by Dianne Hales | May 18, 2021 | Books, books on Italy, culture, Italian, Italian opera, Italy, Language, learning Italian, Music, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
La Scala recently re-opened after months of silence imposed by Covid-19 restrictions. The news made my heart sing—and brought back the memory of my first night at this iconic concert hall. Years ago, when my research for LA BELLA LINGUA led me to Milan, I eagerly...
by Dianne Hales | Mar 9, 2019 | art, Books, culture, Education, Fashion, Film, Florence, Food and Drink, history, Italy, Language, Music, Religion, Romance, Rome, Travel, Venice, Web/Tech, Weblogs, wine
“Imagine a world without Italy: Painting without Leonardo. Sculpture without Michelangelo. Literature without Dante. No Verdi choruses or Puccini arias. No Fellini films or Ferrari roar. Heavens uncharted, vines unplanted, tables bereft of pasta, pizza, and a Sicilian...
by DHales | Nov 3, 2016 | Books, culture, Italy, Language, Music, Sayings and expressions, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
Canzone della Passione Songs of Passion Lua Hadar, an international vocalist, speaks four languages and sings in seven, including Malagasy, the native tongue of Madagascar. But Italian brings out something special in her: “my passion.” “I wasn’t born...
by DHales | Oct 17, 2016 | Books, culture, Education, history, Italy, Language, Music, Sayings and expressions, Social behavior, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
Italian Language Week The third week of October marks the sixteenth Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo (week of the Italian language in the world). The annual evento culturale internazionale (international cultural event) promotes Italian as una grande...
by DHales | Oct 20, 2015 | Books, culture, Florence, history, Italy, Language, Music, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
L'italiano della musica, la musica dell'italiano The Italian of Music, the Music of Italian Music, the theme of this year’s Settimana della Lingua Italiana (Italian language week), has echoed through Italy since the time of the Etruscans, whose flautists lured...