Benvenuto a Tutto Italiano
For many, a trip to Italy includes visiting Venice, a city built on almost 120 islands connected by more than 400 bridges. Two of the most well known bridges are Ponte di Rialto, which crosses the Grand Canal, and Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs), crossing the Rio di Palazzo (adjacent to Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark’s Basilica).
Visitors from the mainland have the option to arrive by airplane, train, car, or boat; with each mode of transportation – except by air – ending on the west side of the island. Those who land at the Marco Polo Airport (on the mainland) can charter a helicopter to Lido, a barrier island separating the lagoon of Venice from the Adriatic Sea. (Helicopter tours are also available.)
Last April, the People Mover, a railway shuttle, started operating between the “parking garage” on the manmade island of Tronchetto, the Marittima cruise and ferry terminal, and Piazzale Roma, the transportation terminal on the Grand Canal. From Piazzale Roma, visitors can take a boat ride – in a gondola or vaporetto (water bus) – to travel throughout Venice.
Venice for Visitors (Excellent source of information.)
Venice Slide Show (YouTube)
Waving the Flag
Sbandieratori, flag wavers, are a popular tradition in Italy performing at festivals and other events in medieval or Renaissance costumes, depending on the history of the region. Flags are often hand painted and – with some groups – hand woven. The pole of the flag has a lead weight to balance it during tossing and landing.
While sbandieratori perform throughout the country, groups in Tuscany have a strong presence online. Check out the websites below for history, costumes, beautiful photographs, and videos. The last link is to an Easter 2011 performance.
The Italian flag, Il Tricolore, dates to 1796, and is sometimes carried by a flag waver during a performance; however, following flag protocol, it is not tossed into the air. Each region in Italy has a flag, as do many provinces; but some provinces have a gonfalon – a banner or pennant that hangs vertically from a crossbar. Many flags and gonfalons include a coat of arms.
In January 2003, the Italian government announced the official textile colors of the flag. A controversy over the colors erupted when a flag displayed at the Rome office of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was said to be in different shades or green, white, and red.
History of the Italian Flag (In Italian) Scroll down for photos of the evolution of the flag from 1796.
Italy’s Regional Flags (Scroll down and click on each region.)
Wave of the Future
From television shows to concert halls, three teenagers from Italy are introducing an old style of music to a young generation of American music lovers. The trio, Il Volo, recently completed a tour of America and has left its mark – its music – in the States.
Introducing Il Volo (You Tube)
Il Volo on American Idol (YouTube)
Buon anno, buon tutto, buona vita,
Janice Therese Mancuso
Author of Con Amore
Support Italian American History in America's Schools
*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~
Important note: Your email address is never distributed, and I do not send any unsolicited or forwarded email. Likewise, I do not accept forwarded emails and I do not open attachments unless from a certified source.
Please Note: On the date of publication, the links in this newsletter were current. In older newsletters, some links may be inactive if the URL has changed or is no longer available.
Notice About Links: If your copy of Tutto Italiano does not include active links, please go to the website of the Italian Historical Society of America at http://www.italianhistorical.
To Unsubscribe: Send an email with Tutto Italiano as the Subject and the email address that it was delivered to, along with the word “unsubscribe” as the message.
Reminder: Changing your email address? To continue receiving Tutto Italiano, email changes to jtmancuso@earthlink.net, providing both previous and current address. Please mention that you subscribe to Tutto Italiano.
©2011 by Janice Therese Mancuso. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission except when quoted for promotional purposes. Publish with this credit: Excerpted from Tutto Italiano ©2011 by Janice Therese Mancuso. www.jtmancuso.com
YouTube - Videos from this email
No comments:
Post a Comment