L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 D o we need divas and myths? Yes. D o w e n e e d b e a u t y a n d d r e a m s ? O f course. Do we need poetry and idealized worlds? The answer is, again, yes. As self-pleased and well-fed as it may be, our society still h a s u n d e n i a b l e a n d undeletable necessities, even w h e n i t s e e m s f i n e w i t h neglecting reality to live in a parallel virtual world, without space or time. We are happily basking in a place where meeting people in flesh and blood, bones and feelings seems no longer important. We enjoy our "emoticons" and our "chats," we update our "statuses" and add our "likes." Yet, by doing so, we renounce wider horizons and landscapes that could make us feel part of something important and we forget about time in the real world. All of sudden, we realize we are not satisfied. In one way or another, we all need something more, we all need to dream and believe that dreams can come true. We should keep this in mind while the new year starts, in a moment where we are all full of expectations and hope and we wish the best for ourselves, even if aware we may be dis- appointed. Considering the past couple of years, which we'd leave happily behind for good, we are deliberately mocking ourselves. We can't deny that a whole series of circumstances is, and has been, working against our expectations, especially when considering the many vicissitudes we all, from the top to the bottom of the world, had to face because of a pandemic which seems still far from being over. Ignoring the scars left in our communities is hard, but we need, despite it all, to support one another and hope our world, our future, and the A little magic can only make things better in 2023 From the Editor new year will be better. That's human nature, always seeking a spot in the sun, the regenerating power of light, the spring after a cold win- ter. Human nature: beyond all necessities, problems, and fragilities. 2023 finally started and we are all full of enthusiasm, ready to let our desires, our trust and hopes for the future lead us in the right direction. Just like it had been for those millions of Italians who left everything they had behind and who, despite not finding immediately in the New World what they had dreamed of, kept believing in their dream with tenacity. That "America of dreams" still exists in our common imagination, even when many manage to meet their expec- tations at home, without the need to cross the ocean. Yet, the true consecration happens when you make it there, between New York and Los Angeles, on the East Coast or in Silicon Valley, in Boston or in Chicago, miles and miles away from Palermo, Florence, or Milan. Even Maneskin's overwhelming success went truly above and beyond only when they conquered the States, despite their incredible popularity in Italy and Europe. But the United States never quite managed to cherish their most famous soprano, Maria Callas - American with Greek roots - as much as she deserved. She, who was known as la Divina because of her incomparable voice, found suc- cess in Italy in 1948, when she interpreted Norma at the Teatro Comunale di Firenze, after having debuted the previ- ous year in Verona. In 1951, she walked on the stage of La Scala 181 times, in 23 different roles. Her American debut, however, only came in 1953 at the Chicago Opera House, where she enjoyed enormous success, so much so that the Met Theatre had to chase after her to secure a performance. 2023 marks the 100th birthday of this artist, character- ized by her incredible singing technique and immense dra- matic sense, her virtuosismi the result of sheer talent and sheer work, expressed through a very large musical reper- toire. To honor her, Monica Bellucci will, quite literally, bring her on stage in New York, by wearing a dress that belonged to Callas, who lived much of her life in Italy. "It's almost like her soul is here with me," the Umbrian actress said. Bellucci will read the soprano's letters and memoirs, which are so filled with emotions and vulnerability she "had the feeling I could touch her soul." Because in the end, that's the point: our soul. It's our souls that make us transcends all borders and love art; it's our souls that make us follow our dreams and seek beauty. When the Bellucci-Callas show started, in 2020, the Malena actress said, in an interview with Italian weekly Io Donna: "Sometimes, impossible things happen. That's why we should believe in fairies… we shouldn't lose the trust children place in magic. The more we grow up, the more cold, materialistic, cynical and unable to dream we become. I think actors are privileged because their relationship with reality is 'touched' by fantasy, by the childish attitude one needs to be creative. It's an attitude that is particularly important right now, in this specific historical moment, faced as we are by something much bigger and stronger than us." Let's say it simply, dear readers: we all need humanity, poetry, beauty, fantasy. That's how L'Italo-Americano wants to wish you a happy new year, with the thought we must keep believing in the future and in our dreams. Simone Schiavinato, Editor Simone Schiavinato NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS P.O.BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003 Member of FUSIE (Federazione Unitaria Stampa Italianaall'Estero), COGITO L'Italo-Americano 610 West Foothill Blvd. Unit D, Monrovia, CA 91016 - Tel.: (626) 359-7715 PLEASE SEND CORRESPONDENCE TO P.O. BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano Newspaper (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization), www.italoamericano.org, is the largest and longest-running Italian newspaper in America, not to mention the cultural and news resource for all things Italian in the US. A bilingual newspaper which repre- sents an historical landmark for the Italian American Communities in the West Coast and throughout the US. L'Italo-Americano benefits from subsidies by the Italian Government, Memberships and Donations intended to support and not interrupt a mission that began in 1908 to preserve and promote the Italian language and culture in the USA Periodicals postage paid at Monrovia, California 91016, and additional mailing offices. PUBLISHER Robert Barbera Grande Ufficiale EDITOR IN CHIEF Simone Schiavinato ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Patrick Abbate EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Barbara Minafra COPY EDITOR Francesca Bezzone LOS ANGELES CONTRIBUTOR Silvia Giudici SAN FRANCISCO CONTRIBUTORS Catherine Accardi Serena Perfetto SEATTLE CONTRIBUTOR Rita Cipalla CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mariella Radaelli, Francesca Bezzone, Luca Ferrari, Stefano Carnevali, Paula Reynolds, Nicoletta Curradi, Generoso D'Agnese, Fabrizio Del Bimbo, Maria Gloria, Chuck Pecoraro, Anthony Di Renzo Serena Perfetto, Kenneth Scambray, Chiara D'Alessio © 2020 L'Italo-Americano Membership: One year $59 - Single copy $2.25 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to L'Italo Americano PO Box 6528 Altadena, CA 91003 P.O.BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003

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