and German Language and Literature at IULM, one of the most prestigious universities in Milan, Italy for Language and Communication studies.
Nicla is a native of Napoli, Italy. She has a Laurea in Materie Letterarie (degree in humanities) and a Laurea in Pedagogia (degree in Education) from the Università degli Studi di Cassino. She earned her M.A in Italian and her PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Washington. She has published articles and book chapters on gender and theater as well as politics and religion in Counter-Reformation Italy and in the last years, has been teaching Italian literature, language, and culture in different institutions. In addition to teaching in our program, Nicla is authorized to cover the role of esaminatrice and intervistatrice in our PLIDA Examination Board.