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L’Associazione l’Altra Italia presenta la terza edizione del Cinema Sotto le Stelle.

L’evento è inserito nella manifestazione “Summer Nights at the Italian Consulate” ed è frutto della collaborazione con l’Istituto Italiano di Cultura e il Consolato Generale d’Italia a Toronto.

Due serate dedicate al Cinema Italiano e tre serate alla grande Opera.

Garden of the Consulate General of Italy
136 Beverley St., Toronto  (Dundas entrance)
Free admission
Subtitles in English

Gates will open at 7:00 p.m. with the screening beginning at dusk (around 9:00pm)

Guests are invited to bring friends, family, blankets, and a picnic and are encouraged to dress in their finest operatic picnic attire for an evening that promises to be full of culture and entertainment.

In case of rain or strong winds the screening is postponed to the evening of Sunday.

Saturday, July 31th, 2010  

Baaria by Giuseppe Tornatore

La storia di una famiglia siciliana che prende le mosse dal ventennio fascista in cui Cicco, sin da bambino apertamente contestatore, è un pastore che ha la passione per la letteratura epica. Suo figlio Peppino, cresciuto durante la guerra, entrerà nelle file del Partito Comunista divenendone un esponente di spicco sul piano locale e riuscendo a sposare, nonostante la più assoluta opposizione della famiglia di lei, Mannina che diventerà madre dei loro numerosi figli che saranno comunque considerati da alcuni sempre e comunque ‘figli del comunista’.

The film recounts life in the Sicilian town of Baaria, from the 1920s to present day, through the eyes of lovers Peppino (Francesco Scianna) and Mannina (Margareth Madè). A Sicilian family depicted across three generations: from Cicco to his son Peppino to his grandson Pietro… Touching lightly upon the private lives of these characters and their families, the film evokes the loves, dreams and disappointments of an entire community in the province of Palermo between the 1930s and the 1980s

Cast

Francesco Scianna, Margareth Made, Monica Bellucci, Raoul Bova, Michele Placido

Saturday, August 14th, 2010  

La Ragazza del Lago by Andrea Molaioli

Una giovane donna, annegata in un lago della provincia friuliana, viene rinvenuta nuda lungo la sponda. Sulla morte misteriosa di Anna, studentessa e giocatrice di hockey, indaga il commissario Giovanni Sanzio, padre ruvido e introverso di Francesca. Affetto da una dermatite atipica e dimenticato dalla consorte che soffre di una malattia degenerativa del sistema nervoso, Sanzio ricerca con passione metodica le ragioni pubbliche del delitto e quelle private della vita. Procedendo in un’indagine investigativa ed esistenziale scoverà l’assassino e il principio dell’ordine nel perverso sconvolgimento dell’omicidio.

The body of a young woman is found in a small and quiet town in North Italy. A detective from the nearby main city is called to solve the mystery.With wins of three Nastri D’Argento awards, two Venice Film Festival awards in 2007 and a sweep of this year’s David Di Donatello awards (the Italian Oscars) with 10 wins, La Ragazza Del Lago has a lot riding on it.

Cast:Toni Servillo, Valeria Golino, Fausto Sciarappa

  OPERA IN THE GARDEN

NORMA, LA CENERENTOLA & LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST
THRE SUPERB FEMALE OPERATIC CHARACTERS!
THREE UNFORGETTABLE NIGHTS UNDER THE STARS!

Presented by: Italian Cultural Institute

In collaboration with: Consulate General of Italy

Friday, July 30th, 2010  

NORMA by Vincenzo Bellini
Director: Patrizia Carmine
Starring: Daniela Dessi, Fabio Armiliato
Stage Director: Federico Tiezzi
Conductor: Evelino Pidò
Orchestra & Chorus of Teatro Comunale di Bologna
Running time: 162′
Production Year of Film version: 2008

Norma is a tragedia lirica or opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini with libretto by Felice Romani after Norma, ossia L’infanticidio (Norma, or The Infanticide) by Alexandre Soumet. First produced at La Scala on December 26, 1831, it is generally regarded as an example of the supreme height of the Bel canto tradition. “Casta diva” was one of the most familiar arias of the nineteenth century.
Act 1
The grove. A secret love unites the seeress Norma with Pollione, the Roman proconsul, by whom she has borne two children. But Pollione has grown tired of the aging druidess and has fallen in love with Adalgisa, a young temple virgin. Despite Adalgisa’s piety and virtue, she agrees to flee to Rome with Pollione. Adalgisa innocently tells Norma of her love, and Norma curses Pollione for his treachery.
Act 2
Norma’s apartment. Norma is about to kill her children, but her love for her children finally confides them to the care of Adalgisa. When Pollione comes to take Adalgisa from the temple, Norma denounces him and he is seized by the Druids, after having refused to give up Adalgisa. Norma proclaims herself equally guilty with him. The pyre is lighted, and ascending it, Norma dies with her lover.

Friday, August 13th, 2010

LA CENERENTOLA by Gioachino Rossini
Director: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Starring: Frederica von Stade, Paolo Montarsolo
Stage Director: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Conductor: Claudio Abbado
Orchestra & Chorus of Teatro Alla Scala
Running time: 151′
Production Year of Film version: 1981

La Cenerentola, ossia La bontà in trionfo (Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant) is an operatic dramma giocoso in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The libretto was written by Jacopo Ferretti, based on the fairy tale Cinderella. The opera was first performed in Rome’s Teatro Valle on 25 January 1817.
Act I
Don Magnifico has two daughters and stepdaughter named Angelina, whose nickname is La Cenerentola, since she is kept as a maid. The family is poor and he dreams of rich suitors for his daughters. Prince Ramiro is looking for a bride and sends his tutor to look for a suitable candidate. He dresses as a beggar and tests Don Magnifico’s daughters’ kindness, but it is only La Cenerentola who shows any. They receive an invitation to a grand ball and they dress themselves in fancy clothes. The prince visits the house and falls in love with La Cenerentola. They all make their way to the palace except La Cenerentola. Alidoro gives her a beautiful dress and she goes to the ball unknown to everyone else.
Act II
The stepfather and his two daughters revel in the hope that they have enchanted the prince, who is really his servant Dandini in his clothes. Ramiro declares his love for La Cenerentola and gives her a bracelet. She says if he really loves her he will come looking for its twin before she disappears. Dandini reveals who he really is and Ramiro visits the house, this time as the prince. He finds the matching bracelet on La Cenerentola and takes her as his wife. Her stepfather and stepsisters are outrages and the prince threatens to punish them but La Cenerentola forgives them and asks for mercy.

Friday, August 27th, 2010

LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST by Giacomo Puccini
Director: John Michael Phillips
Starring: Mara Zampieri, Juan Pons, Plácido Domingo, Sergio Bertocchi, Luigi Roni
Stage Director: Jonathan Miller
Conductor: Lorin Maazel
Orchestra & Coro del Teatro Alla Scala
Running time: 143′
Production Year of Film version: 1985

La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West) is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini, based on the play The Girl of the Golden West by David Belasco. Its highly-publicised premiere occurred in New York City in 1910.
Act 1
Inside the Polka Saloon A group of Gold Rush miners enter the saloon after a day working at the mine. After a song by traveling minstrel Jake Wallace, one of the miners, Jim Larkens, is homesick and the miners collect enough money for his fare home. A group of miners playing cards discover that Sid is cheating and want to attack him. Sheriff Jack Rance quiets the fight and pins two cards to Sid’s jacket, as a sign of a cheater. A Wells Fargo agent, Ashby, enters and announces that he is chasing the bandit Ramerrez and his gang of Mexicans. Rance toasts Minnie, the girl who owns the saloon, as his future wife, which makes Sonora jealous. The two men begin to fight. Rance draws his revolver but at that moment, a shot rings out and Minnie stands next to the bar with a rifle in her hands. She gives the miners a reading lesson from the Bible. The Pony Express rider arrives and delivers a telegram from Nina Micheltorena, offering to reveal Ramerrez’s hideout. The sheriff tells Minnie that he loves her. But Minnie is waiting for the right man. A stranger enters the saloon and asks for a whisky and water, who introduces himself as Dick Johnson from Sacramento, and whom Minnie had met earlier. Johnson invites Minnie to dance with him and she accepts. Angrily, Rance watches them. Ashby returns with the captured Ramerrez gang member, Castro. Upon seeing his leader, Johnson, in the saloon, Castro agrees to lead Rance, Ashby and the miners in a search for Ramerrez, and the group then follows him on a false trail and in what turns out to be a wild goose chase. But before Castro leaves, he whispers to Johnson that somebody will whistle and Johnson must reply to confirm that the place is clear. A whistle is heard, but Johnson fails to reply. Minnie shows Johnson the keg of gold that she and the miners take turns to guard at night and Johnson reassures her that the gold will be safe there. Before he leaves the saloon, he promises to visit her at her cabin. They confess their love for each other. Minnie begins to cry, Johnson comforts her before he leaves.
Act 2
Minnie’s dwelling, later that evening Wowkle, a Native American squaw who is Minnie’s servant, her lover Billy Jackrabbit and their baby are present as Minnie enters, wanting to get ready for Johnson’s visit. Johnson enters Minnie’s cabin and she tells him all about her life. It begins to snow. They kiss and asks him to stay till morning. He denies knowing Nina Micheltorena. As Johnson hides, a posse enters looking for Ramerrez and reveal to Minnie that Johnson is the bandit himself. Angry, she orders him to leave. After leaving, Minnie hears a gunshot and she knows Johnson has been shot. Johnson staggers in and collapses, Minnie helps him by hiding him up in the loft. Rance enters Minnie’s cabin looking for the bandit and is about to give up searching for Johnson when drops of blood fall on his hand. Rance forces Johnson to climb down. Minnie desperately makes Rance an offer: if she beats him at poker, he must let Johnson go free; if Rance wins, she will marry him. Hiding some cards in her stockings, Minnie cheats and wins. Rance honors the deal and Minnie throws herself on the unconscious Johnson on the floor.
Act 3
In the Great Californian Forest at dawn, sometime later Johnson is again on the run from Ashby and the miners. Nick and Rance are discussing Johnson and wonder what Minnie sees in him when Ashby arrives in triumph: Johnson has been captured. Rance and the miners all want Johnson to be hanged. Johnson accepts the sentence and only asks the miners not to tell Minnie about his capture and his fate. Minnie arrives, armed with a pistol, just before the execution and throws herself in front of Johnson to protect him. While Rance tries to proceed, she convinces the miners that they owe her too much to kill the man she loves, and asks them to forgive him. One by one, the miners yield to her plea. Rance is not happy but finally he too gives in. Sonora unties Johnson and set him free. The miners bid Minnie farewell. Minnie and Johnson leave California to start a new life together.

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