The Italian Language Foundation

Bianca Balti, Anna dello Russo and Nima Benati: i tre volti della moda italiana (Italian)

The Italian Language Foundation / May 18, 2022 / Uncategorized /

I grandi marchi di moda italiani non hanno bisogno di presentazioni, ma l’industria della moda del Bel Paese è molto di più di marchi famosi in tutto il mondo. Mi sono recentemente imbattuta in un nuovo format su YouTube in cui Bianca Balti, la top model italiana che vive a Los Angeles, presenta il suo talk show.

Lo show di Bianca, intitolato “A letto con Bianca” ha avuto inizio come una serie di incontri live che Bianca teneva sui suoi canali social personali, dove discuteva di argomenti quali l’accettazione di sé, la gestione del trauma, le relazioni tossiche e l’amore per se stessi. Dato il grande coinvolgimento del suo pubblico, lo show è stato prontamente spostato da Instagram a YouTube e conta quattro episodi fino a oggi.

Per ora, gli episodi si sono concentrati sulla rappresentazione del mondo della moda sotto diverse prospettive. Nel primo episodio, Bianca ha ospitato la fotografa di moda Nima Benata. Diventata famosa per le sue audaci campagne e per le sue copertine di riviste come Vanity Fair Italia, Harrods Magazine e Maxim, lo stile di Nima è uno dei più riconoscibili nell’industria della moda. Come Nima dice nell’intervista con Bianca, il suo stile fotografico è la rappresentazione visiva della sua creatività e si rifà alla lussuosa età dell’oro di Hollywood e agli iconici anni Sessanta e Settanta in Italia.

Dopo aver discusso di stile ed espressione personale con Nima, Bianca cambia velocemente i temi di conversazioni con la sua prossima ospite, Anna Dello Russo. Giornalista di moda e ex-direttrice creativa per Vogue Japan, Anna Dello Russo è soprattutto un’icona dell’alta moda italiana. Anna ha fatto dell’eccentricità la sua firma. Il suo stile è ardito, sfrontato, vivace e moderno.

Anna Dello Russo non segue la moda, la crea. Il legame professionale con Franca Sozzani, direttrice creativa di Vogue Italia, è durato per 12 anni prima della scomparsa di Franca nel 2016 è ha davvero definito un’era, celebrando il fascino internazionale pur rimanendo interamente Made in Italy.

Cos’hanno Bianca Balti, Nima Benati e Anna Dello Russo in comune? Queste tre donne sono delle pioniere nel mondo della moda di oggi e rappresentano tre diverse età della moda. La loro visione è senza tempo e celebra il passato così come il futuro.

Letteratura italiana contemporanea: il Premio Strega

The Italian Language Foundation / May 7, 2022 / Uncategorized /

Quest’anno ricorre la 76^ edizione del più famoso premio letterarioitaliano, il premio Strega. Nato dalle idee di intellettuali italiani riuniti sotto il nome di “Amici della domenica” per dare un nuovo slancio all’Italia del primo dopoguerra e per contribuire alla rinascita culturale del paese, il premio Strega ancora oggi è simbolo dei gusti e delle tendenze del panorama letterario italiano.

Annunciato per la prima volta il 17 febbraio 1947, l’ambito premio letterario porta il nome del liquore prodotto dalla famiglia del mecenate e intellettuale Guido Alberti. Dal 1947, “gli amici della domenica”, oggi circa 400 fra intellettuali, autori e cultori della materia, si riuniscono annualmente per scegliere l’autore o l’autrice più meritevole di questo premio.

Il premio Strega non è un semplice riconoscimento letterario, ma rappresenta l’Italia che cambia e l’evoluzione della lingua, della cultura e dei gusti letterari degli italiani. Può essere definito uno specchio che restituisce l’immagine dell’Italia contemporanea attraverso gli occhi e le penne di autori e autrici che rappresentano la società in costante mutamento ed evoluzione. Dal 1986, il premio Strega è gestito e organizzato dalla Fondazione Bellonci e rappresenta un’occasione imperdibile per conoscere un aspetto spesso sconosciuto della cultura italiana.

Quest’anno i dodici candidati sono:

1. Fabio Bacà “Nova”

2. Marco Amerighi “Randagi”

3. Claudio Piersanti “Quel maledetto Vronskij”

4. Davide Orecchio “Storia aperta”

5. Jana Karšaiová “Divorzio di velluto”

6. Alessandra Carati “E poi saremo salvi”

7. Mario Desiati “Spatriati”

8. Veronica Raimo “niente di vero”

9. Daniele Ranieri “Stradario aggiornato di tutti i miei baci”

10. Alessandro Bertante “Mordi e fuggi. Il romanzo delle BR”

11. Veronica Galletta “Nina sull’argine”.

12. Marino Magliani “Il cannocchiale del tenente Dumon”

“Searching for Italy” di Stanley Tucci andrà in onda domenica, non mancare!

The Italian Language Foundation / April 30, 2022 / Uncategorized /

Dopo più di un anno dall’ultimo episodio, la seconda stagione di “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” andrà in onda domenica primo maggio alle 21.00 EST sulla CNN.

La serie è un incredibile viaggio attraverso le tradizioni regionali italiane e deve il suo successo a Stanley Tucci, ai paesaggi pittoreschi, al cibo e alle persone.La prima stagione non ha solo presentato uno chef di prestigio come Massimo Bottura, proprietario e chef presso il premiato con tre stelle Michelin ristorante “Osteria Francescana” a Modena, ma ha anche messo in luce imprese familiari locali che, durante il lockdown, hanno attraversato un momento difficile.

Nella serie, Tucci viaggia per l’Italia esplorando diverse regioni e provando il cibo locale. “Searching for Italy” presenta al pubblico le caratteristiche uniche di ogni città: Napoli offre la sua esuberanza e i suoi colori vivaci, Milano è cosmopolita, Bologna “La Grassa” vanta una longeva tradizione culinaria così come un’affermata comunità accademica e la grandiosità di Roma e della sua storia è leggendaria.Ogni regione italiana offre caratteristiche uniche e doni imperdibili per i viaggiatori.

Lo stile, la storia, l’eleganza e la tradizione culinaria italiani si fondano sprigionando un esplosione di sapori e colori.

Le regioni italiane sono profondamente diverse l’una dall’altra e per questo motivo il tentativo di Tucci di rappresentare questa diversità è assolutamente notevole.

A partire dal primo maggio, Tucci visiterà, tra le altre località, l’Umbria, il Piemonte e Venezia.

Non vediamo l’ora di prendere parte al viaggio di Stanley Tucci alla scoperta dei panorami, le melodie e i sapori dell’Italia. Buon appetito!

Stanley Tucci’s “Searching for Italy”: Season 2 premieres on Sunday!

The Italian Language Foundation / April 30, 2022 / Uncategorized /

After more than one year after the last episode, “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” season two will premiere on Sunday, May 1st at 9pm ET on CNN.

The series is a sensational exploration of regional Italian culinary traditions and owes its success both to Stanley Tucci, to the picturesque landscapes, to the food and to the people. Not only did the first season feature an acclaimed chef such as Massimo Bottura and his “Osteria Francescana”, the three-Michelin-star-restaurant based in Modena, but also gave credit to local, family-owned businesses that had a hard time during the lockdown.

In the show, Tucci travels throughout Italy exploring different regions and tasting local food. “Searching for Italy” presents the unique features of each city: Naples offers its exuberance and colorful expressions, Milan is cosmopolitan, Bologna, “La Grassa,” has an established culinary history and academic community, while Rome’s grandeur and history are legendary. Each region of Italy offers its unique characteristics and gifts to travelers.

Italian style, history, elegance, and culinary traditions merge into an explosion of flavors and colors.

Italian regions differ widely from one another, which is why Tucci’s attempt to portray such diversity is remarkable.

Beginning on May 1, 2022, Tucci will visit Umbria, Venice, Piedmont, among other locations.

We cannot wait to join Stanley Tucci as he revels in the sights, sounds, and tastes of Italy. Buon appetito!it

Contemporary Easter Traditions in Italy

The Italian Language Foundation / April 16, 2022 / Uncategorized /

In Italy, Easter is one of the most relevant festivities under many different points of views. Families gather again since the last big family reunion on Christmas’ Day, the shop shelves are populated by colorful chocolate eggs and “colombe” (the traditional dove-shaped Easter cake), and Christians are getting ready to celebrate Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

Easter time is a busy period in Italy, but it is my favorite time of the year. The weather is sunny and warm, but not too hot, and people usually have time off from their jobs or from school so they can enjoy the good weather around the city. I take advantage of the Easter holiday to meet with my friends and to celebrate with my family.

On Sunday, Italians celebrate Pasqua (Easter) with family and friends, and on Monday they celebrate Pasquetta (Easter Monday) with friends having lunch together or going for a trip out of town. Italians also value the religious connotation of this day. The “Settimana della Passione” or “Settimana Santa” (Holy Week”) starts on the evening of “Domenica delle Palme” (Palm Sunday) and concludes on Easter Sunday. On Palm Sunday, Italian Catholics commemorate Christ’s entry into Jerusalem by holding in their hands a small olive branch during the mass which is going to be blessed by the priests with holy water. On “Giovedì Santo” (Maundy Thursday” or Holy Thursday) commemorates the Last Supper and the mass celebrated on this day inaugurates the “Triduo Pasquale” (Easter Triduum) and priests celebrate the rite of washing the feet. The “Venerdì Santo” (Good Friday) commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus and his death. It is common in Italy to perform a procession known as Via Crucis (literally, “the way of the cross”) as a commonly-shared time of reflection and prayers.

In many areas including mine, the procession is led by a small group of men carrying crosses. The most famous Italian Via Crucis is the one taking place in Rome. The Pope leaves the Saint Peter’s Basilica at 5pm and he starts the walk making the 14 Stations of the Cross. The procession starts at the Palatine Hill and ends at the Colosseum, and it is often aired on TV. On “Sabato Santo” (Holy Saturday) the Easter Vigil begins. In many Italian cities, the celebrations of the Easter Vigil can last up to four or five hours and it is celebrated with moments of deep silence and prayer. Finally, on Sunday, Easter is celebrated. Easter Day celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After the big Easter lunch, celebrations are not over. Italians love to spend Pasquetta (Easter Monday) with their loved ones and going for a one-day-trip out of town or having a “grigliata” (barbecue).

I believe that Easter has remained one of the most authentic feasts celebrated in Italy, with different traditions standing the proof of time along the peninsula. Such variety reflects on traditional foods, religious ceremonies and family traditions. What does not change from region to region is for sure the Colomba, the traditional Easter cake topped with almonds and pearl sugar. The dough is very similar to panettone’s, but it is fashioned into a dove-shaped cake. The cake takes its name after the bird that is a sign of peace, the dove (la colomba).

Chocolate eggs can be found in every supermarket from North to South. Children love them, not only for the delicious chocolate but also for the toys contained in each chocolate egg. Among the most famous ones, Kinder, Lindt and Ferrero Rocher are the most loved ones both by children and grown-ups.

It could be stated that both national and local Easter traditions exist, which makes it difficult to comprehensively present the variety of traditions existing in all the Italian regions. I have asked my friends who live in different areas to write a short paragraph about relevant Easter traditions in their towns. As an Italian, it has been incredible to witness such diversity in terms of rituals, traditions and food. The following represent a few of the traditions described by my friends who live in various areas of Italy.

Please send me your reactions to these descriptions in the comments.

My name is Federico, and I was born in the North of Italy in a small town close to the border with Switzerland. Easter is for me a special time of the year because it reminds me of my childhood years with my friends. As a child, I used to spend Easter with my family at my Grandparents’ house. My grandma would cook the rabbit stew and potatoes, salad, a small aperitivo and we would spend hours and hours sitting at the table waiting for my favorite moment to happen: opening the Easter eggs. Easter chocolate eggs are a big thing here in Italy, especially for children. I loved the feeling of finding a small toy that we call “sorpresa” in the chocolate egg. There was always some kind of competition going on with my cousins to see who had the best toy. On that day, I used to eat a lot of chocolate and my favourite one was the Kinder one. Kinder chocolate was truly delicious, and I remember asking my grandma for one egg chocolate only, but Kinder. Another sweet I loved was (and still is) the Lindt Chocolate bunny, the one wrapped in golden paper and with the small bell pending on its neck. The quality of the chocolate is very high, and this is what I value not only on Easter day but also on all the other days.

I am Marttia and I live in the Lazio Region, Ceprano, close to Rome. When I think about Easter I think about family, religion and obviously food. In my family, we make and eat the Pigna. Pigna is the short form of Pigna Pasquale. I don’t know a lot about the story of this cake, but it’s common to eat it in the Southern and Central regions of Italy. The kind of Pigna I ate is the “rustica” one that my aunts and grandmas make every Easter, we sometimes eat it also in the days before Easter during the Holy Week. The Pigna is a cake that has the shape of a ring, but it’s thick and in the middle there’s one hard-boiled egg, on the surface the cake is sprinkled with sugar coated almonds (confetti) and a withe, sweet glaze.

Ciao! My name is Giuseppe and I am from Campania, in the South of Italy. In my area, Easter is very important and the most famous and traditional cake is called “pastiera napoletana”. It’s very easy to get a pastiera from your local pasticceria or if you have time, you can bake it yourself. Personally, I don’t have time to do it myself but my grandma used to bake it every year. Another traditional dish is the Casatiello.Casatiello is a savoury dish originary from the Campania Region and it is usually stuffed with Salame Campano and Pecorino cheese. Both the salame and the pecorino should be diced and mixed with the dough, but the most important thing is the placement of the four raw eggs on the surface. They don’t have to be too close and they have to be “caged” by two stripes of extra dough each. I am looking forward to going back to my family this Easter and seeing my parents and relatives.

My name is Giuseppe and I’m from Sardinia. Sardinia is an Island with strong traditions rooted in the territory. Among the most common Easter traditions, S’Iscravamentu is one of the most loved by the locals. During this religious ceremony, the Holy Cross is placed in front of the eyes of the crying Virgin Mary. S’Iscravamentu is usually celebrated on Good Friday and it is accompanied by songs in Sardinian. The ceremony begins with a procession where the male participants symbolize Giuseppe and Nicodemo d’Arimatea. During the procession, two trays are carried: the first one with a hammer and a pincer, and the second one with a white bed sheet. The whole ritual happens in silence and it ends at the main Church, and the choir sings “Miserere di Cristo” and the voices of the people accompany the burial of Jesus’ body. One of the members of the clergy stays awake throughout the night, and watches over the Holy Sepulcher. This is meant to represent the death of Jesus on Good Friday, before the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Bianca Balti, Anna dello Russo and Nima Benati: i tre volti della moda italiana (Italian)

Letteratura italiana contemporanea: il Premio Strega

“Searching for Italy” di Stanley Tucci andrà in onda domenica, non mancare!

Stanley Tucci’s “Searching for Italy”: Season 2 premieres on Sunday!

Contemporary Easter Traditions in Italy

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