Culture Talks

Professor David Weible is the Head of the Department of Germanic Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago. An expert in the field of instructional technology and curriculum development, he has combined his research interests with a great passion for music, developing a course on the importance of opera in European history. Among other recognitions, he was named LAS Master Teacher in 2009. This lecture will focus on the social and cultural developments in the history of opera and the relation between words and music. Reception to follow

Learn about Arcadia University College of Global Studies’ summer options in Greece: Of Gods and the City...History, Art, and Architecture in Archaic and Classical Greece; On the Trail of Alexander the Great...Greek History, Art and Architecture of the Hellenistic Age; Mediterranean Myths and Monuments: The Classical World Today. 4 and 8 week programs offered – Financial Aid & Scholarships available. www.arcadia.edu/abroad/greece

Alternately praised and damned with equal fervor from its inception to our own time, Mannerism remains an art historical style of fascination and controversy. Created by some of the Cinquecento's most radical artists, Mannerism first opposed, and then reinterpreted, the classical legacies of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo, developing into a courtly art of unsurpassed elegance and refinement. Frequently accompanied by elements of the bizarre and erotic, Mannerism remains one of art history's most attractive and debated styles. Robert Munman is Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Art History. He is an internationally known scholar with many publications on Italian art and the recipient of fellowships, grants and prestigious teaching awards. Reception to follow

Any city in the world deserves more than just a visual approach; in fact one must use all five senses to better understand a city’s atmosphere and traditions. This meeting will be a journey of Siena's sounds, scents, images, and flavors to discover the hidden secrets of this wonderful Medieval city. Presenter: Luca Bonomi, President of the Società Dante Alighieri, Siena

By Risorgimento, Italians mean the political and social movement that lead to the unification of Italy’s different states into one country. Verdi is considered the author of operas that sang the spirit of this development but this vision is too narrow. Verdi's operas are much more both from an artistic point of view and for the important role that his operas played in the history of Italy. Thorough the analysis of Verdi’s arie, duetti and cori, Professor Luca Bonomi, President of the Società Dante Alighieri (Siena, Italy) will demonstrate how Verdi's operas influenced the birth of the new Italian Nation, its political values, social and moral principles, as well as aesthetic approaches. Light refreshments

Sacred Cities: Religion, Violence and the Origin of the Italian City-Republics, a talk by Louis Hamilton, Drew University

The eleventh century was a period of rapid transformation in Europe. Religious reform, the legal revolution, rapid population growth, increasing trade and urban development are only some of the century's features. The eleventh century also provides our earliest evidence for the crowds and citizens that form the "communes" of the emerging Italian republics. This communal revolution has traditionally been described as conflicting with ecclesiastic authorities. In A Sacred City: Consecrating Churches and Reforming Society in Eleventh-Century Italy (Manchester University Press, 2010), I argue that the evidence suggests a more fluid dynamic. The earliest political activities of these, often violent, citizens and crowds formed around religious rites and reform efforts, and were often supported by the popes against the wishes of local religious and lay authorities. Sponsored by the Medieval Studies Group

A Roundtable presentation with: Eva Bice and Jorgena Kosti (Italian Minor and Italian Club) The discussion will include tips for how studying Italian at UIC can enrich your life, how minoring in Italian can help prepare you for your future, and how to use your Italian Minor as leverage when finding a job! Refreshments will be served!

Italian Chef Luigi Negroni (from Davanti Enoteca, Taylor Street) will be showcasing recent trends in Italian cuisine and how he is exporting and adapting them for his American public.