notizie italiane - Ambasciata d`Italia

NOTIZIE ITALIANE
Newsletter of the Embassy of Italy in Israel
Dear Friends,
As I assume my period of service in
Israel I would like to send my warmest
greetings to readers of Notizie Italiane. I
consider it a profound honor and unique
opportunity to have been chosen to represent
Italy in this wonderful country.
This is a decisive and intense moment
in my personal and professional journey,
and I am humbled by the enormous
responsibilities that my mission will bring,
in light of the deep and rich ties of friendship
and cooperation that characterize Italian
Israeli relations.
I know that I can depend on the profound
ties of friendship that unite our peoples and
our countries, developed over many years
of fruitful collaboration between us, which
have been progressively strengthened and
enriched by progress in the common
challenges we face.
I am proud to offer my contribution to
the development of Italian Israeli relations
in many sectors, expressed and enriched
through daily contact and exchange between
large numbers of enterprises from both
countries. I also know that I can count on
the wellsprings of friendship, trust and
solidarity that unite our two countries
through the presence of various Italian
communities and institutions which are
permanently or temporarily resident here.
Today we open a new chapter in our
relations with our host country, which we
will write together with all residents of Israel
who maintain ties with the Embassy,
including readers of Notizie Italiane, thus
ensuring a constant flow of information and
exchange to which we will continue to
devote our utmost care, attention and
resources.
My keenest aspiration is to witness an
increase in the frequency and intensity of
dialogue between our two countries and
with each one of you, whom I hope to meet
personally, in order to fulfil and successfully
complete my mission.
Luigi Mattiolo
No. 52 November
2008
President Napolitano on State Visit to Israel
of
T heI t a President
l y, G i o r g i o
Napolitano, will pay a
State Visit to Israel on
November 25 - 27.
The President will be
accompanied on his three
day visit by Foreign
Minister Franco Frattini.
<>
President Giorgio Napolitano with
Israeli President Shimon Peres at
Palazzo Quirinale in Rome on
September 5, 2007
Ambassador Luigi Mattiolo presents credentials
Luigi Mattiolo,
A mbassador
just two weeks after his
arrival in Israel, presented his
letter of credentials to President
Shimon Peres. The ceremony,
which included the participation
of Embassy officials, was held
in a very cordial and friendly
atmosphere, the solemnity of the
occasion notwithstanding.
In his heartfelt words of
welcome President Shimon
Peres paid warm tribute to Italy
and its people, reminding his
guests of the Italian Head of
State’s courageous stand against President Shimon Peres and Ambassador Luigi Mattiolo drink a toast in Jerusalem
the attempted boycott of Israel at this year’s
Italy through centuries of friendship as well as
Turin International Book Fair, and expressed his
the intense nature of current economic bilateral
keen anticipation for the forthcoming state visit
relations, which culminated in his traditional
to Israel by President Giorgio Napolitano.
participation at the recent Ambrosetti Forum in
Israel’s President also called to mind the deep
Cernobbio.
and historic cultural ties that unite Israel and
President Peres also had warm words of
appreciation for Prime Minister
Silvio Berlusconi and Foreign
Minister Franco Frattini stressing
how, under their guidance, bilateral
r e l a t i o n s h ave r e a c h e d a n
extraordinary level of development
and agreement never before
achieved.
Thanking President Peres for his
warm words of appreciation
Ambassador Mattiolo conveyed
President Napolitano’s greetings and
keen interest in his forthcoming state
Ambassador Luigi Mattiolo presents President Shimon Peres with his letter
visit to Israel at the end of November.
of credentials
<>
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NOTIZIE ITALIANE November
2008
Seventy years since the racial laws in Italy
onference on the
A cconsequences
for Jewish
education of the racial laws, seventy
years after their promulgation in Italy
by the Fascist regime, was held in
Jerusalem on October 26-28.
One of the results of the racial laws, the
establishment of a Hebrew school network for
Italian Jews expelled from the public school
system, constitutes not only a challenge to
discrimination but also a constructive, and
perhaps the only, inheritance that has survived
the ruins of that war and persecution.
The opening session of the conference,
timed deliberately to coincide with the annual
commemoration of the deportation of the Jews
of Rome on October 16, 1943, was addressed
by Prof. Avner Shalev, Director of Yad Vashem,
followed by Ambassador Luigi Mattiolo, who
stressed the shocking and disturbing nature of
the racial laws, “fruit of a repugnant choice
accompanied by a vast propaganda
campaign that prevented any expression
of the expected reaction of horror or
dissent.” “And yet”, added the
Ambassador, “this was a choice
diametrically opposed to the basic values
of human society, even suicidal, inasmuch as
it was destined to impoverish and separate our
nation from its lifeblood.”
Present at the conference were
representatives from Israel’s Italian community
and officials from the Embassy and the Italian
Institute of Culture. Among speakers at the
conference were Michele Sarfatti, Director of
Milan’s Jewish Documentation Center, Liliana
Picciotto, an expert on the Shoah, Mario
Toscano, lecturer at Rome’s La Sapienza
University, Ambassador Sergio Minerbi and
the historian Carlo Ghisalberti. Organizing
the heavily attended three day conference were
members of Jerusalem’s Italian community,
Ambassador Luigi Mattiolo addressing the conference at
Yad Vashem
particularly its cultural advisor Mrs. Cecilia
Nizza, Prof. Sergio della Pergola of the
Hebrew University, representatives of the Union
of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI), the
Israel Foreign Ministry, Unesco and the Lazio
Region.
An important part in the organization of the
event was played by the Italian Institute of
Culture and its Director Simonetta Della Seta
who, aside from assisting the scientific
committee, also moderated one of the sessions.
<>
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
Edited by:
The Embassy of Italy in Israel
( E c o n o m i c a n d C o m m e rc i a l O f fi c e )
Trade Tower, 25 HaMered Street, Tel Aviv 68125
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www.ambtelaviv.esteri.it [email protected]
Message from the Ambassador
Ambassador Mattiolo presents credentials
President Napolitano on State Visit to Israel
Racial Laws and Jewish education in Italy
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
Father Piccirillo, 1944 - 2008
Italian business mission to Israel
Sicily examines Israeli water technologies
Campania region strengthens ties with Israel
Israelis visit Italian trade fairs
Design tour in Turin
New Defense Attaché joins Embassy
Italian creativity day in Jaffa
Israel-Saloniki: a wartime rescue operation
8th Italian Language Week in the World
Stalker Theater performs in Israel
Puccini Prize to Israeli Opera
Return to San Remo
Teatro Due: ‘The Investigation’
Events in Israel
Events at the Nahon Museum
Events in Italy
Italian Trade Fair Calendar
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of over 180 members of the
A group
Italian parliament and their families
concluded a six day private visit to the Holy
Land on September 9.
The group was headed by President of the
Senate Renato Schifani, Vice President of the
Chamber Maurizio Lupi, Justice Minister
Angelino Alfano, Undersecretary for Family
Affairs Carlo Giovanardi, and the Mayors of
Rome and Palermo Gianni Alemanno and
Diego Cammarata. The pilgrimage was led
by Mons. Rino Fisichella President of
Pontificia Accademia della Vita. <>
Members of the Italian parliamentary delegation render
homage at Yad Vashem
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Father Piccirillo, 1944-2008
T ha ne n od ue an tche d w oa ns
November 19 of Father
Piccirillo, archeologist and
friend of Israeli and Arab
ministers and officials.
Born in 1944 in Carinola,
near Cosenza, Father Piccirillo
lived in Jerusalem but traveled
frequently between Tel Aviv,
Damascus and Amman as part
o f h i s a c t iv i t y a s a n
archeologist. In over 40 years
of activity he discovered
countless numbers of Christian
churches erected between the 5 th and 8 th
centuries throughout Syria, Lebanon, Jordan
2
and Israel, while his discovery of
mosaics includes hundreds of
square meters of invaluable works
of art. Father Piccirillo was a
friend of ministers and governors,
cultivated a deep friendship with
the Jordanian royal family and
was friends to many eminent
Israeli politicians.
When Pope John Paul II
visited the Holy Land, Father
Piccirillo guided the Pontiff on
a climb to Mt. Nebo in Jordan,
which is reputed to be the place
where Moses was allowed to see
the Promised Land before his death. Now it is
Father Piccirillo’s turn to rest in peace. <>
NOTIZIE ITALIANE November
Italian Business Mission to Israel
the international financial crisis
D espite
relations between Italy and Israel are
strengthening. Over a hundred entrepreneurs
and leading government officials from Italy
will arrive in Israel at the end of November
for a two day visit aimed at strengthening
commercial and business ties between the
two countries. The delegation, led by Minister
of Economic Development Claudio Scajola,
will include Emma Marcegaglia, President
of Confindustria and Umberto Vattani,
President of ICE (Italian Foreign Trade
Institute).
The delegation will
concentrate on specific areas of
interest, such as high tech,
medical technologies,
infrastructure and
agriculture.The initiative would
develop and strengthen sinergies
in scientific, industrial and
commercial fields between Italy
and Israel.
Bilateral industrial ties and
cooperation between Italy and
Israel have increased
significantly over the last few
years. Italy, thanks to it’s
geographic and cultural
proximity, its propensity for
innovation, its large base of
small and medium enterprises
and the flexibility which derives
from these factors, is Israel’s ideal port of entry
into European markets.
These conditions create an important
technological reservoir between the two
countries whose potential still remains to be
fully exploited. A further integration between
Italian SMEs and Israeli entrepreneurship and
research in highly innovative sectors as well
as in more traditional areas, through either
direct investments or joint ventures, would
open up many new opportunities for
collaboration. <>
Campania Region strengthens ties with Israel
2008
Sicilian industry
examines Israeli water
technologies
Industrial Councillor for the Sicily
T heRegion,
Giuseppe Gianni, paid a three
day visit to Israel in August to strengthen
academic, scientific and industrial ties with
Sicily in research and development of
innovative technologies in water management.
Mr. Gianni paid an extended visit to the
Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research at the
Sde Boqer Campus of Ben Gurion University,
where he held discussions with its director Prof.
Eilon Adar on the establishment of a task force
of Israeli and Sicilian researchers to examine
possibilities for collaboration in the
management of water resources, desalinization,
recycling, waste control, remote satellite sensing
and irrigation for agriculture.
The Sicilians also held talks at the Embassy’s
Italian Business Desk with Michel Hivert,
Director of MATIMOP, Israel’s Industry Center
for R&D, to examine the Region’s interest in
strengthening ties with Israeli enterprises in
general and for the establishment of a joint
partnership for the construction of a
desalinization plant in Sicily in particular.
Mr. Gianni expressed his intention to
intensify ties between Italian organizations such
as the Universities of Catania and Palermo,
CNR, ENEA, INFN and Italy’s Space Agency,
with Israeli universities and research centers.
These could be included within the framework
of the Bilateral Agreement on Scientific,
Technological and Industrial Cooperation. <>
to Israel by a
A visit
delegation from
Palumbo, Director, Campania
Region; Dr. Giuseppe Donatiello,
Campania, led by the
Vice President Benevento Chamber
Deputy President of the
of Commerce; Dr. Cosimo
regional council
Rummo, President Confindustria
Antonio Valiante, was
Benevento, also representing
hosted in Tel Aviv on
Confindustria Campania; Dr.
September 23-27.
Antonio Campese of
The purpose of the Deputy President of the Campania Regional Confartigianato Campania and
visit was to inaugurate Council Antonio Valiante
Unioncamere; and Dr. Lorenzo
a partnership program
Guarnaccia.
between the Campania Region and Israel with
The Campania Region has developed a
the establishment of a local Antenne
partnership program which offers specialised
Campaniamed office. The meetings took place
services to enterprises in Mediterranean countries
at the offices of the Israel-Italy Chamber of
which are interested in launching trade
Commerce (IICC), part of the Embassy’s Italian
partnerships with Campanian-based companies.
Business Desk.
For Israel, in particular, the creation of an
The delegation was composed of Dr. Sergio
“Antenna informativa” will develop cooperation
Betti, President of CeRICT, Centro regionale
in such sectors as agro-industry, food and
competenza ICT; Dr. Ludovico Barone,
Information & Communication Technology
President of MARSEC, Mediterranean Agency
(ICT).
for Remote Sensing and Environmental Control;
The presentation of the project was attended
Prof. Carla Pepe of “Suor Orsola Benincasa”
by Ambassador Luigi Mattiolo, the president
University of Naples; Prof. Francesco de
of the Israel-Italy Chamber of Commerce and
Simone of Salerno University; Dr. Rosanna
Industry, Ronni Benatoff, the director of the
3
Members of the delegation from Campania held discussions
at the Embassy's Italian Business Desk
Italian Institute of Culture in Tel Aviv, Simonetta
Della Seta, as well as by economy and industry
delegations from Campania and Israel. At the
end of the works Deputy President Valiante met
the management of Matimop, the Israeli Export
Institute, the federation of Israeli chambers of
commerce and the industrial association of Israel.
Antenna informativa will be based in the
offices of the IICC in Tel Aviv. <>
NOTIZIE ITALIANE November
2008
Israelis visit Italian trade fairs
The Israel-Italy Chamber of Commerce (IICC) recently organized visits by
Israeli delegations to two important Italian trade events
New Defense Attaché
joins Embassy
Fiera Del Levante
In cooperation with the Fiera Del Levante,
the Israel-Italy Chamber of Commerce
organized a visit of an Israeli delegation to
the 72nd edition of the Annual International
Trade Fair, which took place on September
13-21 in Bari (Puglia Region).
Fiera Del Levante is a unique platform for
international producers looking to enter the
market in southern Italy, as well as providing
access to other markets in the Balkan and
Mediterranean Regions.
The aim of the visit was to introduce the
Italian Trade Fair to the Israeli market and to
develop relations between Italian companies
and their Israeli counterparts in the food and
furniture sectors. The Israel Italy Chamber of
Commerce was in charge of assisting the
Israeli operators in the organization of business
meetings during the fair.
The Israeli delegation, composed of 5
buyers, was lead by Ms. Roberta Anati, Vice
President of the IICC. In this framework, Fiera
Del Levante offered the IICC an Israeli booth.
During the fair, information about the Italian
Business Desk was handed out to the visitors
and the Israeli delegates met many
representatives from various Italian companies
and institutions.
www.fieradellevante.it <>
Flormart Exhibition
In cooperation with Fiera Milano and
Padova Fiere, the Italy-Israel
Chamber of Commerce organized the
visit of an Israeli delegation to the
Flormart Exhibition, which took
place in Padua on September 11-13.
The aim of the project was to promote
collaboration between Flormart – an
international horticultural exhibition, and
Israeli operators in this field.
Flormart-Miflor is the only European event
taking place in September, an ideal time of
year for the successful planning of horticultural
production designed to meet the expectations
of the general public. This is the reason why,
now in its 18th year, Flormart/Miflor
attracts over 1200 exhibitors and
26,000 trade visitors travelling to
Padua from all over the world.
The Israeli delegation included
buyers and visitors specializing in
nurseries and gardening, including the Editorin-Chief of the magazine Gan ve Nof the only
landscape and gardening magazine in Israel.
In the framework of the exhibition, the
Israeli participants met representatives from
many horticultural companies, establishing
new business connections and consolidating
already existing relations.
www.padovafiere.it <>
Design Tour in Turin
O
n September 21-24 the
Israel Italy Chamber of
Commerce, in cooperation
with the Interiors and
Building Department of the
Piedmont Agency for
Investments, Export and Tourism (CEIP),
organized a tour of Italy’s Turin-Piedmont
region for Israeli architects and designers of
residential and commercial interiors. The visit
was organized on behalf of the Turin Chamber
of Commerce.
The aim of the project was to promote the
Made in Piedmont label, which boasts a strong
tradition in the production of high quality
building materials for interior design and is
characterized by the presence of numerous,
highly specialized SME’s in
these sectors.
Earlier this year the city of
Turin was chosen as the World
Design Capital in recognition
of the special role it and the
Piedmont Region enjoys on an international
level. The Israeli delegation was composed of
10 Israeli architects and designers specializing
in the hospitality, residential and commercial
interiors sectors, including the Editor-in-Chief
of the magazine Binyan Vediur.
During the visit, the Israeli delegates met
local representatives of institutions and visited
Italian companies from the Piedmont Region.
www.italia-israel.org <>
4
Colonel Nunzio Tarantelli
8 Colonel Nunzio Tarantelli
O ntookSeptember
up the post of Military Attaché at
the Embassy. Col Tarantelli is an officer of
the Signal Corps who has extensive national
and international experience.
In Italy Colonel Tarantelli attended the
principal military training colleges and served
with distinction as an officer in various branches
of the Signal Corps.
Internationally, Col. Tarantelli has seen
service with the UN in the Middle East, with
NATO in the Balkans and with US troops as
part of ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’ in Iraq.
In addition he attended various courses at the
NATO school in Oberammergau, Germany, and
at Israel’s National Defense College in 20078. Colonel Tarantelli has a Masters degree in
Strategic Science from Turin University as well
as a degree in National Security from the
political science department of Haifa University.
Colonel Tarantelli is married to Antonietta and
has three children Emanuela, Riccardo and
Stefano. On November 4 Colonel Tarantelli
greeted the Israeli Defence Community on the
90th Anniversary of Italy's victory in
World War I. <>
Italian Creativity Day
at Beit Wizo Italia
October 19 an Italian Creativity Day,
O nsponsored
by the Embassy, was held at
Beit Wizo Italia in Jaffa.
The idea of the event was to accent Italian
art by building a Succah decorated in the manner
of the 18th century, which was enthusiastically
hand painted by groups of children who also
produced paintings inspired by the works of
Carrà, De Chirico and Morandi. The youngsters
also created magnificent ‘jewelry’ made of gold
and silver colored pasta, which was then
combined with a splendid tomato sauce and
consumed heartily by all.
The event, organized by the dedicated team
of Mirella Nissim and Sandra Montefiore,
attracted a large number of children and was
attended by Ambassador Luigi Mattiolo and
his wife Stefania. <>
NOTIZIE ITALIANE
Israel-Saloniki: an Italian wartime rescue operation
evening
A fascinating
comemorating the
action to save the lives of the city’s persecuted
Jewish citizens. The project, receiving its world
activities of the Italian
premiere in Israel, was coordinated by the
Consulate in Saloniki in
Italian Institute of Culture under its Director
order to help that city’s
Simonetta Della Seta, and made possible
beleagured Jewish citizens
through the generosity of several organizations
during the darkest days of World War II was
and individuals including Bank Hapoalim’s
held in the presence of a large and varied
Yahel Foundation in memory of Leon Recanati.
public at Tel Aviv University on September
The show was repeated in Saloniki on
23.
September 27 and in
Over a thousand
Venice on November 22
guests attended the event,
as part of the Biennale
including Israel’s fifth
International Theater
President Itzhak Navon;
Workshop.
Mrs. Yael Huldai, wife
The stage production
of the Mayor of Tel Aviv;
was written and directed
former Italian
by Ferdinando Ceriani
Ambassador to Israel and
with contributions by
Greece Gian Paolo
Antonio Ferrari, Prof.
C ava r a i ; Te l Av iv
Alessandra Coppola and
University President Zvi
the Greek journalist
Galil; Holocaust
Yanis Crisafis. The
survivors from Saloniki A scene from the staged dramatization of
Israeli premiere included
as well as representatives “Salonicco 43”
a simultaneous translation
of Israel’s Italian community. The gathering
into Hebrew.
was opened by Ambassador Luigi Mattiolo,
The second part of the evening featured a
who outlined some of the heroic actions taken
performance of Gold of the Ashes, a symphonic
at that time (1943) by not a few Italian officials
poem by Israeli composer Dov Seltzer written
of Saloniki, who put their own lives at risk in
in commemoration of the expulsion of Spanish
order to help save fellow Italians and others
Jewry, which was performed by the
who risked persecution and death merely for
Symphonette of Raanana and the Efroni
having being born Jewish.
Children’s Choir directed by Maya Shavit.
The evening, made possible by the work
Also participating at the event were ex
of several people including Ambassador Gian
members of Saloniki’s Jewish community some
Paolo Cavarai and Antonio Ferrari of Italy’s
of whom, like Dario Sevi, survived Auschwitz.
Corriere della Sera newspaper, was held in
Sevi, who spoke in Italian, recalled vividly the
two parts, a staged presentation and a concert,
unceasing efforts of Italian Consul Guelfo
and was inspired by the work of the late Tel
Zamboni to award temporary citizenship
Aviv University Professor Daniel Carpi, who
certificates, a life saving document not only
published the original documents. Salonicco
for Italian Jewish citizens but also to all those
43, una storia italiana, tells the story of some
who, in one way or another, could prove or
Italian diplomats of Saloniki, once known as
even invent some relationship to Italy during
the Jerusalem of the Balkans, who took timely
those dark hours and days. <>
November 2008
8th Italian Language
Week in the World
Eighth Italian Language Week in the
T heWorld,
held on October 20-26, served as
a significant and thoroughgoing immersion
into Italian culture all over Israel.
The inauguration was held in the entrance
hall of the Trade Tower in Tel Aviv, home to a
number of Italian institutions, where an
exhibition of photographs of piazza’s in Italy
from the Alinari Archive was on display
throughout the week.
Italian was also heard at the Jewish Eye Film
Festival in Ashkelon, at which director Carlo
Lizzani, who was the guest of honor, received
recognition for career achievement by
the jury. Opening the proceedings was Lizzani’s
film Hotel Maina, recounting the story of the
first massacre of Italian Jews by Nazi troops
in 1943, which subsequently won the festival’s
Best Film award. Other films by Lizzani
screened at the festival included Achtung!
Banditi! (1951), Celluloide (1996), Mussolini
ultimo atto (1974) and L'Oro di Roma (1961).
Beersheva also hosted a number of Italian
events, including the exhibition ‘Piazze del
Piemonte’ and a performance by Turin’s Teatro
Stalker, which actively engages its public in the
action on stage (see article). <>
Stalker Theater performs in Israel
Eighth Italian
T heLanguage
Week in the
World, held on October 2026, hosted the first visit to
Israel of the Stalker Theater
of Turin.
The Italian company
performed twice, in
Beersheva and Haifa. The
first workshop ‘Incontri’
(‘Meetings’) tooke place in
the municipal library of
Beersheva within the Audience participation is a key element in productions by the Stalker Theater
f r a m ew o r k o f a d a y
dedicated to Italy organized by the Cultural
municipality. A photographic exhibition of cities
Institute, the local Italian community and the
and scenes from the Piedmont Region, still open
5
Attending the Stalker Theatre's performance (from right)
Mrs. Stefania Mattiolo and Simonetta Della Seta
to the public, was inaugurated in the entrance
of the library in the presence of the Cultural
Counsellor of Beersheva Municipality Ori Enon
and our Honorary Consul Ms. Blima Storchyan.
The ‘Teatro Stalker’, composed of 9 actors,
director Gabriele Beccaccini and Manager
Luca Zanotti, has for years worked on
developing interactive theater, engaging its
public through staged meetings between
different people. Their show (cont. p.6)
NOTIZIE ITALIANE November
Italian
Italian
Cultural
Cultural
Institute
Institute
2008
Tel.
Tel.
03-5161361
03-5161361
Puccini Prize awarded to Israeli Opera
Return to San Remo
s part of the celebrations
A
commemorating the 150th anniversary
of the birth of the composer, the Puccini
Return to San Remo’, an hour long
television show on the famous Italian
popular music festival, was the most viewed
television program during the recent Jewish
holiday season, with peak ratings achieved
by Israel TV’s first channel transmission of
‘Ritorno a Sanremo’, a nostalgic look at some
of Italy’s most popular song festival.
Chief proponent of the initiative was
celebrated TV personality Yigal Ravid, in
collaboration with the Italian Institute of
Culture, following a visit to Israel last March
by members of RAI, Italy’s state broadcaster,
to promote Italian films on Jewish subjects.
The transmission was made possible thanks
to the availability of rights obtained by the
RAI to broadcast clips from all previous
installments of the Festival.
The Israeli public, which for years has
followed the live transmission from San Remo,
harbors a special affection for programs of
Italian light music and song which are
broadcast twice daily on the radio, in daytime
and nightly transmissions.
‘Return to San Remo’, alternating between
historical clips and interviews with local
enthusiasts of the Festival, emphasized the
influence and importance which Italian culture
and music holds for Israelis from all sectors
of society. The show was transmitted three
times on television as well as on the Internet.
<>
Foundation and the Puccini Festival have this
year conferred the International Puccini
Award to the Israeli Opera.
The award was presented in Tel Aviv at a
gala concert of celebrated arias by Puccini
organized by the Italian Institute of Culture on
September 17 that included the participation
of three Italian soloists (tenors Fulvio Oberto
and Massimo Terranova and the baritone
Massimiliano Valleggi) and two leading Israeli
sopranos (Larisa Tetuev and Ira Bertman).
Attending the concert were Tel Aviv Mayor
Ron Huldai and Luigi Mattiolo, recently
appointed as Italy’s new Ambassador to Israel
and who, only hours before the concert, had
presented his credentials to President Shimon
Peres. “Puccini is an artist totally rooted in
Italian tradition yet at the same time open to
other cultures including, symbolically, as an
expression of the unshakeable cultural ties that
unite Italy and Israel,” affirmed the Ambassador.
Massimiliano Simone, President of the
Puccini Festival, presented the prestigious
award to Hanna Munitz, General Director of
the Israeli Opera "in recognition of its deep
commitment to emphasizing the importance
of the operas of the Italian composer and
promoting them to the Israeli public, including
to young audiences."
(from left) Hanna Muntz, Director of the Israel Opera,
shows the Puccini Festival award, with Ambassador and
Mrs. Mattiolo and Simonetta Della Seta
Also present at the award ceremony, which
included the screening of an historic film about
Puccini made during the composer’s lifetime,
were Franco Moretti, Director of the Puccini
Festival Foundation, Simonetta Della Seta,
Director of the Italian Institute of Culture and
Michael Ajzenstadt, Artistic Director of the
Israel Opera. <>
Teatro Due brings ‘The Investigation’ to Israel
ne of the most
O
important
examples of a modern
docudrama, Peter Weiss’
‘The Investigation’, was
presented to the Israeli
public for the first time
in Italian by Parma’s Peter Weiss
Teatro Due Foundation,
which has performed the drama
uninterruptedly in Italy for the last 25 years.
Invited to Israel by the Habimah National
Theater ‘The Investigation’, directed by Gigi
Dall’Aglio, played to packed houses on
September 16-17 at Tel Aviv’s Arison Theater.
The presence in the audience of a number of
important Israeli literary and cultural figures,
such as author A. B. Yehoshua, assured the
event considerable media coverage. Also
present at the presentation was the Director of
the Italian Institute of Culture Simonetta Della
Seta and Ms. Nurit
examples from the best of Israeli
Tinari Head of Cultural
contemporary drama, ‘War’ and
Department, Foreign
‘Pshuta: Denuded’, which were
Ministry, who assisted in
staged in October during the
the realization of the
Parma Theater Festival.
project.
Together with Berlin’s
‘The Investigation’ is
Schaubühne Theater, Habimah
a ruthless documentary
was also involved in the Parma
drama of the Frankfurt
Festival’s presentation of ‘Third
Auschwitz trials, which
Generation’, a drama that
the author attended in
attempts to untie the gordian knot
1963-5. Using the actual A scene from Teatro Due's representation of memories that unite Germans,
testimony of survivors of The Investigation
Israelis and Palestinians.
from Auschwitz, testifying as witnesses against
Habimah’s tour of Italy and Teatro Due’s
those who exploited them and others, Weiss
visit to Israel were made possible thanks to
creates a riveting drama in eleven cantos which
support by Italy’s Ministry of Culture, the
ends without resolution, its silent verdict
Province of Parma, the Embassy of Italy in Tel
serving as an open-ended warning for the
Aviv, the Israel at 60 Association and the
future. The collaboration between Habimah
Reggio Parma Festival, under the patronage of
and Teatro Due continued in Parma with the
the Emilia-Romagna Region. <>
presentation by the National Theater of two
Stalker Theater performs in Israel
(cont. from p. 5)
was received enthusiastically by
the audience which participated willingly with
the actors in developing the on-stage action on
themes and songs taken from the Bible, with
particular reference to peaceful cohabitation
between peoples. The public in Beersheva
reacted warmly and enthusiastically. The intiative
forms part of a long term plan to introduce Italian
language studies in Beersheva, which are
expected to be held in the municipal library.
On October 24 ‘Incontri’ was presented in
Haifa’s Al Maidan theater, coordinated by the
6
noted actor and director Selim Daw. The show,
attended by a large crowd, was preceded by a
period of preparation which included the
participation of young Israeli Arab actors and
several members of the Donna Maris cultural
association led by Symaya Abboud. <>
NOTIZIE ITALIANE November
2008
Italian
Cultural
Institute
Events in Israel
Tel.
03-5161361
Conference on Italian Constitution
Dec. 8, Jerusalem, Dec. 9, Haifa
The conference, which compares Constitutional
disciplines regulating ties between the state and
religion in Italy and Israel, is organized by the
IIC of Tel Aviv in collaboration with the
Faculties of Jurisprudence at the Hebrew and
Haifa Universities and the Universities of Milan
and Trento. The event is part of the program
celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Italian
Constitution and of Italian-Israeli bilateral
relations.
Literature and Commitment
Nov. 25 – 27, Jerusalem
On the occasion of the State Visit to Israel
by President of the Republic Giorgio
Napolitano, a three day conference entitled
‘Literature and Commitment: Italian - Israeli
dialogues’ will be held on November 25 –
27 at the Van Leer Institute and the Hebrew
University in Jerusalem. The three day event,
a project realized by the Italian Institute of
Culture in collaboration with the Institute
for the Translation of Hebrew Literature,
has received support from, among others,
Israel’s Foreign Ministry, the Italian and
Israeli Ministries of Culture, the
Municipality and the Jewish Community of
Rome, the Hebrew University and the Van
Leer Institute. A large number of well known
literary and academic figures from both
countries will participate in the conference.
Visit to Massada
Dec. 12
Guided visit to the archeological site of Massada.
For more information please call the Italian
Institute of Culture, Tel Aviv, tel. 03-5162151
Literary Café
Dec. 16, Tel Aviv
Presentation of Prof. Sergio Della Pergola’s
Luchino Visconti Retrospective
Dec. 1-31, Tel Aviv
The Italian Institute of
Culture pays homage to the
great Italian director with a
retrospective of his films
hosted by the three main
cinematheques of Tel Aviv,
Jerusalem and Haifa.
The director Luchino Visconti
Film
Morte a Venezia
La caduta degli dei
Rocco e i suoi fratelli
Senso
Ludwig
Il Gattopardo
L’innocente
Gruppo di famiglia in un interno
Il lavoro
latest book ‘Israel and Palestine:
the force of numbers.’ The
author holds the Shlomo Argov
chair of Israel-Diaspora
Relations at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem.
Sergio Della
Concert for Life and
Pergola
Peace
Dec. 21, Jerusalem
The annual Concert for Life and Peace, held at
the Henry Crown auditorium of the Jerusalem
Theater, features the choir of the Pietà dei
Turchini of Naples directed by Maestro Antonio
Florio. The concert, promoted by the
Associazione per la Vita e per la Pace in
cooperation with Conférence permanente des
Villes Historiques de la Méditerranée and under
the patronage of the Italian Presidency, will be
transmitted in Italy by state broadcaster RAI on
Christmas Day. <>
Tel Aviv
1/12
2/12
3/12
14/12
19/12
20/12
11/12
28/12
6/12
Winter at the Museum of Italian Jewish Art
Gilding workshop
Nov. 25
Learn the ancient
Venetian technique of
gold leaf gilding as
used by Italian artists
since the Renaissance
period at a workshop led by professionally
trained gilding and restoration artists. The
workshop will include 6 two-hour courses once
a week on Tuesdays.
Chanukah
menorahs from
Italy
Dec. 7 – Jan. 1
The Museum will host
a selection of ancient
Italian Chanukah
menorahs in a variety
of shapes, textures and styles: one shaped like
a Renaissance castle, another made from a
soldier’s helmet, a third adorned with a clock,
and many other beautiful menorahs and the
exciting stories behind them.
Nights of Italian opera
Dec. 4, 11, 18
Three concerts of
operatic arias
performed by
Italian opera
singer Valeria
Fubini and pianist
Sonya Mazar and a magical nocturnal visit to
the museum, which will stay open until 1am,
featuring works by Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni
and others.
Admission is free. Seats are limited. Please
reserve in advance.
Haifa
6/12
22/12
7/12
18/12
10/12
12/12
25/12
24/12
17/12
Jerusalem
23/12
12/12
11/12
9/12
28/12
21/12
24/12
27/12
20/12
November - December 2008
Italian Jewish Musical Heritage
Dec. 2008
An enchanting
evening of
m u s i c
documenting
the Italian
Jewish musical
heritage from
the historical
Leo Levy
collection of
rare recordings.
<>
27, Hillel st., Jerusalem Tel: 02-6241610 Fax: 02-6253480 www.jija.org [email protected]
7
NOTIZIE ITALIANE November
2008
Events in Italy
George Seurat, Paul Signac and the
Neoimpressionists
Palazzo Reale, Milan
Till Jan. 25, 2009
The exhibition, curate by French academic
Marina Ferretti Bocquillon, focuses on the
figures of Georges Seurat and Paul Signac,
presenting a selection of their outstanding
works, from some of the most important
museums in the world (including the Musée
d'Orsay in Paris, and the Metropolitan and
Guggenheim Museums in New York). It is an
opportunity for the public to discover these two
artists, the roles they played respectively, and
the fundamental contribution they made to the
birth and development of Neo-Impressionism,
which spread rapidly above all in France and
Belgium, from the end of 19th century to 1910.
www.ineoimpressionisti.it
Oh Bej! Oh Bej!
5 - 7 Dec., Milan
E ve r y y e a r
M i l a n
organises an
ancient
Christmas
market full of
sweets and
typical products. The "Oh Bej! Oh Bej!" fair,
held in the area surrounding the Sforza Castle,
is one of the main annual folkloric events in
the city. Stalls sell local food products,
doughnuts, sweet pancakes, chestnuts and spun
sugar. Local children used to go around the
market exclaiming "che belli! che belli!" ("so
beautiful! so beautiful!"), which in the local
Milanese dialect ends up sounding more or less
like "Oh Bej! Oh Bej!" The fair is held around
the day of St Ambrose, Milan's patron saint,
which also coincides with the opening of the
new season at La Scala.
Castello Sforzesco, Milan
Christmas in Trento
Until 24 Dec., Piazza Fiera
With a wonderful setting inside the old city
walls, surrounded by snow-white peaks, the
Alpine town of Trento organises Christmas in
Trento, a month of festivities, with a market in
Piazza Fiera marking the focal point of the
celebrations. Dozens of wooden huts display
traditional crafts, food and mulled wine
complemented by concerts, exhibitions and
competitions at local churches, theatres and
museums.
www.mercatinodinatale.tn.it
New Year's Eve in the Piazza
Dec. 31, Rome
R o m e ' s
traditional New
Ye a r ' s E v e
celebrations are
centered in
Piazza del
Popolo. The
programme
includes fireworks, rock and classical music
concerts lasting well into the night. When the
grown-ups go to bed on 1 January, a children's
celebration with papier-mâché masks,
performers on stilts, clowns, acrobats, fire-eaters
and all sorts of other attractions takes place on
the emptied Piazza for the day.
Umbria Jazz Winter
30 Dec. - 4 Jan., Orvieto
Umbria Jazz
Winter is the
sister event of
the summer
jazz festival
held in
Perugia, and continues the successful formula
of fine live music in historic venues. The festival
takes place throughout the city in the form of
afternoon and evening concerts, jazz lunches,
dinners and other cultural events. Some of the
indoor concerts have an entrance fee, but there
are several at the Palazzo dei Sette which are
free.
www.umbriajazz.com
Venice Carnival 2009
13 - 24 Feb., Venice
With a twoweek series of
processions,
masquerades,
traditional
ceremonies,
music and allr o u n d
f e s t iv i t i e s
among the
canals,
squares and
palaces of this
ancient city,
the Venice Carnival is the highlight of the city's
year. Every year the event is inspired by a new
theme, which in 2009 is "Sensation", inviting
visitors to discover, see, feel, touch, smell and
taste the city and its six districts.
www.carnivalofvenice.com <>
Italian Trade Fair Calendar Dec. 08 - Jan. 09
MOTOR SHOW
5 – 14 Dec., Bologna
International car exhibition
www.motorshow.it
IDEANEVE
5 – 14 Dec., Genoa
Handicrafts, winter tourism
www.fiera.ge.it
MINERAL SHOW
5 – 7 Dec., Verona
Precious stones, fossils, gifts
www.veronafiere.it
ROMA SPOSA
9 – 18 Jan., Rome
Wedding wear, accessories
www.romasposa.it
LA VETRINA DEL
TEMPO
10 – 18, Jan., Pordenone
Antiques Fair
www.fierapordenone.it
BIKE EXPO
16 - 18 Jan., Padua
Bicycles and accessories
www.padovafiere.it
COLLEZIOSA
17 - 18 Jan., Modena
Small-scale models, hobbies
www.modenafiere.it
FELINA
10 – 11 Jan., Padua
Int’l Cat Show
www.padovafiere.it
ESPOSIZIONE CANINA
10 – 11 Jan., Milan
Milan Dog Show
www.fieramilano.com
MARCA
15 – 16 Jan., Bologna
Private label expo
www.bolognafiere.it
OROMACHINE
10 – 18, Jan., Vicenza
Jewelry manufacturing
www.vicenzafiera.it
LINK.IT
15 – 18 Jan., Bologna
Fashion trade show
www.bolognafiere.it
VICENZA ORO
10 – 18, Jan., Vicenza
Gold, silverware, gems
www.vicenzafiera.it
SO FRESH
15 – 16 Jan., Bologna
Fresh food expo
www.bolognafiere.it <>
PITTI IMMAGINE
UOMO
13 – 16 Jan., Florence
Men's Fashion
www.pittimmagine.com
8
Access MBA Tour
January 28, Milan
The Access MBA
One-to-One event
offers quality,
personalised services for MBA
candidates. Much more than a fair,
the Access MBA Tour provides
qualified professionals the
opportunity to meet admissions'
directors of prestigious and
accredited international business
schools individually or in small
groups.
www.accessmba.com