Special events
In addition to the regular meetings, the Society participates in various other events involving Italian language and culture. For example:
- Seattle’s Festa Italiana is a celebratory weekend each September at Seattle Center, with Italian entertainment, marvelous food and gifts, and booths representing Italian clubs and activities.
- Italian Film Festival each fall and the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF)each summer are in part sponsored by DAS.
- Small group events throughout the year, such as cooking classes, Italian conversation meetings, outings to opera, festivals, restaurants, art exhibits, Italian film showings, and similar activities of interest to members.
Upcoming Events
Festa di Natale – December 13, 2025
English Language Meeting – January 14, 2026
When: January 14, 2026 Speaker: Greg Wetzel Topic: Alba White Truffle Presentation: Greg Wetzel talks about all things to do with the Alba White Truffle. The essence of the talk is taken from a volume entitled "The Truffle Sensory Code" published by "narratori del...
Italian Language Meeting – January 28, 2026
When: January 28, 2026 Speaker: Domenico Minotti Topic: The Italian Ancestry of Dante Alighieri Society of Washington Members Presentation: Nico Minotti gives a presentation on the Italian heritage of Dante members. There will be food, fun and bittersweet "see you...
English Language Meeting – February 11, 2026
Speaker: Rob Prufer Topic: The Fountains of Rome. We'll explore the history, engineering and especially the art of Rome's most interesting public fountains, from those that are spectacular such as Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers to those that are humble like...
Italian Language Meeting – February 25, 2026
When: Speaker: Topic: Presentation: About the Speaker:
English Language Meeting – March 11, 2026
When:. March 11, 2026 Speaker: Mark McGregor Topic: The Liberation of Rome in WWII Presentation: Mark McGregor presents on the many liberators who freed Rome from the looming chaos of utter destruction of World War Two. In July 1943 the grip of Benito Mussolini's...
Italian Language Meeting – March 25, 2026
When: March 25, 2026 Speaker: Claudio Mazzola Topic: TBD Presentation: About the Speaker:No reservation necessary. Come early and bring an antipasto, dolce, or vino to share.
English Language Meeting – April 8, 2026
When: April 8, 2026 Topic: Annual General Meeting Presentation: Details TBA
Italian Language Meeting – April 22, 2026
When: April 22, 2026 Speaker: Ludovica Punzi, Executive Director Early Music Seattle Topic: When in Florence: Adventures in the Italian Music Business Presentation: Details to follow About the Speaker: Ludovica (Ludo) Punzi is a versatile and experienced arts...
English Language Meeting – May 13, 2026
When: May 13, 2026 Speaker: Allion Salvador, Violin Topic: Paganini and Locatelli; Two Generations of Masters Presentation: TBA About the Speaker: Allion Salvador has been described as “a rising star of the Seattle music scene, displaying virtuosity well beyond his...
Announcements
November 2025 La Voce della Dante
October has been a vibrant month for our society, filled with engaging events and memorable gatherings.
October 22 Italian Language Meeting Reminder
Join the Dante Society this Wednesday for a special evening of Caravaggio!
October 8 English Language Meeting – Reminder
Join the Dante Society for a special evening of Amaro!
October 2025 La Voce della Dante
As we feel the first hints of Fall setting into Seattle and close out our first month of the 2025-26 program year…
September 24 Italian-language Meeting – Presentation Cancelled
We will show a video of Father Paolo Benanti discussing the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence.
September 10 English Language Meeting – Reminder
Join the Dante Society for a special evening kicking off our program year
September 2025 La Voce della Dante
May 2025 La Voce della Dante
May 2025
History of Food in Florence / La Storia della Cucina a Firenze
Review Elisabetta Brogi's presentation on culinary traditions of Florence during the Renaissance as presented at the Dante Seattle meeting on April 23, 2025.In...
April 2025 La Voce della Dante
April 2025






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.
Eric was born and raised in Como by an American mother and an Italian father. He holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from Bocconi University in Milan and a Master’s in Corporate and International Finance from Durham University in the UK. His international background led him to pursue a business career in the United States, ultimately settling in Seattle, where his wife grew up.