Festival Italiano 2020, a free festival with lots of prizes, tastings and presents!

Only just over a week to go to Festival Italiano 2020! Soon we will reveal the full entertainment programme for the day with live music, amazing spot prizes and special guests, plus a map with all the stall holders and pop-up restaurants. For all info on the day you can go to the Dante Alighieri Tent, where you can also try your Italian and find out about our school, and next to it this year you will find Radio Ondazzurra!

Inside Rialto Centre there will be more stalls, the Vips area, a Zona Bambini (children area) with art workshop and activities, plus a present for all the families, the big Food Atlas, the NZ edition of a beautifully illustrated Italian book. 

 

New this year also a tasting table of some famous Italian products: came and try Mortadella, Grana Padano, Finocchiona and Prosciutto di Parma!

And don't forget our annual Dante School Raffle, only 1000 tickets printed, and selling fast!

THAT'S A WRAP! Figure per Gianni Rodari – Illustrators for Gianni Rodari ends today!

 

What a wonderful time we had! Loved every single day of it, from the opening party on Friday, to the mini-panel on Sunday, and celebrating Rodari's Birthday on 23 October (photo above, by Nicoletta Benella). Nicoletta also appeared in two programmes on Ondazzurra to talk about Rodari and the exhibition, and a special interview was also done with Italy, to talk to Elena Pasoli, the Director of the Bologna Children's Book Fair.

You can listen to the programmes here:

Elena Pasoli

Nicoletta Benella, part 1

Nicoletta Benella, part 2

Throughout the 9 days when we were opened to the public we enjoyed welcoming a number of children to look, read and draw, and learn about Rodari's wonderful tales.

On Saturday we had a special visit from the Mums and kids of the Prada Pirelli Luna Rossa Team, welcome to New Zealand guys... 

And thank you for your collages inspired by Rodari's story L'Omino della Pioggia.

This exhibition showcased some of those artists who in the last fifty years have illustrated Rodari’s texts. From legends like Luzzati and Munari through to young contemporary artists, the exhibition gave a fascinating overview of Italian illustration excellence.

 

Featured artists: Bruno Munari, Emanuele Luzzati, Altan, Beatrice Alemagna, Gaia Stella, Olimpia Zagnoli, Manuel Fior, Alessandro Sanna, Valerio Vitali, Simona Mulazzani, Chiara Armellini, Anna Laura Cantone, Fulvio Testa, Maria Chiara Di Giorgio, Giulia Orecchia, Nicoletta Costa, Federico Maggioni, Francesca Ghermandi, Pia Valentinis, Vittoria Facchini, Elenia Beretta.

 

Organised internationally by: Fiera di Bologna, BCBF, Regione E-R, Regione E-R Cultura d’Europa, Einaudi Ragazzi, Vivere all’Italiana (MAECI).

Auckland edition curated by Nicoletta Benella and organised by Dante Alighieri Society Auckland and Festival Italiano Auckland in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in New Zealand, Oratia Books, NEWMARKET.

 

Part of the Artweek Auckland 2020 Programme , the Week of Italian Language in the World and the Italian Festival Season in Auckland.

 

Photos by Gianni Flego and Alessandra Zecchini

Talking about Rodari and the Italian illustrators of Figure per Gianni Rodari

 

Photos from yesterday’s mini-panel about Gianni Rodari and illustrators of Figure per Gianni Rodari – Illustrators for Gianni Rodari - with Professor Bruno Ferraro, illustrator (and exhibition curator) Nicoletta Benella, and publisher Peter Dowling. (by Gianni Flego).

After the panel we had some Italian soft drinks and cannoli and viewed the exhibition. Thank you Nicoletta, Bruno and Peter for the informative talk, and thank you all for coming, here some more photos from Alessandra Zecchini

Preview evening of Figure per Gianni Rodari - Illustrators for Gianni Rodari in Auckland

The Illustrators for Gianni Rodari exhibition is now on in Auckland. 

From today, 17 October, until Sunday 25 September, drop in between 10.00 a.m. and 4 p.m. you can read more about this exhibition in the website of Regione Emilia Romagna by clicking here, (and also here in the Italian language).

The Dante team joined a preview event last night, along with guests from the local Italian and publishing communities, plus Waitematā Local Board and Newmarket Business Association representatives.

Dante Auckland members, from left: Cav. Alessandra Zecchini, Flavia Berucci, Sir John Kirwan, Matteo Telara, Barbara Martelli, Cav. Sandra Fresia, Valeria Santillo, Luca Manghi.

Brought together to mark the centenary of the birth of the great Italian children's writer Gianni Rodari, the exhibition showcases illustrations from 21 leading artists who have illustrated his books. The Exhibition is organised internationally by: Fiera di Bologna, BCBF, Regione E-R, Regione E-R Cultura d’Europa, Einaudi Ragazzi, Vivere all’Italiana (MAECI).

Auckland edition is curated by Nicoletta Benella and organised by Dante Alighieri Society Auckland and Festival Italiano Auckland in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in New Zealand, Oratia Books, Newmarket Business Association. and is part of the Artweek Auckland 2020 Programme, the Italian Festival Season in Auckland, and celebrates the XX edition of the Italian Language Week in the World.

 

Dante members delighted to rediscover Rodari's books 

Featured artists: Bruno Munari, Emanuele Luzzati, Altan, Beatrice Alemagna, Gaia Stella, Olimpia Zagnoli, Manuel Fior, Alessandro Sanna, Valerio Vitali, Simona Mulazzani, Chiara Armellini, Anna Laura Cantone, Fulvio Testa, Maria Chiara Di Giorgio, Giulia Orecchia, Nicoletta Costa, Federico Maggioni, Francesca Ghermandi, Pia Valentinis, Vittoria Facchini, Elenia Beretta.

 

The Oratia Books crew, one of the local sponsors, with Lindsey Jones (third from right), Honorary Consul for Italy, Auckland. From left: Belinda Cooke, Frances Chan, Peter Dowling, Alessandra Zecchini, Lindsey Jones, Carolyn Lagahetau, Ross Kinnaird

Of course we had Italian food to nibble on: piadina, arancini and...

.... cannoli, from Nonna in Teed St, Newmarket. 

Congratulations to exhibition curator Nicoletta Benella, and all who have made the exhibition possible.

Tomorrow morning (18 October) at 9.30 a.m., Nicoletta will join Professor Bruno Ferraro in a discussion about Rodari's life and work, and the artists who have accompanied him. Free entry.

Photos by Gianni Flego

October 2020 Newsletter

Our October Newsletter is online now, please click here to read.