2012 Highlights

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the Italian School, there will be short presentations from alumni and previous directors, a dance performance and a final banquet. The School will also host two concerts, by pianist Patricia Keyes for the opening ceremony in July and by pianist Cosimo Colazzo and violinist Franco Sciannameo in August.

A special feature of the 2012 session will be the presence on campus of many professors, writers, and artists as “Special Guests in Residence.” Both students and faculty will certainly benefit greatly from the many contributions that Paul Colilli, Giulia Tellini, Antonio Nicaso, Donato Santeramo, Andrea Ciccarelli, Alicia Vitti, Diana Iuele - Colilli, Caroline Travalia, Franco Sciannameo, Cosimo Colazzo, Margherita Ganeri, Daria Mizza, Elisabetta D’Amanda, Tiziana Serafini, Gaia Capecchi, Ernesto Livorni, Anna Clara Ionta, Edward Bowen and Lorenzo Borgotallo and all the other instructors, staff and students will bring to the cultural life of the School during their stay at Middlebury.

Activities and Workshops

In addition to regular activities and coursework, all students are expected to participate weekly in a club of their choice. Students in the 7-week session are encouraged to take advantage of the biweekly club meetings.

Italian Music Club Learn, sing, and listen to Italian songs and operas

Cinema Club Watch films and discuss their cultural and artistic merits

Cooking Club Study and practice the art of Italian cuisine with Salvatore Gallo

Literature Workshop Weekly meetings with various professors to read and discuss Italian literature

Poetry Club Students and faculty read and discuss poetry. Both are encouraged to present their own work

Contemporary Italian Issues Watch daily newscasts read and discuss contemporary Italian issues

Regional Traditions and Dialect Club Students and faculty learn the variety in regional Italian cooking, speaking, and cultural traditions

Special Guests in Residence & Workshops

A special feature of the 2012 session will be the presence on campus of many professors, writers, and artists as "Special Guests in Residence."

A six-week diction workshop with Lorenzo Borgotalla will be offered. We will also offer a workshop on Tarantismo, a hysterical, convulsive dance manifestation attributed, according to popular belief, to the bite of the tarantula, a poisonous spider thriving in the area around Taranto (ancient Tarentum) from which it derives its name.

The Italian School is proud to announce that award winning actor, comedian, and writer Lello Arena will be our artist in residence and will also conduct various workshops and stage a one act play.

Film director Claudio Bondì will return to teach a course on films inspired by some of the masterpieces of Italian Literature, with a focus on adaptation from a written to visual medium. Bondì will also present his own films.

In addition we have added a new course on Italian design taught by specialist Spartaco Paris.

Professor and film director Giovanna Taviani will return to teach a course on Neorealism.

We will also have a theatrical workshop conducted by professional stage actress Isabella Carloni, who will also teach a graduate course on contemporary Italian theater.

To enrich and complement this stimulating program, the School will also host folksinger Michela Musolino who will hold a concert and teach a workshop on folk dancing.

Our evenings will also be animated by a workshop on Italian Protest and Political songs led by Silvia Cresti.