Dorothea's House Events

All events are offered free of charge by the Dorothea van Dyke McLane Association to anyone in the community with an interest in Italian culture. Programs are followed by informal get-togethers where one can chat with old and new friends, and taste dishes and offerings brought by participants.

There is no reception after a movie, however a few people usually get together at a local restaurant or coffee shop. All movies are in Italian with English subtitles.

In case of cancellation of a program due to inclement weather or unexpected reasons, please check this Web site or call Dorothea's House for information.

Programs 2011-2012

*Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 5:00 pm

Her Maestro’s Echo: Pirandello and the Actress who Conquered Broadway in One Evening.
Pietro Frassica, professor of Italian Literature at Princeton University, will present his new book, based on correspondence between the Italian Nobel-prize winner Luigi Pirandello and actress Marta Abba. In addition, some excerpts will be dramatized by actors Meghan Duffy and Ric Randig, and directed by Mimi Gisolfi.

Io, loro e Lara (Me, Them and Lara), 2009 (click on the Italian title for description and trailer in Italian, on the English title for description in English),

Impressioni di Roma: Images of Rome as the new capital of Italy. Edmondo De Amicis, author of the best-selling book Cuore (Heart of a Boy), was one of the few journalists who witnessed the breach of Porta Pia, the military campaign of annexation of Rome to the Kingdom of Italy in 1870. Seton Hall Professor Gabriella Romani will discuss his work, aimed at demonstrating that Rome was not only the center of antiquity and Catholicism but also the capital of a modern nation.

Polenta festa. Pull out your favorite polenta recipes and bring them along for this ever- popular evening when humble cornmeal takes the spotlight. Oven space is limited, so please bring your dishes piping hot and ready to serve. Enjoy the food accompanied by lively music.

Guercino The Collector. Italian baroque painter Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, affectionately known as “Guercino” was also an avid collector of thousands of drawings and prints by numerous other Renaissance and Baroque artists. Dr. Veronica White, Columbia University lecturer, will guide us through the collection and discuss one of its most significant aspects.

L’imbroglio del lenzuolo (The Trick in the Sheet), 2010 (click on the Italian title for description and trailer in Italian, on the English title for description in English). 100 minutes.

The Trick in the Sheet (Original title:L'imbroglio Nel Lenzuolo) is a 2010 Italian romantic comedy film directed by Alfonso Arau. It stars Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Geraldine Chaplin, Anne Parillaud and Primo Reggiani. It was released in Italy on 18 June 2010.

In a small town in southern Italy in 1905, theatrical performances are accompanied by short silent film. An audience flees in terror as an image of a train tears towards them, projected on a the makeshift screen, a large white sheet.
Federico (Reggiani), is fascinated by this new film technology and switches from a medical career to writing screenplays. He soon lands a gig as the director of a new short silent film. Although he is torn by the demands of those around him, his producer wants salacious storylines and his sister craves something more edifying. Federico decides to recreate the Biblical story of Susanna, where she nakedly bathes and is leered at by two older men
Meanwhile, Marianna (Cucinotta) is a peasant sorceress, that finds her powers redundant against the new powers of film technology. Federico becomes attracted Marianna, but he is also mesmerized by Beatrice, a visiting writer (Parillaud).[1]
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trick_in_the_Sheet )

A Nutella Night. Jeanne Murphy, Institutional Affairs Director, North America Ferrero USA, Inc. will talk about the history and products of Ferrero, including Nutella, a chocolate and hazelnut spread that’s loved and eaten around the world. This multinational company with roots in Piemonte, concocted its most famous product in 1944 in a pastry shop founded by Pietro Ferrero.

Florio e Alliata: Two families that ‘invented’ the history of wine in 19th century Sicily. Learn about the historical milieu of Sicily in the late 1800s and the role of the families Florio and Alliata, in making their world famous wine.
A representative from Florio will talk about Marsala wine and other Sicilian wines made for commercial purpose (Corvo Bianco). A guided wine tasting will follow.

Songs of Italy. Soprano Sarah Sensenig from the Westminster Choir College of Rider University will present a program highlighting the rich heritage of Italian music – from arias of grand opera to songs your nonna sang for you. She will be accompanied by Donald Dolan of the piano department at the Pennington School.

All Roads Lead to Rome. Join John Burkhalter, founder of The Practitioners of Musick, as he and his ensemble present a musical Grand Tour of Italy, similar to the trail followed by the 18th century elite, featuring music of Corelli, Mancini, Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti, Vivaldi and other esteemed masters.

* Please note that programs preceded by asterisks will take place on the second Sunday of the month instead of the first.

You can see these events in a Google calendar and download them to yours: Click the link below:

Programs 2011-2012

*Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 5:00 pm

PDF Versions of past programs: