Norma by Vincenzo Bellini at Lyric Opera
January 28th - February 24th. Times vary. Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 N Wacker Dr., Chicago (IL) If you're drawn to vocal acrobatics, Bellini's Druid priestess Norma will thrill and astonish you. The absolute pinnacle for any prima donna with the technical prowess, sumptuous voice, and dramatic fire to master its perilous cha...
7th Annual Taylor Street Festa Italiana was a resounding success!
Chicagoans of all ages flocked to the city's historic Little Italy on the weekend to celebrate their Italian pride at the 7th Annual Taylor Street Festa Italiana. The four-day event attracted more than 50,000 people to celebrate the history and heritage of Chicago's Little Italy – a place where many Italians migrated to and settled at the...
Order Sons Of Italy in America Leone D'Oro Lodge #2700
Order Sons Of Italy in America Leone D'Oro Lodge #2700 to feature George Zima who will speak about the trappings of a Broadway career with memories of vaudeville, stage and TV at the monthly general meeting on Tuesday, September 23rd at 7:00pm. Beef Sandwiches will be served for $5. Orland Park Civic Center, 14750 Ravinia Av, Orland...
Mike Birbiglia: Thank God for Jokes
McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage - Fawell and Park BoulevardsGlen Ellyn, IL 60137 - BELUSHI PERFORMANCE HALL | TICKETS $43–$60MARCH 13, 2015 Birbiglia has taken the country by storm with his fresh, brilliant, and hysterical stand up comedy. In "Thank God for Jokes," the award-winning comedian, author, and filmmaker...
Illinois Sons of Italy Foundation to grant college scholarships
The Illinois Sons of Italy Foundation recently announced that graduating high school seniors who are full or partially of Italian ancestry are invited to compete for college scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each, to be awarded by the foundation. The scholarships will be awarded to qualified students who will graduate this year from any...
Fabio Viviani's Bar Siena set to open this summer in West Loop
by Peter Frost A less-buttoned-up spinoff of celeb chef Fabio Viviani's Siena Tavern is set to open this summer on Restaurant Row. As previously reported by Crain's, Bar Siena, an 8,000-square-foot, 180-seat Italian restaurant/pizza bar/doughnut shop is working toward a summer opening at the corner of Randolph and Green streets, with...
Festa Italiana to light up Milwaukee lakefront
Milwaukee's venerable Festa Italiana will take the lakefront by storm from July 22 to 24 at Henry W. Maier Festival Park. The Flag Throwers of the Florentine will travel from Italy to perform at this year's festa. Headline acts include soprano prodigy Jackie Evancho of "America's Got Talent" fame; BOSTYX, featuring David Victor, formerly of Boston...
Riccardo Muti, Indulging a Passion for Overlooked Italian Composers
By Anthony Tommasini When Riccardo Muti learned that I would be attending his concert here with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Friday afternoon he earnestly invited me to drop backstage afterward — first, so we could finally meet, but also so he could tell me all about Giuseppe Martucci. Though his works are seldom played by Am...
Some local Italian-Americans embrace 'feast of the fishes' tradition on Christmas Eve
By Lisa Abraham Although many Old World Christmas customs have gone the route of spiral-sliced ham, a dedicated group of Italian-Americans in the Columbus area have held on to the traditional Christmas Eve "feast of the fishes." The meal is rooted in the fasting from meat that Italian Catholics traditionally observed before midnight Mass on De...
Rolling Meadows instructor Antonino Bondi
Spending every summer of his childhood in Sicily convinced Antonino Bondi that he wanted a career somehow related to Italy. He never pictured himself as a teacher in those days, but he has realized his dream in a classroom. Bondi, 31, the son of parents who immigrated from Sicily to Chicago in the 1970s, teaches Italian 2, 3 and 4 in northwest...
Eataly Dishing Out Italian Cooking Classes
The Eatalian experience just got better. La Scuola Di Eataly Chicago opened Wednesday at the Ohio Street Italian food mecca. The school offers 90-minute classes about Italian cooking and techniques, with up to 50 students per class. Hands won't be for cooking in the class, but they'll certainly be for eating as students will be able to sample...
Prospect High hosts glittering Serata Italiana
At our annual celebration honoring the Italian students inducted into the National Honor Society, "Società Onoraria Italica-Sezione Cristoforo Colombo," the Prospect High School Italian Program showcased the hard work of students at Prospect High and St. Raymond's and honored members and organizations in the community who share the passion...