Lauded by Fanfare for his “dazzling technique and white-hot interpretations” and by News Review for his “stunning mastery of the instrument,” the classical pianist, composer, and recording artist Julian Gargiulo performs a virtual concert in celebration of the Figge Art Museum's 15th anniversary, the streaming August 8 event sure to demonstrate why...
READ MORECarlo Joseph Salvo was born on August 24, 1924, in Council Bluffs. He was the second of six children born to Jasper Salvo and Antonina (Caruso) Salvo. Carlo was a proud Italian-American throughout his life, speaking and enjoying the language for over 95 years. He was a member of the Marconi Society, an Italian fellowship in Council Bluffs. He conti...
READ MOREAn hour before free meals were to be distributed, the line of cars spilled out of the parking lot of Baratta's Restaurant and onto South Union Street. The restaurant was shut down for the day until 3 p.m. Employees were focused on one goal: Make enough food for more than 1,000 people. On Monday, the Italian restaurant served 300 family meals, each...
READ MOREThe coronavirus took the game away from Lisa Birocci Banse in early March. The Des Moines native had flown to Guatemala from her home in State College, Pennsylvania, to play in leagues there. The Iowa softball legend is a member of the Italian Olympic national team. “I wanted to pitch some games and get some live at-bats,” Banse said. The virus had...
READ MOREIf you stuck at home looking for something new and different to explore, this weekend would be the perfect time to take the plunge into the opera world. It's possible you may have heard a famous aria, which is part of an opera, and haven’t even realized it. Arias can pop up when you least expect them to, in unusual places like commercials or movies...
READ MOREWhen Chef Nicola Michieletto says he spent a little time in seminary, it’s easy to believe. His work in the kitchen and as an instructor is a vocation, a true calling. A career as a priest never happened — Michieletto is quick to emphasize he wasn’t in seminary long at all. The Italian equivalent of a U.S. high school is oriented around careers, an...
READ MOREOutside the Cathedral of St. Raphael in Dubuque, Iowa, is a small park named Cathedral Square. At its center is a sculpture of several figures: a priest, a miner, a riverboat captain and a farming couple. According to the artist, each figure represents the progression of settlers who came to call this area of Iowa home more than 175 years ago. Firs...
READ MOREThe Dewitt Performing Arts Series will kick off with its first show with The Four Italian Tenors. This is your ticket to a new generation of world-class tenors. This group presents an extraordinary program of well-known American standards. This show will give way to an unforgettable experience, and is coming Tuesday, October 1 to the Cole Auditoriu...
READ MOREA public ceremony will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, August 30, in Newton, to honor the memory of legendary world heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano, who died in a plane crash here 50 years ago. A large information sign will be dedicated, with a large rock sitting next to it stating Rocky’s record of 49-0, with 43 knockouts. Iowa Governor Ki...
READ MOREFive dollars at the Iowa State Fair goes further than you think. Know the right stand and a snow cone, some cotton candy, a strawberry shake, a ride down the big slide or even an order of X-Treme Balls (pork tenderloin balled up on a kebob with pickles and onions) will only cost you a Lincoln. But all the Scarpino family wanted for their $5 was a s...
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