L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018 www.italoamericano.org 38 L'Italo-Americano T his year, 2018, marks the 90 th anniversary of San Francisco's premier Italian cultur- al club, Il Cenacolo. This impressive and important milestone was cel- ebrated on December 7 th with a stunning Christmas Gala at the St. Francis Yacht Club. In atten- dance were members, their spouses, and several notable guests including San Francisco Italian Consul General Lorenzo Ortona and San Francisco Super- visor, Catherine Stefani. It was a glorious evening celebrating nine decades of community ser- vice and camaraderie for its members. Founded in 1928, Il Cenacolo has been the preeminent men's Italian cultural club in San Fran- cisco. The Club supports various opera and Italian language orga- nizations throughout the Bay Area and annually awards schol- arships and stipends. And now, beginning April 2018, Il Cenacolo can add yet another milestone to its remark- able history by welcoming women as members for the first time. I am proud to say I am one of the first women to be accepted for membership, something I've wanted to do since my own pre- sentations to the Club. The Club's weekly meetings are held across from picturesque Washington Square in the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club's building located at 1630 Stock- ton Street. These weekly meet- ings offer members a wide vari- ety of speakers on topics of interest, such as the arts, music, San Francisco history, food and architecture. The meetings also include a delicious Italian lun- cheon and a generous helping of genuine camaraderie.   Since its inception, Il Cenaco- lo has sought to achieve these goals: promote socio-cultural exchange among members; stim- ulate friendly relations among Italians and Italian-Americans; promote activities of Italian cul- ture; encourage the study and speaking of the Italian language; honor those who have distin- guished themselves in their respective fields; support worthy cultural causes including schol- arships for students of the opera, Italian language, literature, arts and culture. The Club's motto, Itala gente dalle molte vite, is translated literally as "Italian people of the many lives," or, more poetically, "Many-lived Italian people." Historic accounts reflecting the Club's history and mission reveal the following facts: in 1928, a group of Italian profes- sionals, some recently arrived, some already well established in San Francisco, began meeting at Camp's Restaurant on Geary Street to enjoy good food and conversation on the arts, music and literature. It was these thir- teen men that originally founded a supper club that was eventually given the name Il Cenacolo. The meaning is literally a supper room where a group of close friends are united in their interest in culture. The name was also an allusion to Leonardo da Vinci's painting The Last Supper, known in Italian as II Cenacolo. One of the earliest accounts of Il Cenacolo was written in 1932 by Colonel Giovanni Mas- turzi, a travel writer, who describes the club in this way: "Il Cenacolo is a most congenial club composed of the elite of our colony (un circolo simpaticissi- mo formato dalla classe più elet- ta della nostra colonia). Besides exquisite social luncheons, irri- gated—in spite of Prohibition— with the best Italian wines, lun- cheons, which are held every Thursday in an atmosphere of carefree good humor and cordial friendship, the members' families often meet in the evening for an impromptu dance, to listen to music or a lecture." Over the years, II Cenacolo has built a valuable library of Italian culture, including the great and authoritative Italian Encyclopedia and some rare early editions of the great Italian men of letters. The club's guest book is a veritable treasury of autographs of illustrious guests and visitors, men of world renown. L'Italo-Americano was pleased to meet with Il Cenaco- lo's current President, David Giannini, who shared the follow- ing: As the current President, what would you like our read- ers to know about Il Cenacolo? "We are a 90-year-old Italian Cultural Club of men and women members from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Origi- nally based in the North Beach Neighborhood, we support and promote the Italian Arts, lan- guage and culture, concentrating on the SF Opera and various lan- guage programs throughout schools in San Francisco. Our history and legacy can be seen from our website, www.ilcena- colosf.org." Do you envision particular goals/successes/challenges for the coming year? "Yes, meeting and fulfilling the challenges, financial and membership, in continuing our mission of presenting interesting cultural presentations for our members' Thursday luncheon meetings and special events throughout the year. Our mem- bership, not restricted to any nationality, religion or culture, finds a rewarding common inter- est in Italian arts and language." A club that has flourished for over 90 years is quite an achievement. What strikes you as the primary reason for this success? "Essentially, the camaraderie between our members. They love to visit and participate with their fellow friends during the weekly luncheon presentations at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club. Most have become life- long friends, finding a common- ality of interests in their life experiences, work and cultural recreation."  From all accounts, it seems Il Cenacolo will continue its legacy quite successfully with a new generation of Italophiles well into the 21st century and beyond. CATHERINE ACCARDI Il Cenacolo women members . Photo: Flavia Loreto Photography Il Cenacolo: the men and now the women Il Cenacolo President, David Giannini, Supervisor Catherine Stefani & Consul General Lorenzo Ortona. Photo: Flavia Loreto Photography SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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