February 4
- Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò – Tuesday, February 4, 2025 – 6:30 pm
My Roman History – A Memoir by Alizah Holstein
From the time she first felt called to its gates as a high school student fascinated by Dante and Italian thanks to a life-changing teacher, Rome has been a fixed star around which Alizah Holstein’s life has rotated—despite the fact that she bears no Italian heritage, and has never lived there long enough to call it home.
February 5
- Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò – Wednesday, February 5, 2025 – 6:30 pm
In Piazza
Craig Whitaker was for 18 years an adjunct professor in New York University’s graduate planning program teaching a course called “Why Cities Look the Way They Do.” He is the author of numerous articles and the book Architecture and the American Dream.
February 6
- Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò – Thursday, February 6, 2025 – 6:30 pm
Musical Journeys with the Black Madonna in Southern Italy
A documentary based on the best-selling book Healing Journeys with the Black Madonna (Inner Traditions | Bear and Company, 2019) by award-winning singer, percussionist, teacher and author Alessandra Belloni.
February 7
- Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò – Friday, February 7, 2025 – 7:00 pm
Guido Alberto Fano
Guido Alberto Fano (1875-1961) was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor, and a Music Conservatory Director. During his life, he was offered three opportunities to move to the United States: in 1905, when colleague Ferruccio Busoni asked him to join him; in 1911, when he was invited by the College of Music in Cincinnati; and during WW2 to escape racial discrimination. However, he was never able to actually move to a country that was looking to welcome him with open arms.
February 10
- Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò – Monday, February 10, 2025 – 6:00 pm
Baroque Dreaming Into Contemporary Opera
Join us for an exclusive panel delving into the creative journey behind Primero Sueño, the groundbreaking operatic adaptation of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz’s iconic poem. Featuring co-creators composer Paola Prestini and jazz icon Magos Herrera, this discussion offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how Sor Juana’s profound exploration of mysticism, feminism, and the natural world was transformed into a mesmerizing operatic procession through the sacred spaces of The Met Cloisters. The panel will include select footage from the production, showcasing Herrera’s powerful portrayal of Sor Juana alongside the Leipzig-based vocal ensemble Sjaella and a team of world-class multi-instrumentalists, directed by visionary arts leader Louisa Proske.
February 11
- Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò – Tuesday, February 11, 2025 – 6:30 pm
Trio KANON: “Timeless Dialogues”
The Trio Kanon invites you on a journey through time and sound, exploring the profound dialogue between past and present, tradition and innovation. This concert program weaves together the lyrical elegance of Mendelssohn, the virtuosic brilliance of Fritz Kreisler, and the contemporary voice of Roberto Scarcella Perino, creating an engaging musical conversation that transcends centuries.
February 13
- Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò – Thursday, February 13, 2025 – 7:00 pm
Forgotten Gems with Joshua Cohen
Forgotten Gems is a series that takes place at Casa Italiana as part of the literary festival Le Conversazioni that focuses on films that the speakers believe worthy of being [re]discovered. Antonio Monda and his guest each choose three films to present and discuss (accompanied by clips). This season’s third guest is author Joshua Cohen. - Istituto Italiano di Cultura NY – Thursday, February 13, 2025 – 6:00 pm
Painting in New York- Mostra
La prima mostra personale di Lorenzo Puglisi a New York aprirà presso l’Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Park Avenue il 17 gennaio alle 17:30. La mostra, dal titolo Painting in New York, è presentata dal Direttore dell’Istituto Fabio Finotti e curata dal critico d’arte Guicciardo Sassoli De Bianchi. Esibirà una selezione di opere create appositamente per l’evento durante il soggiorno dell’artista nella città.
Visibile fino al 14 febbraio, l’esposizione mette in luce la visione iconografica e lo stile inconfondibile dell’artista. Le potenti e suggestive figure di Puglisi emergono da sfondi scuri, un’estetica che lo ha reso noto negli ultimi anni. I suoi soggetti misteriosi, accompagnati da pennellate uniche nei toni del bianco e del rosso, fanno finalmente il loro debutto negli Stati Uniti, grazie all’Istituto Italiano di Cultura. Questa mostra continua a promuovere lo scambio artistico tra l’Italia e gli Stati Uniti.
February 18
- Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò – Tuesday, February 18, 2025 – 6:00 pm
Vivaldi and…
At the beginning of the Settecento, Venice was one of two leading musical centers in Italy (Rome the other). Charles Burney called the Venetian school ‘a light and irregular troop’ – including Antonio Vivaldi and Carlo Tessarini.
Vivaldi, Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi, Catalani, Respighi: let’s hear the composers we know and love. But what of their contemporaries who are not household names? How do their works compare to those of the greats? Come listen to beloved favorites – balanced by lesser-known works – for an exhilarating exploration of Italian music this Spring.
February 19
- Casa Italiana Zerilli- Marimò – Wednesday, February 19, 2025 – 5:00 pm
Plays / Performances
The Italian theater landscape features several major players, including Piccolo Teatro and Teatro dell’Elfo in Milan, Teatro Argentina and Teatro India in Rome, among others. These iconic institutions have long been at the forefront of Italian theatrical excellence. At the same time, smaller companies and organizations play an equally, if not more, vital role in fostering innovation by presenting new theater, fresh ideas, and experimental languages. Our focus will center on playwrights and performances that emphasize collaboration, highlighting works that involve multiple actors or ensembles, showcasing the richness and diversity of collective storytelling on the Italian stage.
February 21
- Istituto Italiano di Cultura NY – Friday, February 21, 2025 – 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Samuel Vaccaro. Concerto di chitarra classica
Samuel Vaccaro nasce a Caltagirone ed è un giovanissimo Maestro di chitarra classica, concertista internazionale, vincitore di numerosissimi primi premi nazionali e internazionali.