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In cooperation with the Casino Theatre, the Festa Italiana di Vandergrift is presenting the first annual Italian Film Festival on the Saturday of Festa weekend — Saturday, August 16, in Vandergrift, PA.

Mitch Abraham, Festa Entertainment Chairman: “The Italian Film Festival fits “hand in hand” with the Festa as we celebrate our Italian heritage and, with the film festival itself, the great contributions Italians have made to the arts — especially cinema/film and theatre. We honor the great Italian films, directors, and actors such as Federico Fellini, Giuseppe Tornatore, Vittorio De Sica, Roberto Benigni, Sofia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni and more. We have heard from our out of town guests that they would like to spend more time in Vandergrift and we think that enjoying a movie or two at the Casino Theatre would be a great way to enjoy some of the town’s great nostalgia.”

The films being presented are: 1PM: “The Bicycle Thief” (Ladri di Biciclette) — hailed around the world as one of the best films ever made; 3PM: “Life is Beautiful” (La Vita è Bella) — nominated for 7 Academy Awards, winner of 3, including one for Best Actor Roberto Benigini; and 7PM: “Cinema Paradiso” (Nuovo Cinema Paradiso) — winner of the 1990 Oscar for Best Foreign Film. All are Italian language films with English subtitles.

Per Anthony Ferrante, Casino Theatre Vice-President, “The Casino Theatre it pleased to participate in celebrating the ethnic heritage of a large group of the citizens that helped shape Vandergrift, while at the same time allowing us to showcase the great progress we have made in restoring the Casino Theatre to its former glory.”

Tickets are $5 per movie, or $10 for all 3 movies and are available at the Casino Theatre or by calling the Casino “Tickets” line at 724-567-5049.

Where: Vandergrift, PA
When: Saturday, August 16, 2008 (Italian Film Festival); Sunday, August 17, 2008 (Festa Italiana)
Details at www.FestaItaliana.us - Vandergrift Festa Italiano, Inc. - P.O. Box 115, Vandergrift, PA 15690.

Italy gained its political unity only 150 years ago.
Today’s Italy is still a fragmented mosaic of cities and towns, rich in peculiar and  ancient traditions, dialects and cultures, but lacking a national political identity. Because of this situation, Italians give more importance to the personal interests of the individual, of the family, and of the “clan”.

On the “Italian Identity” topic, the Italian Center of the West of Salt Lake City, UT, will be holding a seminar, “Italian Identity Today - Focusing on its religious aspects“.

The seminar, presented by Professor Pino Lucà Trombetta from the University of Bologna (Italy), will be taking place on June 30.
The event is part of Italian History and Culture Series sponsored by Italian Center of the West of Salt Lake City, UT.

Where: At the City Hall, 450 S. 200 E. #335., SLC, UT
When: Monday, June 30, 2008 at 6:00 p.m.
Public is welcome, no admission fee.

The Bel Canto Lyric Opera Company of Philadelphia will be performing a concert in the area at Faith Presbyterian Church, 1801 Colonial Road, Harrisburg, PA, on June 1st at 5:30.

In addition to Opera selections, The Bel Canto will be performing such Neapolitan songs as Core’Ngrato, Santa Lucia Lutana, Maria,Maria.   
Salvatore Scarpa, assistant director of the Philadelphia Ballet will be conducting the orchestra.

The Bel Canto Lyric Opera is made up of Philadelphia Orchestra members, with singers who have earned some of the highest awards, such as the International Pavarotti Competition. It performs extensively in the Philadelphia, NJ and NY areas to great acclaim.

For details of the event, please contact the church office at www.lifeinfaith.org (Church phone number is &17-545-4631)

When: June 1st at 5:30 PM
Where: 1801 Colonial Road, Harrisburg, PA.

Tenor Aaron Caruso

The music of Mario Lanza, Andrea Bocelli and Jimmy Roselli at JT’s restaurant in Brooklyn, NY, in a night featuring Italianamerican tenor Aaron Caruso.

This night of fun, Italian song and great food is scheduled for Friday, May 2, 2008. Raffle to benefit the Brooklyn Chapter of Unico.

Where: “JT’s” restaurant, 9703 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

When: Fri., May 2, 2008. - Time: 7pm (dinner served promptly cash bar / 8:30 show)
Tickets: $60.00 per person.

Rsvp: for reservations (more…)