Past Events
"Parthenope" –
A Film Screening
Tuesday, 13 May 2025
7.00 pm-9.30 pm (PST)​
The Cinématheque,
1130 How Street, Vancouver
In Italian with English subtitles
About the Event
Paolo Sorrentino’s latest film is a poetic exploration of youth, beauty, and freedom. For the first time, Sorrentino places a female protagonist at the centre, inviting us to reflect on the search for meaning in a
world shaped by external influences. Sorrentino is best known for The Great Beauty, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2014. "Beauty is like war: it opens doors.”
Cinema specialist Zoran Dragelj introduced the film
and joined the post-screening discussion, moderated by
Dr. Arianna Dagnino, Lecturer in Italian Studies at the
University of British Columbia.
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This event was organised by The Dante Alighieri Society of BC in Vancouver with the support of the Consulate General of Italy in Vancouver.
Celebrating Dante – A Piano Recital
Saturday, 12 April 2025
7.00 pm-8.30 pm (PST)​
Pyatt Hall, Vancouver School of Music,
843 Seymour St, Vancouver
About the Event
A musical tribute to Dante Alighieri, celebrating the 760th anniversary of the birth of Italy’s greatest poet with a captivating piano performance by Emilio De Mercato, during the Vancouver stop of his 2025 piano tour, ahead of his Carnegie Hall debut in
New York. An opportunity to experience the music of renowned European composers—Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, and
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky—with a selection of their works inspired by literary and artistic sources, including Dante’s Divine Comedy.
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This event was organised by The Dante Alighieri Society of BC in Vancouver with the support of the Consulate General of Italy in Vancouver.
Rescuing Florence. Stories of a Renaissance City Under Siege
– A Talk
Thursday, 27 February 2025
6.30 am-8.00 pm (PST)​
SFU Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, 580 West Hastings St., Vancouver
About the Event
In 1529, Florence was besieged by imperial troops, backed by Medici Pope Clement VII. When Florentines finally surrendered in August 1530, the exiled Medici returned to power and went on to rule as dukes for two unbroken centuries. In her talk, Dr. O’Brien explored this pivotal event, highlighting Michelangelo’s efforts to defend Florence and its treasures, the sacrifices of its citizens, and the enduring memory of the siege in art, literature, and
history.
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This event was organised by The Dante Alighieri Society of BC in Vancouver and SFU’s Graduate Liberal Studies under the patronage of the Consulate General of Italy in Vancouver.
Incontri straordinari. Da Al Pacino a Susan Sontag, la New York di Antonio Monda
– A Talk
Sunday, 26 January 2024
11.00 am-12.00 pm (PST)​
On Zoom - In Italian
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About the Event
Nel salotto newyorkese di Antonio Monda sono passate alcune delle più grandi icone della cultura americana: da Meryl Streep a Muhammad Ali, da Ingrid Bergman a Stephen King, passando per Cate Blanchett, Philip Roth e Toni Morrison. Nel suo
libro Incontri ravvicinati (La nave di Teseo), Monda rivela retroscena inediti e momenti intimi con queste straordinarie personalitaÌ€. Un’occasione imperdibile per ascoltare l’autore raccontare dal vivo alcune di queste storie affascinanti.​
O Mio Puccini Caro
– A Concert
Friday, 8 November 2024
7.00 pm-8.30 pm (PST)​
Vancouver Academy of Music
1270 Chestnut St, Vancouver
About the Event
A special tribute to Giacomo Puccini—one of the greatest Italian opera composers, renowned for his masterful blend of music and drama.
In honour of the 100th anniversary of Puccini’s death, pianist Emilio de Mercato (Director of the Alberta Symphony Orchestra), soprano Cara Lianne McLeod, and tenor Andrea Pinna will perform some of his most beloved arias, duets, and piano solos, while also sharing insights into his remarkable music.
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This event is offered with the generous support of Dignity Memorial (www.dignitymemorial.com) and of the Federazione Pugliese of British Columbia (www.associazionepugliese.bc.ca)
Italians Writing Beyond Borders
– A Roundtable
Wednesday, 16 October 2024
6.30 pm-8.00 pm (PDT)
History Room, Museum of Vancouver
1100 Chestnut St, Vancouver
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This event was generously supported by the Headquarters of the Dante Society in Rome.
About the Event
A bilingual cultural event celebrating Italian writers abroad who continue to enrich the Italian literary tradition through transcultural creativity. This hybrid roundtable (in-person and via Zoom) brings together Italian authors and scholars from the North American literary scene discussing their transcultural experiences in life and in writing. Featured participants:
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Michela Valmori (E c’erano gerani rossi dappertutto)
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Antonio D’Alfonso (The Italian Canadian Writer)
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Arianna Dagnino (Il quintetto d’Istanbul) - with her thanks to the Writers' Union of Canada & the Canada Council for the Arts for their support through the National Public Readings Program)
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Carlo Testa (Panel moderator, The University of British Columbia)
Travelling with Mediterranean Lutes
– A Masterclass
Saturday, 28 September 2024
12:00 pm
On Zoom
In English (and some Italian!)
​​
About the Event
Maestro Sergio Pugnalin took us an enchanting journey across the musical languages, styles, cultures, and histories of the Eastern Mediterranean. Through a variety of traditional lutes, he narrated and sang captivating stories that transcend time and borders.
Musicultural themes explored during the event:
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Wandering songs: melodies and tales that freely cross languages and cultures
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Balkan popular culture and the Ottoman ecumene
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Sephardic Jewish culture, from Spain to the East
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Songs of Xenitiá: experiencing distance from one’s homeland, from Greece to Southern Italy
If you’d like to explore all the events we’ve hosted so far, click here to view the full list in PDF format.
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If you would like to propose an event, please contact our Cultural Events Coordinator, Dr. Arianna Dagnino at aridag@me.com