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They call it “the town that plays itself.” Monticchiello, population 118, is a tiny hamlet in Tuscany that, since the 1960s, has annually staged a new play written and performed by the local populace. We’re told in Jeff Malmberg and Chris Shellen’s documentary Spettacolo that this tradition “began, like many others, with costumes and fanfare,” but...

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Imagine if the artistic heritage was a sports discipline, or if it was as measurable as the economic dynamics are. Italy would have a primacy that neither sport nor the economy have ever seen, something that justifies the definition of "cultural superpower". This overpower is also a huge responsibility. Those who take care of it professionally know...

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A Swiss humanoid robot is to conduct a Tuscan orchestra in the works of Verdi alongside Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. The robot, called YuMi, will be the closest a humanoid has come to mastering the nuances of a human orchestra director when he performs.  “YuMi has a very high level of fluidity of gesture, incredible softness and expressive nuancin...

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What’s more pleasurable on a vacation to Italy than enjoying a scoop or two of gelato? There may only be one answer, and that’s savoring the gelato you made yourself. Luckily, travelers can now try their hand at the craft by taking one of the several gelato-making classes for amateurs offered throughout Italy. These classes are usually between two...

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Why is there a Christopher Columbus statue by Byrd Park? Who crafted the elaborate plaster and stonework in Richmond’s early-20th-century theaters and public buildings? The answers to those questions point to the early and long-lasting cultural influence of Italians.    When Thomas Jefferson sought to better cultivate grapes for winemaking, he impo...

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Qual è il quartiere «più cool» del mondo? E' Borgo San Frediano di Firenze, incoronato da Lonely Planet, primo della classifica dei posti da non perdere per chi è alla ricerca di «nuove tendenze».   Il rione Diladdarno, come si dice a Firenze, ha battuto Seoul, Dubai e persino New York, il cui Sunset Park si è posizionato «solo» settimo. «Abbiamo c...

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Former Sonoma resident Alexandra Lawrence, now a specialized private tour guide in Florence, Italy, and a university instructor at several American and British universities, will return to Sonoma on Aug. 16 for a lecture at Vintage House senior center. A graduate from Sonoma Valley High School and currently living in Florence with her husband and 8...

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There are many ways to engage with Florence – from the whirlwind tour of the first-time visitor to the microscopic examination of the repeat visitor intent on peeling back history’s layers to peek below the surface. Take Michelangelo. Everybody knows who he is. His David has drawn tourists to Florence for centuries. But understanding the context in...

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It's no surprise that Italy has been a firm favourite for holidaymakers for decades. The weather is sunny, the food is famously delicious, and there's plenty to do whether you're after a cultural getaway or a beach break. Plus, you don't need to break the bank for a visit - there are plenty of cheap flights on offer, not to mention the wide array o...

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The story of Italian marble is the story of difficult motion: violent, geological, haunted by failure and ruin and lost fortunes, marred by severed fingers, crushed dreams, crushed men. Rarely has a material so inclined to stay put been wrenched so insistently out of place and carried so far from its source; every centimeter of its movement has had...

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