Dante Alighieri Society Townsville
Maggio 2015 Contenuto
Lettera dal Comitato Lettera dal Comitato
Eventi/Events Carissimi Da ricordare … / To remember … Another year has begun and so much has happened already. First of all, after many years as President of the Society Enza Castorina has Notizie Italiane stood down from the position to dedicate her efforts to the language classes. Since 1998 when her dedication and passion were instrumental in their establishment as part of the Society’s activities and mission, they have been very close to her heart. Enza can certainly be regarded as the society’s driving force, keeping all on track and bringing to the committee’s table ideas and valuable suggestions. During the Annual General Meeting we welcomed Prof Paul Pagliano as the new President of the Society. This is not the first time Paul has occupied this position, nevertheless we appreciate his dedication and fervid support to the society. We also extended a warm welcome to the new Vice president Alf Bonato and the newest addition Rita Nastasi as committee member. Rita has been a Dante supporter for many years, as a general member and hardworking volunteer during the Cultural Fest. We are sure Rita will be a valuable addition to the committee bringing new ideas and balance to the group. Alf Bonato himself has been part of the society now for a number of years, starting Committee: as a language class student and in the last few years also as a President: Prof. Paul Pagliano committee member. Finally I would like to thank Loretta Swayn for Vice President: Alf Bonato stepping into the important role of secretary and to Vicki Brazier for Secretary: Loretta Swayn continuing her position as a general member. Both Loretta and Vicki Treasurer: Gabriella Licari will certainly bring the structure and organisation skills needed by the Courses Director: Enza Castorina society group to be successful in all its initiatives. Committee Member: Vicky Brazier The first half of the year is always a busy time for our society Rita Nastasi particularly as we organise the calendar for the events and schedule the language classes. Courses Coordinator: Susan McKenzie
The new Dante year has just started and already we have accomplished quite a lot. A new location for our fundraising movie nights has been selected, the Education Theatre at the Educational Precinct at James Cook University. The screening of the “The Fifth Wheel” was well received and raised fun and interesting discussions. The evening was extremely enjoyable and the new location quite comfortable and with easy access. We hope that at our next movie event operations will be further improved making the occasion even more exciting.
The Dante Alighieri Society Townsville, Unit 9/203 Kings Road, Pimlico, QLD Ph 0497 037 146 Email: [email protected]
The upcoming event for June is one also very close to the Dante‘s mission – to celebrate the National Day and the Italian culture. A lunch has been organised for the 14th June at “La Porchetta” where we aim to spend a little time together to appreciate Italian Food, traditional music singing and dancing. Please come along!!!
Our beginners, intermediate and advanced classes have started under the guidance of our hard‐working teachers Monika Leka, Enza Castorina, Sara Busilacchi e Simona Trapani. Simona has also been looking after our treasured children’s classes. We would like to take the opportunity to thank Simona for her fantastic work and enthusiasm.
We hope to have yet another fulfilling and successful year at the Dante Alighieri Society which will reflect the efforts of the hard working committee and also the valuable support and dedication of the society’s supporters and friends. Your attendance at the events and fundraiser occasions make the Dante Alighieri a successful organisation, achieving its mission – promotion of the Italian Culture and Language in the local community. The committee thanks you all!
Eventi/Events
Calendario previsto per il 2015
14 GIUGNO 2015
National Italian Day Lunch La Porchetta Restaurant
AGOSTO 2015
Cultural Fest – Community Event Strand Park
OTTOBRE 2015
Movie Night – Fund Raising event
DECEMBRE 2015
Dante Annual Dinner Members and friends are always invitate to our end of year dinner to support and celebrate the society’s efforts and successes.
The Dante Alighieri Society Townsville, Unit 9/203 Kings Road, Pimlico, QLD Ph/Fax: 07 4728 1167 Email: [email protected]
Da ricordare... / To remember …
Il nostro programma alla radio ogni Domenica dalle 12 alle 13. The Italian program at the radio station Triple T every Sunday a 12.00 to 1.00pm 103.9 FM Online ‐ www.triplet.com.au Presentatori ‐ George Parison and Armando Rizzo
Messa in italiano ogni secondo Mercoledi’ del mese alle 9 alla chiesa di Holy Spirit. Italian Mass every 2nd Wednesday of the month at 9.00am Holy Spirit church (Ross River Road)
Informazioni Italiane
La Villa Romana del Casale
By Vicki Brazier
Circa cinque kilometri sud‐ovest da Piazza Armerina, nella provincia di Enna, si trova la mia casa preferita in Sicilia. Qui ho tolto le mie scarpe perche ho voluto sentire la storia antica sotto le mie dita del piede. Che sentimento meraviglioso ed unico sentire la sensazione delle tessere che hanno millesettecento anni.
L’edifico era una loggia per andare a caccia costruita per un ufficiale romano importante, forse Marcus Maximianus chi era un imperatore con Diocletian. La villa era costruita durante un periodo piu’ di cinquanta anni, tra il terzo ed il quarto secolo. La villa copiosa e’ famosa per i pavimenti. Quasi ogni stanza e’ coperta con mosaici incredibile e vasti. I pavimenti sono quasi preservati perfettamente perche erano seppelliti e nascosti sotto fango per settecento anni.
The Dante Alighieri Society Townsville, Unit 9/203 Kings Road, Pimlico, QLD Ph 0497 037 146 Email: [email protected]
La villa aveva i soffitti alti e le stanze grandi con i portici aperti e le colonne di marmo. E’ costruita su quattro terrazze naturali.
Forse mosaici piu’ famosi sono le athlete indossando i bikini. Pensiamo che abbia gia’ finito una gara e la vincitrice indossa una corona di fiori.
Lo spogliatoio privato ha una disegna della famiglia dell’imperatore. Portono le cose di cui hanno bisogno per le terme e la palestra. Il mio preferito e’ il corridoio decorato con la grande scena di caccia. Alle estremita’ sono due paesi ed il mezzo e’ il mare. Una varieta’ incredibile di animali, incluso di elefanti, leoni e tigri, imbarca e sbarca dalle navi. Forse l’artista era dal Nord Africa. Il dettaglio e’ straordinario! Gli artigiani hanno montato milioni di tessere minuscole per formare questi desegni.
Il rinvenimento della villa nel 1950 e’ stato una scoperta incredibile.
La Biennale di Venezia 2015
By Fiona e Paul Pagliano
Every second year Venice celebrates an international art exhibition, which has come to be extremely highly regarded worldwide. First held in 1895, this year’s Biennale di Venezia is the 56th. It runs from May 9 through to November 22.
The primary focus is on contemporary art in all its various forms, with other events that include dance, theatre, architecture and film. There are 89 participating countries, 29 with their own pavilion. The main exhibition space is at the Arsenale, a historic cluster of former naval shipyards and armouries not so far from the Piazza San Marco. Those countries without a pavilion, plus lots of commercial companies and individual artists, exhibit either at the Arsenale or spread out around the city.
This year's broad theme is ‘All the world's future’ and within that there are three filters that can be applied singularly or in combination. These are: ‘life and disorder’, ‘epic narratives’ and ‘reading capital’. An example of ‘life and disorder’ is a throne made of discarded bullet shells, and bombs by Tiffany Chung (see above) which I thought was very powerful as a metaphor. Needless to say there is tremendous variety in the way these filters are interpreted. As with any such massive exhibition it's particularly difficult to know where to start. Of course it was impossible for me to see everything in the two days I had available. I've therefore decided to only provide snippets of my impressions.
The Dante Alighieri Society Townsville, Unit 9/203 Kings Road, Pimlico, QLD Ph/Fax: 07 4728 1167 Email: [email protected]
Being Australian I was particularly drawn to the Australian pavilion. Australia first exhibited in 1954, reached pavilion status in 1988 and now in 2015 a new pavilion has been built - a black box, strong, powerful and stunning in its simplicity.
The way it juts out over the adjacent canal is so respectful of the space, to Venice and to the Biennale. Inside it's a different story. For me the space was over crowded, chock-a-block, each piece wonderful in its own right, but in my opinion the presentation needed to be severely culled and better thought through. Still, ours is regarded as being one of the top five pavilions this year.
It was curious to me how different countries had such distinct (?quirky) personalities in their pavilions. For example the French pavilion in a gesture of reverence towards the Italian Mannerist Garden tradition featured three trees on moving platforms, one inside the pavilion that spun around on its axis and two outside that moved in all directions around the park. Or inside the Finnish pavilion the space was light free except for the image of a single tree and a soundscape of double bass and electronic music. The effect was deeply spiritual – elemental. In the Korean pavilion they had a multi-channel film installation that explored the interweaving of past and future, ‘The ways of folding space and time’, that I found particularly interesting. The big star is the Japanese exhibit. Thousands of keys on crimson threads shower down from the ceiling onto traditional wooden boats. The metaphor is completed by a video of children trying to summon their earliest memories. The atmosphere is intensely meditative.
A real treat for me was the Giardino della Marinaressa featuring six sculptures by New York based artist Ursula Von Rydingsvard (see left). Her sculptures are said to explore the edge between multiple dualities like novelty and erosion, agitation and tranquillity, giving her work a surprising vitality that somehow feeds the soul. Whatever... I loved them!
If you get the chance, the Biennale di Venezia is well worth the effort – whether or not contemporary art is your thing. There is plenty to see and to be dazzled/puzzled by. I would thoroughly recommend it to you.
The Dante Alighieri Society Townsville, Unit 9/203 Kings Road, Pimlico, QLD Ph 0497 037 146 Email: [email protected]
Townsville Dante Alighieri Society
SUNDAY 14th June 2015
11.30am for 12noon Lunch At La Porchetta Restaurant
Charters Towers Road
Cost $30 Lunch, Entertainment, Raffle and Lucky Door
Bookings essential by 10th June 2015 Dante Alighieri 0497037146 Email: [email protected] or by direct deposit to Dante Alighieri Society – Bendigo Bank BSB 633 108 Account number 126 359 025 (Please include your name and number of seats as a reference when making payment)
The Dante Alighieri Society Townsville, Unit 9/203 Kings Road, Pimlico, QLD Ph/Fax: 07 4728 1167 Email: [email protected]