Events Archive | The Center for Italian Studies

Recent Events

September 12, 2024 1 – 3:30 PM	Caffè Italiano Join us for espresso and biscotti to kick off our fall event season! Learn about our upcoming programs and scholarship opportunities, meet our staff, or just have a coffee or tea with us. Open to all SBU students, faculty, and staff. A presto! E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3358. More information
September 15, 2024 10 AM – 1 PM	Dr. Robert D. Cess Concorso d'Eleganza The Center hosts its XVIII annual display of classic and modern Italian automobiles. Vehicles will rally in parking lot 2 (adjacent to the Wang Center and Tubman Hall). Visitor parking is available in parking lot 1. Free and open to the public. Lots 1&2, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794. More information
September 24, 2024 5 – 7 PM	Inauguration of the Parati Library of Migration Studies A panel of speakers including Marie Orton (BYU), Simone Brioni (SBU), Loredana Polezzi (SBU), and Graziella Parati (Dartmouth) will discuss the state of Italian migration studies and honor Parati's gift of 268 books and pamphlets to the Center's library. Co-sponsored by the D'Amato Chair. Free and open to all. SBU students encouraged to attend. E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3358. Register
September 28, 2024 12 – 4 PM	CommUniversity Day A day to explore all that Stony Brook has to offer to families and the community! Center staff will host a table with information on our Italian language programs for children and adults. Test your knowledge of Italian culture & win a prize! 90+ tables will be present and we'll be holding our annual LEGO competition. Open to all! Families with children are especially welcome. Academic Mall, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794. Rain location: IFCU Arena, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794. More information
October 9, 2024 6 – 8:30 PM	A Conversation with Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations Archbishop Caccia will engage in a dialogue with Dr. Vincenzo Pascale, Associate Professor at Long Island University and UN representative of the NGO Migrantes. Their discussion will explore the diplomatic efforts of the Holy See Mission to the United Nations, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Holy See's role in global peace processes and conflict resolutions. This event will be followed by a catered reception in the Wang Theater Lobby. Free and open to all. SBU students encouraged to attend. Wang Theater, Charles B. Wang Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794. Register Directions
October 23, 2024 5 – 7 PM	Photography and the Memory of the Italian Diaspora A conversation with Sicilian photographer Mario Badagliacca about his multiple projects on Italian diasporic identities. Light refreshments will follow the program. Free and open to all. SBU students encouraged to attend. E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3358. Register
October 28, 2024 5 – 6:30 PM	Fascism, Post-Fascism, Populism: From Italy to the Transatlantic Context Speakers: Francesca Billiani (Manchester University, UK), Monica Jansen (Utrecht University, Netherlands), Simone Brioni (SBU). Respondent: Janet Ward (SBU). Chaired by Loredana Polezzi (SBU). Starting with a reflection on the history and theorization of Italian Fascism in the interwar period, this conversation will address topical issues such as: definitions and redefinitions of ‘fascism’; the (inter)national and global reach of fascist ideology; the connections between (post)fascist and populist genealogies; the enduring echoes of fascist politics in the present day. Presented by the Center for Italian Studies, the D'Amato Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies, the Humanities Institute (HISB), and the Institute for Globalization Studies (IGS). Free and open to all. SBU students encouraged to attend. Humanities 1006, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794. Register
November 7, 2024 2 – 3:20 PM	Artemisia Gentileschi and Wily Women Artists of Italy, 1550 to 1776 (Richard Nasti Lecture Series) This talk will explore the pathways and pitfalls for women artists in early modern Italy, revealing connections to the present and offering a portal to the past. Along the way, the audience will be introduced to women working in a range of artistic media, including painting, sculpture, and works on paper, from a variety of different backgrounds and social classes. While Artemisia Gentileschi is the most famous, there were hundreds of other women who worked as artists in the period who have yet to receive their due. Eve Strassman-Pflanzer is curator and head of Italian and Spanish paintings at the National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC). She previously held positions at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), Wellesley College's Davis Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Straussman-Pflanzer received a PhD from the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University and a BA from Smith College. Free and open to all. SBU students encouraged to attend. E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3358. Register
November 12, 2024 5:30 – 7:30 PM	Pinocchio, Past and Present (Joseph Tromba Lecture Series) The Adventures of Pinocchio, originally written in 1883 by Carlo Collodi, is a tale that has been retold many times. This lecture will explore the original themes of Pinocchio, including honesty, hard work, respect, and, above all, obedience, as well as why these ideals were important in their original context. Then, the talk will explore two later adaptations of Pinocchio, Disney's 1940 Pinocchio, and acclaimed Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio from 2022, to see how these contexts have or have not changed over time and why. Anita Rescia is a PhD student and language instructor at Stony Brook University in the Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature. Her research interests include the intersection between Italian and Hispanic studies, children's literature, the representations of childhood in literature and film of the 20th and 21st centuries, and (post)memory studies of the Spanish Civil War. Free and open to all. SBU students encouraged to attend. E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3358. (Still shots from Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio) Register
November 19, 2024 5:30 – 8 PM	Film Screening of Matteo Garrone's Pinocchio Join us for an evening of Italian cinema, featuring a full screening of Matteo Garrone's Pinocchio. PhD student Anita Rescia (Hispanic Languages) will provide a brief introduction to the film. Please note that audio will be in Italian but English subtitles will be displayed for the duration of the film. Free and open to all. SBU students encouraged to attend. E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3358. Register
December 6-7, 2024	Puccini Forever! The Maestro’s Centennial Legacy in the Arts The Center for Italian Studies is co-sponsoring the 13th-annual conference at the American University of Florence. This year's topic is Puccini Forever, which focuses on the maestro's centennial legacy in the arts. The conference will consist of 6 panels with keynote speeches from several scholars in a number of fields. Representing SBU, Center Director Andrea Fedi, Professor Ryan Minor (Critical Music Studies), and Fulbright Fellow Michael Bennett (PhD candidate, Critical Music Studies) will attend and present their papers. The American University of Florence, Corso dei Tintori 21, Florence, Italy 5012.
December 11, 2024 5 – 7 PM	Holiday Party Join us at our annual holiday party! Dave Setteducati will play Italian and Italian American favorites, and we will have a spread of delicious food and drink. This holiday season, the Center is adopting the SBU Food Pantry for the week of December 9-13. We welcome donations of non-perishable, non-expired food items and sealed hygiene products at the Holiday Party. Pasta, Sauce, Cereal, and Snack Bars are some items in high demand. E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3358. Register

May 2, 2024	Join us at Dr. Sandra Palmer's presentation in the Nasti lecture series, "Great Masters of the Italian Baroque: Bernini & Caravaggio". The presentation will focus on two artists, Gian Lorenzo Bernini in sculpture and Caravaggio in painting, both revolutionizing art of the past. This event will take place from 5:30pm to 7pm at the Center for Italian Studies (E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University). Please direct any inquiries to ctritalianstudies@stonybrook.edu or call us at (631) 632-7444.
April 30, 2024	Join us in A Conversational Remembrance of Joseph A. Tursi (1928 – 2024). Let us remember the life and legacy of Dr. Joseph A. Tursi, who was a scholar, teacher, mentor, and friend to many. This event will take place from 5:30pm to 7pm at the Center for Italian Studies (E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University). Please direct any inquiries to ctritalianstudies@stonybrook.edu or call us at (631) 632-7444.
April 24, 2024	Join us in the Original Play Premiere of "Woman through the Window". The play, written by Anthony DiFranco and directed by Martin Knapp, centers on a multi-generational Italian American family grappling with issues of identity, love, and language. It stars an all-female cast: Lisa Meckes, Missy Roche, Deborah Rupy, Patricia Becker, and Kristin Ingegno. DiFranco, an award-winning fiction writer, filmmaker, and playwright, is the founder and artistic director of Debut Theater Company. He teaches courses on Italian American Studies at Stony Brook University. This event will take place at 7pm at the Wang Theater (Wang Center, Stony Brook University). Please direct any inquiries to ctritalianstudies@stonybrook.edu or call us at (631) 632-7444.
April 23, 2024	Join us in the Book Presentation of "Crazy Fish Sing", alongside Suranga Katugampala, Simone Brioni, Loredana Polezzi, and Peter Bruno on Zoom. This event is open to SBU students, faculty, and staff only. This event will take place from 1pm to 2:30pm at the Center for Italian Studies (E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University). Please direct any inquiries to ctritalianstudies@stonybrook.edu or call us at (631) 632-7444.
April 19, 2024	Join us in "I'll Tell You a Story": A Symposium Celebrating Dr. Mary Jo Bona. This event is organized by the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and co-sponsored by the Center for Italian Studies and the D’Amato Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies. This event will take place from 1pm to 4pm in The Humanities Institute (Humanities 1008, Stony Brook University). Please direct any inquiries to ctritalianstudies@stonybrook.edu or call us at (631) 632-7444.
April 18, 2024	Join us in a new program in the Tromba Lecture Series - "Saving Italy's Brown Bears: Rethinking Wilderness in Europe." This program, presented by Professor Roger Thompson (SBU), will feature three prominent figures in the Brown Bear conservation movement discussing the current state of the Apennine bear, the so-called “Italian Grizzly.” This event will take place from 4pm to 6pm at the Center for Italian Studies (E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University). Please direct any inquiries to ctritalianstudies@stonybrook.edu or call us at (631) 632-7444.
April 11, 2024	Join us in a new program in the Nasti Lecture Series - Dr. Oronzo Brunetti, “Representing the Italian South: Rural Architecture and Photography in the 1920s/1930s." Dr. Oronzo Brunetti (University of Naples Federico II) will present on Carl Hubacher's photographs of Puglia, specifically the trulli: dry stone houses with cone-shaped roofs. Architect and professional photographer, Hubacher was one of the leading exponents of the Swiss Werkbund. From 1924 to 1933, he visited Puglia several times and took hundreds of photos that constitute a precious document on the local landscape and rural architecture in the inter-war period. This event will take place from 5:30pm to 7pm at the Center for Italian Studies (E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University). Please direct any inquiries to ctritalianstudies@stonybrook.edu or call us at (631) 632-7444.
March 25, 2024	Join us in "Whitman on Walls!" a performance by Compagnia de’ Colombari. Walt Whitman's renowned poem, "Song of Myself," is a celebration of freedom, inclusion, and democracy. Drawing on this iconic work, Compagnia de’ Colombari created a series of short films, which will be screened at SBU. Students, faculty, and local poets will also read work written in dialogue with Whitman's text. Founding Director Karin Coonrod and Compagnia staff will be present. This event is free and open to the entire SBU community. This event will take place at 1pm in Rooms 200-206 in the Alan S. deVries Center, Stony Brook University. Please direct any inquiries to ctritalianstudies@stonybrook.edu or call us at (631) 632-7444.
February 27, 2024	Join us in "Paolino Bianchi and Diego Diáz: Narrative of Christian Slaves in Seventeenth-Century Tunis and Algiers,” a lecture by Dr. Céline Dauverd. Dr. Dauverd is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Colorado Boulder and a 2023-24 Fellow of The Italian Academy at Columbia University. This event will take place from 1pm to 2:30pm at the Center for Italian Studies (E-4340 Melville Library, Stony Brook University). Please direct any inquiries to ctritalianstudies@stonybrook.edu or call us at (631) 632-7444.
February 22, 2024
February 21, 2024	Join us in the screening of MAKA at Princeton with Dr. Simone Brioni. MAKA will be screened on February 21, 2024 at 5:30 pm in the Rocky-Mathey Theater, Princeton University, followed by a conversation with the film's director Elia Moutamid and writer Simone Brioni. For event details, please click here.
February 8, 2024	Join us for our Caffè Italiano: Spring Meet & Greet! Drop by the Center for Italian Studies on Thursday, February 8, between 1:00 and 3:00 PM, for a cup of our famous espresso and a selection of Italian cookies. Learn about our Spring event series, fellowship opportunities for graduate students, and meet the new Assistant to the Director Christine Griffiths, as well as Interim Director Dr. Andrea Fedi and long-time volunteer Josephine Fusco. Open to students, faculty, and staff.