Villa Charities 2018 Annual Report VC19_AnnualReport_Interiors_Apr29_FNL2 | Page 20

BY THE NUMBERS
villa charities
cultural
programming
2,500
Attendance at
35 Cultural Tuesdays
lectures
800
Attendance at eight
Italian Heritage Month
events
2018 was a year of significant renewal
for Villa Charities’ Cultural Programming.
The department made excellent progress
in reviving the role of VCI and the
Columbus Centre as a cultural destination
for the Italian-Canadian community,
nearby communities and others seeking
to learn and explore Italian heritage,
music, culture and lifestyle.
350
Attendance at two
Diaspora Series events
New energy and ideas were introduced to
creative productions, lectures, workshops
and events, and many partnerships were
initiated or strengthened with
distinguished Italian and Canadian
institutions. Activities included:
CULTURAL TUESDAYS
VCI continued the Cultural Tuesdays
series – free, illustrated talks designed to
engage community members on culture,
lifestyle, history, cuisine, art and other
topics – with more than 35 well-attended
lectures. Popular topics included “Masters
of Italian BelCanto”, “The Life and Works
of Michelangelo Buonarotti” and “Italian
Monasteries, Abbeys and Churches”.
DIASPORA SERIES: MULTICULTURALISM
AND CULTURAL IDENTITIES IN THE 21ST
CENTURY
Approximately 350 people attended the
Diaspora Series events:
• A presentation and public reading of
the book “Largoitalia” by author
Corrado Paina
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VILLA CHARITIES
ANNUAL REPORT
• A presentation of images from “My
Invincible Wife: The Erminia Tonelli
Story” telling the story of a brave girl
and woman who has touched many
lives on both sides of the Atlantic
ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH
A series of eight events celebrating Italian
Heritage Month in June were very well
attended. The program included:
• An art show in collaboration with Viva
Vitalità Italiana
• A children’s shadow play by an Italian
theatre company on Dante’s Divina
Commedia
• Three sing-along/dance concerts of
traditional Italian songs with
accordionist Claudio Santaluce
• An opera concert in tribute to Giacomo
Puccini
“IF ON A CHRISTMAS NIGHT” BY
DOPOLAVORO TEATRALE (DLT),
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE DANIELE
BARTOLINI
Villa Charities and the Columbus Centre
presented the world premiere theatre
production of “If on a Christmas Night…”/
“Se una notte a Natale…” More on this
critically acclaimed production, featured
on the next page.
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