Prelude to the Italian Festival Season in Auckland

The Italian Festival Season in Auckland will open this Sunday, 13 September, so get ready!

The first Italian event of the Season will be a special concert featuring visiting Swedish violinist and conductor Tobias Ringborg, here conducting New Zealand Opera’s production of Tosca.

Programme:

1. Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945):
Intermezzo and Easter Hymn from “Cavalleria Rusticana”

2. Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)/Ernest Alder:
“La Bohème”: Trio for violin, flute and piano

3. Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840): Cantabile, Op. 17

4. Cesare Ciardi (1817-1877): Gran Concerto, Op. 129
Andante – Maestoso

5. Carlo Cammarota (1905-1990): Arioso e Fuga

6. Nino Rota (1911-1979): Trio for flute, violin and piano

Luca Manghi, flute

David Kelly, piano

and special guest Tobias Ringborg, violin

St Luke’s Church, 130 Renuera Road, Auckland

13 September 2015, 7:00pm

Tickets sold at the door $30 ($25 for Dante Members)

A light refreshment will be served after the concert.

 

Cheese Making Class with Il Casaro

Il Casaro means "The Cheesemaker". 
 Back in Italy it represents artisanal expertise that qualifies professional people working in the creation of traditional dairy products.

The Cheesemaker and co-founder Massimiliano comes from the capital of cow mozzarella in Italy: Gioia del Colle, the heel of Italy.

NSP is proud to team up with Massimiliano again for his wonderful "Cheese Making Class" to celebrate the Italian Festival Season in Auckland, so be sure to come and join us and learn the trade secrets.

Place: Non Solo Pizza

Date: Tuesday 22nd of September

Time: 6.30pm

Price: $45 per person

Bookings Essential: nsp@nonsolopizza.co.nz or 09 379 5358

Non Solo Pizza at the Festival Italiano with a delightful menu!

Be ready for some divine service and divine food at the Festival Italiano with

Non Solo Pizza

Menu

Tavalozza di Salumi con Giardiniera di Verdure

The real Italian Antipasto: selection of cured meats, tastes of pickle and preserved vegetables, olives, cheese and truffle paste

Calamari al Limone

Lightly fried squid tossed in lemon juice, sea salt, cracked pepper, parsley and 
Italian caper mayonnaise

Polpette alla Napoletana

Meatballs with sultanas, pine nuts and tomato sauce

Cannelloni con Spinaci e Ricotta

Cannelloni of spinach and ricotta, Italian cheese sauce, tomato, parmesan and basil pesto

Tiramisù

Sponge fingers in espresso coffee and liqueur, layered with a mascarpone and 
zabaglione cream

The Embassy Film’s Series : “9x10 Novanta” (2014), Friday 4th of September at 6 pm

The Embassy Film’s Series : “9x10 Novanta” (2014), Friday 4th of September at 6 pm., University of Auckland Arts 1 Building, Room 209 (note room change !). Free entry.
This is a wonderful compilation film made to celebrate the birthday of LUCE is made up of 9 ten minute shorts by the best of today's young Italian filmmakers!
(A note about parking for the Film at the University: the Owen Glenn Building has five storey of parking and a flat rate from 5pm; it is very handy to the University with its entrance on Grafton Rd (opposite Stanley).

Win one Double Pass to Wine & Food Celebration in Auckland!

Win one Double Pass to Wine & Food Celebration in Auckland!
Simply post a comment in the Festival Italiano FB Page to enter into the draw, we have 2 Double Passed valued at $70 each to be won:
One Double Pass equals two General Admission tickets, which include ALL NZ & Italian wine tastings and free cooking demonstrations for 2 people on 14 September. Winners announced on Friday 4 September.

And if you want to learn more about Italian wine check out this great Masterclass with Joelle Thomson at W&F Celebration:

About the Italian wine Masterclass

Take a tour of Italy in your wine glass with Joelle who will share her knowledge of local grapes making intriguing styles of wine. Learn about the famous wine styles of Valpolicella and Amarone, about grapes such as Primitivo, Glera and Freisa.

Joelle Thomson trained as a journalist in Wellington and is editor of Drinksbiz magazine. Joelle has gone on to write 14 books on New Zealand wine  and teaches WSET and New Zealand wine courses at the NZ School of Food & Wine. Joelle will share her love of Italian wines over four seminars which focus on indigenous Italian grape varieties (of which there are in excess of 300) drawing inspiration from classic appellations like Valpolicella, Chianti and Barolo.

The W&F Wine and Food celebration returns to the NZ School of Food and Wine (Customs St West, Auckland) from the 13 – 15 September 2015, with an incredible line-up of food and wines to taste during the event, interactive cooking classes as well as the nationally-acclaimed wine professional competitions that makes this unique experience a highlight on every foodie and wine lover’s calendar. A full schedule of all prices and events can be found here.

Pane & Vino at the Festival Italiano: check out their menu!

L’inimitabile Tito! Visit Pane & Vino at the Festival Italiano for some yummy food!

Pasta Bolognese/  pasta carbonara/ pasta tomato sauce

Gnocco fritto with salami

Deep fried Cherry bocconcini

Deep fried eggplants meatballs

Deepfried calzoni filled with mozzarella and mushrooms

Deepfried calzoni filled with hot salami and mozzarella

Delicious sweet arancini filled with Nutella

10 years of Festival Italiano Posters – a brief history

Although the first Festival Italiano was held in 2005 the first poster was designed in 2006. All the posters are designed by Marcella Monti. The year was added after the words Festival Italiano from 2008, and the tomato image, originally used in 2006, returned in 2011, with a few variations. In 2012 the tomato logo was nicknamed by the Italians in Auckland as ‘il pomodorone’  (the big tomato) after being printed on the back of Auckland buses.

Special Opera talk this Saturday: Tosca

Dear Members,

Don’t miss our Colazione this Saturday, 10.00-12.00pm, which is combined with our special Opera talk at 11.00am. Luca and David will take us through ‘Tosca’ and if you book through us, you will receive a 10% discount and no booking fee to pay. To book please email Valeria at info@dante.org.nz 

Grazie,

The Dante Team

Opera Talk: Tosca
11am
Dante Rooms
Freemans Bay Community Centre, 
52 Hepburn Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland

The official Prosecco of the Festival Italiano: Borgo SanLeo

This year one of our major sponsor is Prosecco Borgo SanLeo, Farro’s top selling Prosecco, and the drink of choice at many Italian events, like the 2015 Festa della Repubblica Concert with Maestro Christian Leotta, hosted by the Embassy of Italy in Auckland.

About Prosecco Borgo SanLeo
Vinification: The estate’s Glera grapes are softly pressed and the must is kept at 0° C until ready for conversion into sparkling wine in stainless steel pressurized tanks, according to the traditional Charmat method.

Colour: Bright pale straw-yellow; a fine, clear mousse with a very delicate perlage

Bouquet: Pleasantly fruity and with a good aromatic intensity, recalls wisteria flowers and Rennet apples.

Flavour: Very well-balanced and appealing, with the extremely delicate almond note that is typical of Prosecco.

SERVING TEMPERATURE:
Serve at 5° – 7° C.
FOOD MATCHES:
Excellent as an aperitif, this wine can accompany a whole meal when the menu consists of delicate dishes, right through to dessert.

La storia del Prosecco ebbe inizio nel 1500 a Trieste, ma nel corso dei secoli la produzione di questo vino venne completamente abbandonata dai viticoltori del Carso triestino e del Collio friulano, sviluppandosi invece lungo le colline venete, in particolare nella provincia di Treviso (zone di Conegliano ed Asolo). Il Prosecco ha ottenuto grande successo all’estero a partire dal secondo dopoguerra, ed in particolare negli ultimi anni, infatti nel 2014 ha superato per la prima volta lo Champagne per numero di bottiglie vendute nel mondo. Ma questo ha creato una serie di tentativi di imitazione in diversi paesi come il Sudamerica (“Prosecco Garibaldi” in Brasile), la Croazia (“Prošek”), in anche l’ Australia (“Prosecco Vintage”). Per questo motivo si è reso necessario ricollegare la produzione veneta col nome della località originaria del Prosecco, e cioè la località omonima presso Trieste, nel contempo ripristinando gli antichi nomi – “Glera” e “Glera lungo” – dei vitigni. Si decise quindi di creare un’area di produzione contigua molto più vasta della precedente, contenente anche alcune province nelle quali il Prosecco non era mai stato prodotto o prodotto in quantità limitatissime (Venezia, Padova, Belluno) e anche nella sua zona di nascita (Trieste, Gorizia, Udine), proprio dove la produzione era praticamente cessata da secoli. L’iter venne concluso il 17 luglio 2009, con la promulgazione del decreto di riconoscimento della DOC “Prosecco”, e di due zone DOCG.

Join or renew your Dante membership at the Festival Italiano and be in to win!

Renew your Dante membership for 2015-16 at the Dante stand on the day of Festival Italiano (27 September in Newmarket) and be in to win this traditional Italian Maiolica ceramic jug, offered by Dream of Italy.

The giveaway will also be open to new members joining at the Festival. 

The legend of the Rooster jug goes goes back to Renaissance Florence, when the two dominant political families, The Medici and The Pazzi, were in the midst of a serious power struggle. The Pazzi clan sent an assassin to murder the Medici, however the crowing of a rooster alerted guards and the plot was thwarted. Since then, “Il Buon Gallo” or “Good Rooster” has become a symbol of luck, abundance and prosperity.

Today the Rooster jug is an iconic everyday household item that is commonly found in village and country houses mostly in Emilia Romagna, Toscana, Umbria and Marche. It is mostly used for the house wine, but can be used for chilled water and other drinks.

Dream of Italy is one of our Businesses Friends of the Dante Auckland and has been coming to the Festival Italiano for many years now. They will be attending again this year so look our for their stall!